High Tunnel 2017

[MissS]

Holytoledomacaroni! Those plants look great and all in just three weeks. Have you planted any outside yet?

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks. I have about 30 plants outside right now, but hopefully will be planting a lot more soon.

[Lindalana]

Seedlings look great! Nice deep color too! What do you prune at this stage?
Agatha seeds I got from the swap- not sure which year though- were biggest bummer, it took them 8 weeks to germinate.
Same experience for Mat Su express- that plant is on steroids.
Sasha Altai- had a bunch of PL seedlings. Tania reports RL.

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks. I've learned my lesson trying to fertilize them last year. The soil is so rich that they can't take any chemical ferts at all without burning.

Most of the plants are determinates, but I am pruning them to 2-3 main stems at this point. I want them up off the ground and also to maintain decent airflow around the plants. When I let them grow unpruned, I get unruly hedges.

[Cole_Robbie]

Here are a couple pics of giant leaves. The first is Mat-Su Express, Super B, and the RL leaf is Rebelski F1.

[mecktom]

Your plants look so good. The high tunnel really speeds things up, doesn't it? Looks like you are off to a good start!
Thanks again for the Mat-Su Express seeds. They seem to have a real growing Gene...if there is such a thing!

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks, and you're welcome for the Mat-Su.

I'm not super-hardcore about the high tunnel. If I had low tunnels inside it with row covers, and maybe some sort of heat, I could plant it a month sooner. But I just wait until April after the freezing temps are gone. I typically get fruit throughout the month of June, which is a month faster than the outdoor gardens.

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Thanks, and you're welcome for the Mat-Su.

I'm not super-hardcore about the high tunnel. If I had low tunnels inside it with row covers, and maybe some sort of heat, I could plant it a month sooner. But I just wait until April after the freezing temps are gone. I typically get fruit throughout the month of June, which is a month faster than the outdoor gardens.

They look great Cole. Man, with dirt like that you prolly won't need to ammend much for years! . Jimbo

[Cole_Robbie]

High tunnel veterans Taxi (top pic) and Agatha (bottom pic) are leading the way. So far, I'm glad I planted Agatha as 1/3rd of my crop. Taxi is about 1/6th, but only because yellow tomatoes are a little harder to sell.

[BigVanVader]

Question Cole. I have plants that started setting fruit in the pot and I want to transplant them. One is Granadero and they were expensive seeds. Should I just plant it normally or maybe without disturbing the roots? Just curious of your opinion and if you've any experience with this situation?

Oh and very nice! Taxi and Granadero are leading for me with Sungold right behind. Plants look great dude.

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

High tunnel veterans Taxi (top pic) and Agatha (bottom pic) are leading the way. So far, I'm glad I planted Agatha as 1/3rd of my crop. Taxi is about 1/6th, but only because yellow tomatoes are a little harder to sell.

What does Taxi taste like Cole?. Grew striped German last year and loved the taste.

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks, guys.

What does Taxi taste like? Not much, honestly. It's not bad - juicy, nice texture, just a very mild flavor. It is not as sweet as most orange/yellow tomatoes I have grown. I ate them with a little vinegar and salt. I think the plant makes too many tomatoes for them to be very sweet. It is great as an early variety, though, especially in the high tunnel.

And Van, I would pluck off those fruit. Carolyn has posted about pinching the first blossoms, and I think it is the same idea. I pinch flowers off of any plants I set out that happen to be blooming already.

[BigVanVader]

Yeah I typically do as well but these are so big already...
I will though. Thanks. Same here for taxi. Very mild. I market it as a low acid variety.

[AKmark]

Looking good Cole.

[PhilaGardener]

Fabulous looking plants!