My undercover adventure

Structure · March 30, 2011

Turning a new leaf this year. I began the project only with the intent to string row covers up on the frame to prevent beat leaf-hoppers from biting my plants and spreading curly top virus. However, it seemed like I might as well put up some polyfilm over the top instead. Then ends are covered with cloth, but have plastic flaps I can close during cold nights.

So far it's working great. The undercover plants are outgrowing those outdoors and look great. I'm sure I have some surprises ahead though.

Going to be a jungle and not tall enough (I know, I know) but that's what pruning is for!

Undercover varieties this year (*new to me):
Kosovo
Brad's Black Heart
Yasha Yugoslavian
Crnkovic Yugoslavian
Berkeley Tie Dye*
Large Barred Boar*
Big Sungold Select*
Black Krim
Indian Stripe
Cherokee Purple
Neves Azoran Red
Dagma's Perfection
Persimmon
Olena's Ukranian
Moskovic
Huang Se Chieh

Structure · May 14, 2011

Just updating the photos. So far it the experiment continues better than expected.

Kosovo is ahead:

rnewste · May 14, 2011

Structure,

Wow, they are looking great!! I am sure the warmth you are trapping inside your tent is helping them a great deal versus the ones outside.

We've had a pretty cool Spring up here in San Jose, so I am sure you've experienced similar conditions in SLO. Hopefully, the "heat" will come next month.

Raybo

Structure · May 14, 2011

Hi Raybo,

Yes. That's for sure. The "outside" tomatoes are looking pretty sad by comparison.

I had planned on covering a couple of Earthtainers fitted with the new peacages, but just didn't have time this spring. PVC on the tops to prevent puncture. Wrap with polyfilm, put a rowcover vent, viola mini-hot house. Least maybe. Hard to get inside to spray, etc....

KLorentz · May 14, 2011

Greetings from someone who lived in N. SLO County.I like your set up. A good thing for this time of year in SLO town.But plants outside your tent should start taking off soon.Looks like home grown tomatoes around July 4th for you.

Kevin

Structure · April 1, 2012

Going with all dwarfs this year undercover. Last year was fantastic for flavor, production, and earliness, but a real pain to work with. Hopefully, growing dwarfs will create better air circulation and more room to move. Rosella Purple, Wild Fred, Summertime Gold, Emerald Green, Tasmanian Chocolate, Beryl Beauty, Mr. Snow. Two of each. Also some Sweet Italian peppers strewn around.

Inside earlier in March:

Today:

dice · April 11, 2012

Earl of Edgecombe and Russian Red are a couple of pre-Dwarf Project
dwarfs that would fit in well with that group.

Crandrew · April 13, 2012

Looks fun!
Slo and Atascadero area is one of my favorites, especially this time of year. GL

dice · April 26, 2012

PS: Apparently not all Earl of Edgecombe seeds out there produce dwarf
plants (mine did, seeds from a trade with a Canadian grower):
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=9525

Structure · April 26, 2012

Thanks dice

I'd done some Googling too and wondered about the possibilities. If things stay on course how I expect this season, I will probably be looking for some "small" indeterminates next year. The dwarfs seem too small for my setting. But it's still early...

Tracydr · April 27, 2012

That looks fabulous. Interesting that you posted pictures of this. After I built my shade structure this week, I decided to cover it with plastic for the winter, as a high tunnel, just like you've done. I figure, with dwarf varieties, I can just inset the rows a bit, use cages instead of the trellises, (CRW wire, which will become the sides of the tunnel) and still grow the same 21 plants, or at least 18.
My only limitation could be less sun, as that garden gets a bit of shade in the winter. It might only get half a day of sun, which may not be enough. But, it could at least allow me to get seedlings out in late fall, keep them healthy through winter for a third crop.

dice · April 27, 2012

There is another one called Coastal Pride Orange, originally developed
by the McMurrays (grunt and grungy). It grows like a dwarf, thick stems
and rugose leaves, but can get kind of big for a dwarf, 4' for me,
like New Big Dwarf. Excellent flavor, comparable to Earl of Edgecombe,
Persimmon, or Maiden's Gold.

Gleckler and Knapp's have it: http://www.glecklerseedmen.com/Coast...7_2525467.aspx
http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms.com/2012.html

March 30, 2011	#1
Structure Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: SLO, CA Posts: 99	My undercover adventure Turning a new leaf this year. I began the project only with the intent to string row covers up on the frame to prevent beat leaf-hoppers from biting my plants and spreading curly top virus. However, it seemed like I might as well put up some polyfilm over the top instead. Then ends are covered with cloth, but have plastic flaps I can close during cold nights. So far it's working great. The undercover plants are outgrowing those outdoors and look great. I'm sure I have some surprises ahead though. Going to be a jungle and not tall enough (I know, I know) but that's what pruning is for! Undercover varieties this year (new to me): Kosovo Brad's Black Heart Yasha Yugoslavian Crnkovic Yugoslavian Berkeley Tie Dye Large Barred Boar* Big Sungold Select* Black Krim Indian Stripe Cherokee Purple Neves Azoran Red Dagma's Perfection Persimmon Olena's Ukranian Moskovic Huang Se Chieh

May 14, 2011	#2
Structure Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: SLO, CA Posts: 99	So here we are on May 13th Just updating the photos. So far it the experiment continues better than expected. Kosovo is ahead:

April 1, 2012	#6
Structure Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: SLO, CA Posts: 99	The 2012 Garden is in. Going with all dwarfs this year undercover. Last year was fantastic for flavor, production, and earliness, but a real pain to work with. Hopefully, growing dwarfs will create better air circulation and more room to move. Rosella Purple, Wild Fred, Summertime Gold, Emerald Green, Tasmanian Chocolate, Beryl Beauty, Mr. Snow. Two of each. Also some Sweet Italian peppers strewn around. Inside earlier in March: Today:

April 11, 2012	#7
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Earl of Edgecombe and Russian Red are a couple of pre-Dwarf Project dwarfs that would fit in well with that group. __________________ -- alias

April 26, 2012	#9
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	PS: Apparently not all Earl of Edgecombe seeds out there produce dwarf plants (mine did, seeds from a trade with a Canadian grower): http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=9525 __________________ -- alias Last edited by dice; April 27, 2012 at 02:06 AM. Reason: sp

May 14, 2011	#3
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Structure, Wow, they are looking great!! I am sure the warmth you are trapping inside your tent is helping them a great deal versus the ones outside. We've had a pretty cool Spring up here in San Jose, so I am sure you've experienced similar conditions in SLO. Hopefully, the "heat" will come next month. Raybo

May 14, 2011	#5
KLorentz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Stryker, Ohio Posts: 995	Greetings from someone who lived in N. SLO County.I like your set up. A good thing for this time of year in SLO town.But plants outside your tent should start taking off soon.Looks like home grown tomatoes around July 4th for you. Kevin

April 13, 2012	#8
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	Looks fun! Slo and Atascadero area is one of my favorites, especially this time of year. GL

April 27, 2012	#11
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	That looks fabulous. Interesting that you posted pictures of this. After I built my shade structure this week, I decided to cover it with plastic for the winter, as a high tunnel, just like you've done. I figure, with dwarf varieties, I can just inset the rows a bit, use cages instead of the trellises, (CRW wire, which will become the sides of the tunnel) and still grow the same 21 plants, or at least 18. My only limitation could be less sun, as that garden gets a bit of shade in the winter. It might only get half a day of sun, which may not be enough. But, it could at least allow me to get seedlings out in late fall, keep them healthy through winter for a third crop.