Getting Warmer in NZ. Good Tomato Germination.

[StephenCoote]

I may be able to squeeze 35 plants into the garden this year and I will probably grow around 80 seedlings. I have friends who will take the surplus.

While most of my seeds were planted around the beginning of September, I did start a couple of Sub Arctic Plenty on 07 August. Both of them are looking fairly happy in their makeshift 'tents':





I made this mini-greenhouse for tomato seedlings. It is now in its third year and the plastic film is still in good condition. We grew lettuces underneath it this last winter. That is garlic in the foreground:



Best wishes....

[ddsack]

Looks like the start of a great gardening season! And what an impressive raised bed you have for your garlic, what will you put in there after the garlic is pulled?

[GrowingCoastal]

Nice to see someone beginning their season as ours ends. Great looking garlic, too.

[StephenCoote]

Thanks for the comments.

My wife, Jackie, and I made three raised beds using hand-mixed concrete. We then plastered them using a tinted mix. They have some advantages, but during the hotter months it seems that some plants grow better closer to ground level compared to what we plant in the raised beds. I think if I made raised beds again, I'd keep them at about 8 inches high.

When I used to plant garlic by the traditional rule on the shortest day, this meant I was harvesting it well into summer ... thus it was occupying a bed until quite late in the vegetable planting season. I now plant it maybe five weeks before the shortest day. I'm hoping this year I will be able to plant some determinate tomatoes around the perimeter and that the garlic will be out of the bed in time to let the tomatoes spread out a bit. Otherwise I might use the whole bed for parsnips or celeriac and Swiss chard which is a staple in our garden. I try to fill all the gaps with edibles.

[Salsacharley]

Very nice setup. Good luck with your season!