Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post

joseph · February 23, 2014

My zone pushing focuses on selecting for genes that are able to handle my intensely radiant-cooled nights and short growing-season.

I am tickled as anything if frost kills 50% of my tomato transplants. Sure there is a bit of randomness about frost, but I have discovered families that thrive in cooler weather. Year after year I have been selecting for tomatoes that survive frost and that grow well in cooler temperatures. It was so clever to me last year that the tomatoes survived frosts that damaged the corn.

I have had good success using this method with cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, common beans, and squash. I am still working on favas, runner beans, okra, and mixtas.

The other zone pushing I do is to plant things on the south sides of buildings: To create a slightly warmer micro-climate. I don't like using plastic. I find it difficult to afford enough to make much of a difference.

Sometimes the zone pushing I do is to adapt for things that can handle the summer days better. Same principle just applied at a different time and to different species.

February 23, 2014	#10
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	My zone pushing focuses on selecting for genes that are able to handle my intensely radiant-cooled nights and short growing-season. I am tickled as anything if frost kills 50% of my tomato transplants. Sure there is a bit of randomness about frost, but I have discovered families that thrive in cooler weather. Year after year I have been selecting for tomatoes that survive frost and that grow well in cooler temperatures. It was so clever to me last year that the tomatoes survived frosts that damaged the corn. I have had good success using this method with cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, common beans, and squash. I am still working on favas, runner beans, okra, and mixtas. The other zone pushing I do is to plant things on the south sides of buildings: To create a slightly warmer micro-climate. I don't like using plastic. I find it difficult to afford enough to make much of a difference. Sometimes the zone pushing I do is to adapt for things that can handle the summer days better. Same principle just applied at a different time and to different species.