Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post

RobinB · February 23, 2014

I have been using Wall O' Waters for a few years now. It allows me to get tomato plants out much earlier than "normal" (which would be mid-June.) It works for some, but not all varieties. Every year, there are a few that do not respond well to being outside when the lows are in the teens to twenties, even when protected. This way, I'm not stuck with just early varieties. I can start some late season varieties and actually get of those tomatoes by August. I plant early varieites too, and have tomatoes from them starting mid-June. Here in the high desert, we are fortunate to have more than 300 sunny days in an average year so that helps!

Additionally, there are always some tomatoes planted in pots. Last year, I was successful at growing three early dwarf tomato plants in 15 gallon pots by getting them out on my South-facing porch starting in mid-April. I don't have a hoop house or greenhouse, so I lug the pots inside the house at night. Last year, I grew three plants in pots in this manner, this year it will be six. In 2013, I was rewarded with tomatoes starting in late May. Coming inside each night, they grow quite quickly -- much faster than those planted at the same time in the ground inside the WOWs. This year, my six plants (all growouts for the Dwarf Tomato Project) are scheduled to go out on the porch a month earlier than last year (mid-March.) Ten plants got potted up yesterday. I'm also going to try to get the four extra plants in the ground inside WOWs, just to see what happens. The weather here has been unseasonably warm in the daytime (mid-50s to low-60s) but the nights are average (teens). It is still possible that we may get some actual Winter around here before it's all said and done, but I'm going to take that chance. It's always interesting when the plants get taller than the WOWs before it's warm enough.

I also have a flat of Red Russian Kale, Bok Choy, MacGreggor's Beets, Spigarello Liscka, Broccoli Raab, Bright Lights Chard, Mizuna and Romanesco Cauliflower ready to be hardened off and be put in the ground. They go out in filtered sunlight today. All my peppers are started and have their second set of leaves. These will will stay under lights for another few weeks and then eventually they will also get potted up and will spend their days outside on the porch until it's warm enough for then to be in their final places. At the end, it's quite a project to get everything out on the porch in the morning and inside again at night! It's a lot of effort, but it works!

Seeds for about 60 of my main season tomatoes will be started next weekend to be put outside inside WOWs in mid-April. I have accumulated approximately 65 WOWs, so some plants will get started in early May to go outside without protection in mid-June. Then, I will start just a few tomatoes in May, to be planted in 15 gallon pots in July, to then be carried inside at night whenever it starts getting cold again.

Whew, I'm tired just thinking of what's ahead!

February 23, 2014	#9
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	I have been using Wall O' Waters for a few years now. It allows me to get tomato plants out much earlier than "normal" (which would be mid-June.) It works for some, but not all varieties. Every year, there are a few that do not respond well to being outside when the lows are in the teens to twenties, even when protected. This way, I'm not stuck with just early varieties. I can start some late season varieties and actually get of those tomatoes by August. I plant early varieites too, and have tomatoes from them starting mid-June. Here in the high desert, we are fortunate to have more than 300 sunny days in an average year so that helps! Additionally, there are always some tomatoes planted in pots. Last year, I was successful at growing three early dwarf tomato plants in 15 gallon pots by getting them out on my South-facing porch starting in mid-April. I don't have a hoop house or greenhouse, so I lug the pots inside the house at night. Last year, I grew three plants in pots in this manner, this year it will be six. In 2013, I was rewarded with tomatoes starting in late May. Coming inside each night, they grow quite quickly -- much faster than those planted at the same time in the ground inside the WOWs. This year, my six plants (all growouts for the Dwarf Tomato Project) are scheduled to go out on the porch a month earlier than last year (mid-March.) Ten plants got potted up yesterday. I'm also going to try to get the four extra plants in the ground inside WOWs, just to see what happens. The weather here has been unseasonably warm in the daytime (mid-50s to low-60s) but the nights are average (teens). It is still possible that we may get some actual Winter around here before it's all said and done, but I'm going to take that chance. It's always interesting when the plants get taller than the WOWs before it's warm enough. I also have a flat of Red Russian Kale, Bok Choy, MacGreggor's Beets, Spigarello Liscka, Broccoli Raab, Bright Lights Chard, Mizuna and Romanesco Cauliflower ready to be hardened off and be put in the ground. They go out in filtered sunlight today. All my peppers are started and have their second set of leaves. These will will stay under lights for another few weeks and then eventually they will also get potted up and will spend their days outside on the porch until it's warm enough for then to be in their final places. At the end, it's quite a project to get everything out on the porch in the morning and inside again at night! It's a lot of effort, but it works! Seeds for about 60 of my main season tomatoes will be started next weekend to be put outside inside WOWs in mid-April. I have accumulated approximately 65 WOWs, so some plants will get started in early May to go outside without protection in mid-June. Then, I will start just a few tomatoes in May, to be planted in 15 gallon pots in July, to then be carried inside at night whenever it starts getting cold again. Whew, I'm tired just thinking of what's ahead!