In the past couple of days, we have begun planting the tomatoes in the tunnel. These are probably the plants that receive the most attention each year. A lot of work goes into them. This year like everything this year they were started from seed. We have 14 varieties, an experiment if you will…
There is a lot going on this year in terms of the tomatoes, mainly the new tunnel environment. Also, we are using some new methods to help promote growth, placing used milk cartons by the plant roots in an effort when watering to deliver the water directly to the roots of the plant. We are using weed fabric to supress weeds. Another new initiative are the use of wire hooks and string to support the tomato plant stalks/vines. Over the last weekend we placed crop cable/wire on the crop bars (which are part of the tunnel structure) this wire is to support wire hooks which will in turn support strings to descend and grow the plants up along.
High wire hooks are used to bring the crop to a good working height this method make also makes connecting to the younger plants easier and faster using small plastic clips. This totally new to us, these little wire hooks will also allow the lifting and lowering of the twine that will support the plant vines/stalks.
Yesterday we planted 10 plants.
Sown from seed back in middle February the little seeds germinated in the warmth of the boiler room and developed into seedlings in our conservatory, they have been lovingly nurtured further and transplanted into bigger pots as they grew. For the past month, a hardening off process has been taking place. This involves moving the trays of small plants out during the day and in at night as they would not survive the night cold. All the while watching for frost, probably the biggest enemy of young tomato plants. The little plants were eventually deemed hardy enough to be left out in the tunnel at night albeit covered with some layers of fleece to protect them. Yesterday we planted the first 10 in their final position in the tunnel. Now with further care and watering all going week they will go on to produce fruit in July/August.
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