It’s official. Tomato season has begun!
We picked our first ripe tomato on June 2. JUNE SECOND. The earliest by far that we have every had tomatoes. This is thanks to converting our useless greenhouse into a highly productive high tunnel. The little bit of extra heat from the wood stove heater in the greenhouse/new high tunnel allowed us to plant tomatoes in late February.
And here they are now:
The kiddos in the “greenhouse” about three weeks ago. Yeah, it’s a little tight in there. It may or may not be a jungle at this point. Let’s just say, I won’t be posting any more pictures. I will also say, we will most likely rethink our spacing in the greenhouse next year.
The old high tunnel is looking good, too. Especially since this is the fifth year for tomatoes in the high tunnel. Yikes. That’s too long to have tomatoes in one spot. These are all determinants, meaning we will get a big crop off of them, and then yank them out. After this year, we have plans to rest a replenish the soil in this high tunnel, and then decide what crops to plant in it next spring. We also have plans to put in another this fall.
Look closely and you will see that we have wire along the sides of the high tunnels. That’s to keep critters out. Last year, we had terrible trouble with possums, raccoons, and skunks sneaking in and eating big bites out of each ripe tomato. It was disgusting. This year, we’ve outsmarted them. We hope.
The field tomatoes are looking good, as well. Tilled, mulched, caged, and irrigated – it’s been a busy week in the garden!
wernercreekfarm.com 