March Mater Madness

[lakngulf]

Milton, how much room do you have at your lakefront place? How far do you have to drive to your farm with bottom land? I would grow my own plants, but they are less than $0.40 each when I buy them at a local greenhouse. One of these years I hope to get a greenhouse of my own built so I can grow/experiment with more heirloom and unique varieties.

1. My house faces north and there are lots of trees, so spots with sunshine are limited, along with spots my wife will allow. I am pretty much limited to the area you see in the picture of the garden boxes. Lack of sun is also the reason I "extend" the garden onto the little pier
2. The farmland is about 1 1/4 hour away, not too bad. I go there often to see my mom (87) who still lives at the farm, still cuts her own grass (big yard, riding lawn mower), and is a great cook
3. It's not about the cost of a plant. I just enjoy growing all my garden from seed. I like even better to save seed and see it produce new fruit. This year I planted saved seed from Brandywine tomato, Rattlesnake beans, and okra. Was not as successful with bell pepper seed.
4. Greenhouse has been a great addition. I have a small propane heater with a 100lb tank, and I am stingy with it. I have plans to install a wood burning heater to maintain better warmth. Greenhouse is also a great escape to just play with the dirt, and the grandsons LOVE it.

 

[lakngulf]

Tomatoes are doing well so far. After several COLD spring mornings we are in growing weather in central Alabama. Hard to believe these plants came from such tiny seeds.





Also, have some planted at the farm/hunting land. Had lots of healthy plants, found some rich soil in a low area at the edge of a field, tilled a couple of strips, and planted them deep. Since it is at the farm, I figured I needed cattle panels to support the tomatoes. If this works it is a quick way to "stake tomatoes"

 

[lakngulf]

As far as the greenhouse goes: When I built it two or three years ago, I did the best I could with the time I had, and location. The spot I selected did ok but was shielded from sun for much of the day. I have this lean-to tool shed 16 x 8 that faces south, and has a side wall on the east side. When I was building the greenhouse I thought this lean-to would be a better location, but did not have the time to make that happen. Well, introduce retirement and wife out of town

And this:


Is being transformed into this:








The old greenhouse


Is currently this

 

[jinman]

Milton, I'm jealous of your greenhouse areas. I need to get busy and build my greenhouse. I've been saying that for years and maybe this will be the year of the "bizzy beaver" around here.

I'm not surprised that your tomatoes grow from such tiny seeds. Turnip seeds always amaze me too. What amazes me most is that we can plant those tiny seeds and baby them through bad weather, insects, and disease until they mature. I always lose 4-6 tomato plants each year after I set them out. There's definitely safety in numbers. Now we know why things like tomatoes and turnips have so many seeds.

 

[lakngulf]

Yes, they do make a lot of seed. I like to see them grow.

For the new greenhouse location, I have reused windows, plastic, etc from the old greenhouse, and have made very few purchases of new materials. The tin from the new location is now on the old greenhouse. It will become a tool shed/work shed, and spot for grand sons to play when it is raining. Also, I left some of the plastic on the roof of the old location. We may use it to store plants during the winter time.

 

[Western]

Love the little greenhouse:thumbsup: You may have a good idea with the cattle panels too, sure dont see where that wont work, may be hard to weed if needed though.

Looking at those nice tomatoes, I'm wondering where you get water? IS that fresh, or gulf water??

 

[lakngulf]

Love the little greenhouse:thumbsup: You may have a good idea with the cattle panels too, sure dont see where that wont work, may be hard to weed if needed though.

Looking at those nice tomatoes, I'm wondering where you get water? IS that fresh, or gulf water??

I live on Lake Martin, north of Montgomery in central Alabama. I have irrigation system that pulls water from the lake.
Don't have that at the farm, however. Have to haul water in for that.

On the cattle panels, they have one model that has holes half the size of these I bought. That would hold the tomatoes better, but was twice as expensive.

 

[farmgirl19]

I have been wanting a greenhouse too. Maybe I'll get to that project this next Fall/early winter, so I can plant seeds in January.

Those maters look wonderful, lakngulf!

 

[Western]

Milton, I was joking with you about the water, feeble attempt at humor. Looks like you have quite a surplus at least at the tomato plants!

I think the larger would be easier than the small 2"x4" panel anyway.

 

[lakngulf]

At the risk of repeating myself, I highly recommend a variety of tomato called "Super Fantastic". In my garden, tomatoes are very capricious; sometimes anything will grow like Gangbusters, but most of the time they struggle. My best ever variety is the Super Fantastic. If anything will grow and produce, here, they will. They are resistant to most diseases and are fairly heat tolerant. Celebrities do pretty well and occasionally I will get a Cherokee Purple to make a few really tasty giants. The last couple of years, on the advice of the lady at the nursery, I planted a variety called "Bush Champion" and they all died or at least fainted before they ever produced even one edible tomato. I plan to get my tomatoes this week and set them out in about 10 days.

I ordered some Fantastic tomato seed and had several plants for a late crop. Late crops are difficult here because of the heat of August when they need to be growing. I planted several plants at home and three at my mother's garden. Her plants did great, are loaded with tomatoes still (great soil), and have a great taste. I have a few plants that survived, and also produced some great tasting tomatoes. The Fantastic are the only tomatoes I have left in the garden.