Tomatoes

We've been getting some good sun pretty early on this year, so I took a chance, bought some tomatoes and planted. But this year, I wanted to do a couple different things. All the container gardening websites I've read say that in order to promote optimal growth, you should plant in pots that are at least 18" deep, and since my man, P. Allen Smith, says the same thing, I bought two big pots and some really quality soil with fertilizer built in. Secondly, I bought my starters at the farmer's market from a lady who was selling these plants off the back of her truck. She really loved her tomatoes, and it was evident in the size of these plants. While everyone else was selling the little starters that were 4-5" tall, her plants were already at least a foot. So, rather than pay the $1 for the little guys, I forked over $3 a piece for my two beauties. I bought a bigger beefsteak variety and a cherry tomato plant as well.

As I spoke to the woman about planting, she told me something that makes perfect sense, but something I'd never thought of before. I don't get a lot of direct sun, but right out front of my house, I have a narrow walkway that gets a lot of sun. She told me to pot my tomatoes and set the pots right next to the house so they would not only get the heat from the sun, but the residual heat from the house siding! And as the sun goes down, the house siding is still warm and radiating heat, which continues to heat my tomatoes which love sun!!

As a result of these things, my tomatoes are growing splendidly! I have flowers and some fruit has already started to form! That doesn't happen in WA too often in mid-June! Everyone who has stopped by has commented on the size of my tomatoes! I can't wait to start harvesting!