Earthbox update

The combination of snap peas and tomatoes seems to be working well in the Earthbox. The peas have climbed up the tomato trellis and are now producing. The tomatoes, planted later, are showing their first blossoms. In some places the peas have attached to the tomatoes for support. The chives just keep on coming back year after year. I'm impressed by the Earthbox system. Having a large self watering container gives you a lot of options and requires little maintenance. I really like the wheels, which make it easy to move the planter under cover in poor weather.

Planting out basil

I started these basil transplants from seed April 22nd and today I decided they were big enough and the temperatures warm enough for them to be planted outside. I scattered them throughout the garden trying to find places where they might do well. Originally I planted the seeds in a 6 pack with 5 or 6 seeds to a cell. I made a point of separating the plants when transplanting. It'll be interesting to see if the plants can recover from the shock of such harsh treatment.

Planting cucumbers in a square foot garden

These are four cucumber plants grown from seed.  Hopefully they'll like climbing up the large tomato cage.  I've added some stakes and wrapped remay cloth around the plants to protect them while they're getting established.

Planting tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets

Yes there really are tomatoes under the red plastic

Rain is coming so the bags are closed at the top

The driveway can get quite a bit of sun

See the little tomato at the bottom?

This is a self-watering planter, big enough for 2 tomatoes

Remay cloth keeps the tomatoes cosy in the self-watering planter

I'm trying a number of different things here.  I've got 6 different tomato varieties growing, most from seeds purchased from the "Rusted Garden".  There are large saucers at the bottom of the 5 gallon buckets.  These will be kept with water in them so that the soil can wick it up and remain moist.  (I drilled lots of holes in the bottom of the buckets.) The perforated red plastic is designed to keep rain off the plants and to provide an optimal light spectrum.  In each container the soil is covered with cedar mulch to act as a barrier, preventing any spores in the soil that might cause early blight from reaching the plants.

Planting tomatoes in a square foot garden

Patio tomato bag planted using a Grow Pot

More bag planting

Two tomato plants fit nicely

Protected from the spring rains

Recently I planted two tomatoes in a square foot garden.  I used the bag planting technique so that the tomatoes would be protected from any diseases existing in the soil.  Locally we get a lot of rain so it's important to provide shelter for the tomatoes or they may get the early blight.  There is still room in the square foot garden for some swiss chard and dill.