How to Plant Tomatoes in the Garden using Visqueen
It’s time for a Coughlin Garden update! Many of you know that we live on a city lot and have converted some of our backyard to garden beds! So today I’m sharing about our tomatoes … because they’re already planted and in the ground! And growing quite nicely!
This time of year is so fun (I’m just like a little kid in a candy shop), because my husband and I get to take a little jaunt out to the countryside to our friend’s stunning greenhouse, to pick up our tomato plants.
Little baby tomato plants that Terri starts and grows in her greenhouse!
I think this year she must have grown about 1500 plants! (She admits she goes a little overboard – it’s her hobby! ha.)
We tried a new experiment this year in our garden. We brought our “babies” home, and on the nice days we “hardened” the plants by bringing them outside to bask in the sunshine. (That would be on the nice days only, not rainy days like today in southern Oregon!) :)
We kept the plants in our greenhouse until they grew some more, and then we planted them in 2 separate raised beds.
Here’s where our experiment came in:
1. One bed we planted the tomatoes directly into the soil.
2. The other bed we tried the “visqueen” method.
1. We put the plants directly into the ground and covered the beds with straw. They seem to be doing quite well!
2. We put visqueen down first, cutting slits long enough to slide the plant into the ground (making sure it was covered well with soil). This was to prevent so many weeds coming up! We also heard that it not only is a weed barrier, but it yields more tomatoes.
We shall see!
The colors and the bounty of tomatoes that are beginning to grow in our garden makes me so happy and inspired.
(The size of our plants today!)
I’m inspired to have people over and share the tomatoes with others around our table.
I’m excited to enjoy every moment, because before we know it, the season will be gone, all too soon.
Have you started planting your garden yet, and if so, I’d love to hear your update?
-Here’s an interesting way to plant, right in the potting soil bag. You can place them on top of your garden – no tilling and amending needed.
-Here’s a post about warming your beds with clear visqueen before planting the tomatoes.
-Last year we had really small tomatoes, you can read about them, HERE.
-We’ve also used “trench-style” planting in the past. You can read about it, HERE.
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I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
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Can we follow this idea through the growing season for comparision? The plastic will warm the soil and be helpful now. Will be interested to see what happens when you get sun and hot temps and if enough water gets through the small slits. Could be a great learning project. Good Luck!
I’m lucky enough to have a family garden on my parent’s property. Tomotoes just went in last week, looking forward to them, corn, peppers…..oh and spinach too! Love summer/fresh garden produce!
I’ve heard a setback from the visqueen is that it doesn’t allow the water to be absorbed as well.
My friend who has a huge beautiful garden always chops up banana peels and egg shells and puts them in her garden.
I don’t know but my pappa always put a bananna peel in the bottom of his planting hole when he planted tomatoes. He always had huge tomatoes.
We haven’t started our garden yet this year because I’m planning a surprise overhaul to my space while DS is out of town in June. He never knows what he will be coming home to in July ;D You have me thoroughly intrigued with Visqueen now. I can’t to give it a try in my winter beds. xoxo
I just plant two plants – one regular and one cherry – since my husband doesn’t eat them. They’ve had a rough time the past few days. It has been super windy here in Iowa and no rain. I would never be able to plant them as close together as you have. My plants always get huge.
I’m getting ready to hopefully plant this weekend or early next week. I did not do a garden last yer so hoping this year is very successful.
I’m guessing that we live in totally different planting zones…I’m zone 9 and our tomatoes went in the ground around in early March. We’ve been eating the first of the tomatoes for about a week. This year I planted one group of seedling the first of March and then another group two weeks later. I’m hoping that all the tomatoes don’t come in at once which is what usually happens. I don’t mind canning the extras but I really like to eat them fresh off the vine.
By the time your tomatoes are ready to pick my garden will be finished:-( It is too hot and humid where I live for a summer garden.
I like your raised beds. They make a garden look neat and tidy. Good luck with your garden!
My tomatoes are in finally. We’ve had a really unusual spring with a warm start and then cool temperatures with a frost last week. But it’s turned around and the soil was warm enough to plant my babies which I bought – never have luck with seeds. My biggest thrill this week in the garden is that the potatoes have broken ground and are sprouting happily. Nothing like digging up potatoes with a big old garden fork.
Good luck with your crops. They look like they’re off to a good start.