Tales from the Garden 2010 - Transplants

After last year's successful upside down planter experiment, I was determined to expand my selection of plants. With that in mind, I started a few varieties of tomatoes and peppers indoors and then hardened them off by putting them on the deck under the picnic table, out of direct sunlight.

When it seemed like the last frost was past, I planted them in this year's bags - recycled PO tyvek pouches (I had to make new ones for this year - the pouches don't last more than one season). I was able to hang a wire shelf (yard sale find) off the side of my deck over a low traffic area, to take advantage of some good sunshine, some wind protection, and easy access from above for watering. Four plants went there -I merely labeled the sides of the bags with a permanent marker to tell me what was in them. One is a bit 'runty' as it was planted later and got waterlogged in the peat pot before planting, but we will see how it does. The other three were early indoor germinations and seem to be thriving.

Five more bags were hung down the middle of my planter boxes, on the same hooks as last year -three tomatoes and two peppers. This spot works great as they are up and over other plants, saving space, and the excess water (rain barrel water) that drips out of the bags when I have to hand water them ends up in the beds below. The poles also double as a place for the peas to climb.

At last check this evening, I had no tomato blossoms yet, but the plants look healthy and happy.

And if you look very very very very closely in this photo of my jalepeno - started in April inside - you can see what looks to be the very beginnings of a pepper!!!