Tomato Planting Day

I got some pretty interesting advice about planting tomatoes last Friday. As I mentioned last week, I went to a plant sale at the Rockefeller Greenhouse. My mother and I got some pretty awesome deals on plants. I went with all vegetables, she picked up some flowers for a planter in their yard. The people working the sale were really friendly and full of information about the plants that I picked out. In the past, we've had some issues with overcrowding our vegetable garden among other things but not this year. It's going to be perfect, fingers crossed.

The gentleman selling all of these tomato plants gave me some advice that I'd like to pass on. Do your plants tend to get a little top heavy? Mine too. He sold each plant in a styrofoam cup, with a stake and a twist tie that was about six inches up each plant, give or take. He told me to plant each plant as deep as that twist tie to ensure a good root system and better plant stability. I will still probably need some stakes but he promised that tomatoes love to be planted deep and would thrive like this.

So I had to dig a hole that was about ten inches or so deep to get those babies in and they are about two feet apart. Cut off any limbs that are going to end up covered in dirt right before you plant them. I got three varieties called Cosmonaught Volkov (that has been winning awards, said the gardener), Sungold, and Stupice (which he said was his all time favorite). I also planted a Borage plant to attract bees to help with pollination and to hopefully help get more fruit.

All the while my little fella was there "helping" me get the plants in. And by helping I mean stealing my trowel and running away to take care of his own projects. He was very interested in what I was doing and would graciously let me borrow the shovel very briefly. I talked him through what we were doing and he would listen closely and then snatch the shovel back. After all, that driveway did need scraping. So here's my advice to keep all parties entertained, make sure that you have enough tools for each gardener that way you can all get your work done. Happy planting!