- Author: Paula Sayer
I hope you were enthused to start your seedlings off indoors recently. By now they should have germinated and you may be wondering what next. Once they have a couple of true leaves (not the cotyledons – or first leaves the seed produces), it's time to move on up!
If you sowed multiple seeds in small container, you must thin them to 1 plant per pot, either by snipping off all but one plant with a pair of scissors, or separating the seedlings and repotting them in individual containers. This is the same process if you planted seeds in seed trays.
Ensure the seedlings aren't too wet; this makes it easier to separate them. Fill the new pots with well-watered fresh compost. Using a blunt kitchen knife, ease a group of seedlings out and let them fall apart. Alternately, if they've grown together, gently tease the roots apart. Separate the individual plants, handling them by the leaves not the stems. Make a hole in the new compost and ease the roots in, before filling in with soil mix. Ensure the seedling is at the same depth or a little deeper than before and gently firm the soil around it. Water it without flattening the seedling (easier said than done) and leave it to recover for a couple of days out of the sun until it gets over the shock of its new home.
Most commercial compost has enough nutrients for several weeks, so you shouldn't need to fertilize unless you've made your own mix, in which case fertilizing every 10 days may be recommended. If you overfertilize, you run the risk of leggy fragile plants.
Few things can go wrong at this stage – only underwatering or overwatering! (Or freezing, scorching, being eaten by bugs, birds or cats). Continue to water the young plants regularly: the larger the leaves, the more water the plants need. Check that there is adequate air flow, and avoid waterlogging the seedlings. Overwatering can result in “damping off” where apparently healthy seedlings suddenly keel over. If you examine the stem carefully at the soil line, it will look pinched – this is a fungus that thrives in wet, poorly ventilated places. You may be able to save the remaining seedlings by removing the dead ones and improving conditions, but prevention is better than a cure.
Now is the time to congratulate yourself on how well your seedlings are doing and wonder where on earth you're going to plant them all. Perhaps now is also the time to start trading with friends! (Master Gardeners may use the VMS to do so with fellow Master Gardeners - it's very handy!)
Next up: Tough Love
- Author: Jan Rhoades
Whether or not you have started your tomato seeds, have tomato plants on order or already have plants in the ground, here is some great locally-sourced tomato information. For the past four years, the Sunrise Garden Research Project – spearheaded by Master Gardeners Carolyn Lynch and Laurie Morrow – has been observing the growth, health and productive qualities of quite a number of different tomato plants. As part of this research, they have offered some of these plants out to Master Gardeners who are willing to plant them in their backyard gardens and report back on these same qualities. Here are some of the “fruits” of this long term research project and some “picks” that you might consider for your gardening and eating pleasure.
In 2012, 16 different tomatoes were trialed. Four were small fruited types, three cherries and Juliet, a grape tomato. Of the larger-fruited types, four were extra-early varieties reputed to ripen fruit in 60 or fewer days from transplant: Stupice and Siletz, both open-pollinated and said to ripen well in cold weather, the popular hybrid Early Girl, and the compact hybrid Bush Early Girl. The rest were relatively early at 70 to 75 days plus one at 80 days. Jetsetter, Whopper, Celebrity and Better Boy are hybrids bred to resist various plant diseases and to produce large, flavorful fruit. The remaining four were open-pollinated heirlooms: Azoychka and Paul Robeson -- Siberian varieties in fun colors (yellow and ‘black', really more a chocolate brown), and the red varieties Sioux and Box Car Willie.
In 2013, there were 13 trial varieties. Early Girl was included again and the rest were a mix of open-pollinated and hybrid varieties including large-fruited heirlooms, several heat-resistant types, a couple of paste tomatoes, and again, a few in fun colors.
Plants were distributed and planted the first week in May. In addition to the Sunrise Garden, the trial group included 12 or 13 active participants. About half were in West Bishop, two in Big Pine, and one each on Dixon Lane, Wilkerson, and Paradise. Sunrise was the only downtown garden. It was noted that most of the plants had fruit to ready to pick before, rather than after their "days to harvest" date. One was 3 weeks early! The surprising exception was Early Girl – not so early, but very productive later.
NOTES ON THE VARIETIES
These observations are based on the plants grown at Sunrise, with additional input from home growers as noted.
OP = open-pollinated; HY= hybrid
STUPICE (OP) The earliest variety in our trial. Small fruit (average 1.3 inch diameter) were clean, uniform, attractive and pleasantly juicy. Not a lot of flavor, but a nice acid component without being overly tart. The residents at Sunrise seemed to love them. Medium-size plants suffered in hot weather but rebounded late in the season.
EARLY GIRL (HY) Each large, vigorous plant produced 30 pounds of 2-inch fruit. Flavor was clean, sweet, and bright; fruit were attractive with little cracking or rot. Plants produced especially well early and late in the season and were still growing vigorously and flowering when they froze in October.
BUSH EARLY GIRL (HY) The biggest dud of the trial. Compact plants were very productive for their size but fruit was extremely slow to ripen and didn't look or taste good when it did. Plants quit growing and producing in midsummer.
SILETZ (OP) Another disappointment. This was touted as a good-tasting, relatively large, very early variety and it did produce 10 days earlier than Early Girl. It wasn't worth it. Production was good but most fruit were cracked and/or misshapen and flavor was nothing special.
JETSETTER (HY) Three days later than Early Girl, fruit averaged almost 4 oz. (about 30% larger). Production was significantly lower but still decent at 20 pounds per plant. Juicy fruit had good flavor for a hybrid, winning a taste test against several heirlooms (“sweet, complex”); however, one home grower called it “seedy and flavorless.” There was some cracking and blossom end rot early in the season. Plants were large and healthy.
PARK'S WHOPPER CR IMPROVED (HY) Just a little bit earlier, larger (4.1 oz) and more productive (21 pounds per plant) than Jetsetter, with similarly good flavor. Fruit had very little cracking or blossom end rot. Plants were very large and healthy. Not a standout in any one category, but a really good all-around tomato.
CELEBRITY (HY) Semi-determinate plants were productive but fruit suffered cracking and blossom end rot throughout the season. Flavor was fair to good. A disappointing showing for an award-winning variety.
AZOYCHKA (OP) Pretty, bright yellow fruit averaging almost 4 oz were somewhat susceptible to cracking and blossom end rot. Fruit had smooth texture and medium-sweet, citrusy flavor. Plants were large, robust and moderately productive (15 pounds per plant).
PAUL ROBESON (OP) Chocolate-colored fruit averaged 5 oz and got high scores from the Sunrise tasting panel (“earthy,” “smoky,” “like cabernet!”) but flavor wasn't universally loved by home growers. Fruit suffered some cracking, blossom end rot and cat-facing. Plants did well early in the season but stopped growing and lost leaves in midsummer heat, then rebounded strongly in September. Moderate production of 16 pounds per plant.
SIOUX (OP) The star of this year's trials, one Sioux plant produced 40 pounds of 3-inch fruit with luscious texture and rich tomato flavor, despite being the latest to harvest at 89 days. Some cracking and blossom end rot occurred throughout the season. The extremely vigorous plant had grown far above its trellis and was heading for the sky, flowering and loaded with large green fruit, when it froze. (Note: our second “Sioux” turned out to be something else. After some investigation we concluded that this was probably a random occurrence, maybe a stray seed, and that growers should not expect a similar surprise.) Home growers had mixed but mostly positive results.
BETTER BOY (HY) Large fruit (4.6 oz average) with good flavor, some cracking in midsummer. Production was fair at 18 pounds per plant. This widely grown variety has not shown us why growers should choose it over other red tomatoes that are earlier, more disease-resistant, and/or better tasting.
BOX CAR WILLIE (OP) Production was disappointing at 11 pounds per plant but the 4-oz fruit offered all the deep, rich, “real tomato” flavor our tasting panel craved. Fruit had some cracking and cat-facing. Box Car Willie did better in some (but not all) home gardens than it did at Sunrise.
SUN GOLD (HY) Orange fruit were beautiful but highly susceptible to cracking. Flavor was sweet and complex, a hit with almost everyone. Plants were gigantic and healthy, still pumping out fruit the day before they froze.
SUPER SWEET 100 (HY) Attractive, crack-resistant fruit had good, sweet flavor. Large, healthy plants bore well all season.
GARDENER'S DELIGHT (OP) Fruit had good flavor, not as sweet as the other cherries, but size was quite variable, becoming smaller as the season progressed. Plants began to decline in midsummer, losing leaves and with little new growth or fruit production. Generally disappointing.
JULIET (HY) Attractive, clean fruit had meaty texture and pleasant, not-too-sweet flavor. Fruit had a tendency to fall from the plant when ripe. Plant growth and production slowed markedly from midsummer on.
CONTAINER-GROWN TOMATOES
The two plants grown in 5-gallon containers were far less productive than the same varieties grown in ground beds. We harvested eight 3-oz. fruit from the Siletz and 24 averaging slightly over an ounce from the Bush Early Girl. The cherry tomatoes in larger (15 to 30-gallon) containers did very well, growing and producing abundantly until frost. One home gardener had good results growing the semi-determinate Celebrity in a half whiskey barrel. Plants grown in 5-gallon pots in the Lee Vining community greenhouse produced totals from 12 to 37 medium-size fruit per plant. This grower commented that plants seemed crowded and less productive by midsummer and plans to try using larger containers next year. We conclude that gardeners who don't have space to grow tomatoes in the ground can get good results using containers IF the containers are big enough, and the bigger the better. Container-grown plants need extra attention to ensure they are getting adequate water and will probably benefit from more frequent fertilization.
For the 2013 trial, information was collated by Farm Advisor Dustin Blakey. He notes, “When I look at the data, nothing really stands out as stellar, but Sioux, Cherokee Chocolate, and Early Girl were probably the most dependable and useable. Ball's Beefsteak seemed to have high-quality fruit. There were also a few glitches and problems. There was some question about the San Marzano really being that. And, there was lots of blossom end rot reported on San Marzano and a fair amount on Early Girl. Finally, there was huge variability in Parks Whopper in terms of yield, so another try with it is indicated.”
REALITY CHECK
Seed packets and catalogs make various claims about the results growers should expect. We compared the predicted days from transplant to harvest and the predicted fruit size with the results we got; most varieties did not achieve the promised numbers. There was no real pattern; additional days to harvest ranged from 23 for Early Girl (still respectably early at 68 days) down to earlier than promised for two varieties (Box Car Willie came in more than a week earlier). Sioux came in at 95% of the predicted average weight while Siletz, Box Car Willie and Stupice brought up the rear, at 26%, 27% and 28% respectively. But the numbers in between are all over the place.
The lesson to take here is that results may vary. Days to harvest in Eastern Sierra gardens will likely be longer than predicted and fruit size will usually be smaller, but the estimates can still be useful tools for gardeners to employ when comparing varieties.
RECOMMENDATIONS
After four seasons of trials, we have identified several tomatoes we feel we can recommend to Eastern Sierra growers based on their productivity, plant vigor, and flavor. Earliness is an important factor for local growers; all of these varieties bear in plenty of time for a large harvest but some are recommended in large part for their earliness.
Top Picks
EARLY GIRL: Excellent production of medium-size tomatoes, starting early and continuing all season on vigorous, disease-resistant plants. Flavor is acceptable to very good. Early Girl's popularity is well-deserved.
PARK'S WHOPPER CR IMPROVED: Early production, large, tasty, almost crack-free fruit and disease-resistant plants make Whopper a winner.
SIOUX: Late to produce, but superb flavor and abundant production make Sioux worth the wait.
SUN GOLD: Too much cracking, but so what? You may eat most of them (and there will be a lot) right in the garden. For lovers of sweet cherry tomatoes, Sun Gold is candy.
Worth A Try
STUPICE: Won't win a prize for flavor, but attractive, juicy fruit comes in 2 weeks before Early Girl and keeps coming through September.
JETSETTER: Edged out in our trial by Whopper, it's another large, early, disease-resistant tomato with good flavor.
AZOYCHKA, PAUL ROBESON: These two offer early production, beautiful colors and distinctive flavors. Productivity varies and fruit may be oddly shaped.
BETTER BOY: Moderate but reliable production of good, not great, tomatoes. Some disease-resistance.
BOX CAR WILLIE: Exceptional flavor makes this one worth growing.
SUPER SWEET 100: Another really good cherry for those who like them sweet. Crack-resistant and highly productive.
JULIET: Grape-type fruit is very attractive; meaty texture makes Juliet great for salsa, cooking and drying.
Of Note
Biggest tomatoes by size and weight: Ball's Beefsteak, German Johnson, Gregoris Altai, Virginia Sweets and Cherokee Chocolate.
Best Producers: Bloody Butcher, San Marzano and Early Girl
Earliest Fruit: Bloody Butcher, Matina, Jet Setter (Latest to fruit – Box Car Willie)
Beauty Contest Winners: Arkansas Traveler, Pruden's Purple, Cherokee Chocolate, and Virginia Sweets.
Blossom End Rot Problems: Sioux, Supersauce, Early Girl, Bella Rosa, Ball's Beefsteak, Better Boy and Box Car Willie.
Best Flavor: Sioux, Pruden's Purple, Box Car Willie, Jet Setter, Virginia Sweets
- Author: Dustin Blakey
High tunnels are a great addition to a production program in our climate as it enables earlier harvests for growers.
I haven't been here long enough to assess whether our intense light breaks down greenhouse films prematurely, but so far they seem to be holding up about as expected. Where I have seen problems has been in the end walls. At least a couple high tunnels have a woven-fiber end wall with zippers for access. It seems that this material, although stronger and more durable than the plastic greenhouse film, degrades faster than I expect it to.
At the high tunnel at the Independence Community Garden, the south-facing end wall has degraded to the point where it may not hold up another season. See the picture below for an example of how the material has broken at the zipper. The thread and zipper itself are in fine shape. It's the cloth that has failed.
I know the sunlight plays a role in the degradation. The north end wall gets more direct wind and is in very good condition. The south wall, facing the sun, is a disaster.
It probably would not be much of an issue but as you know we also have high winds that add considerable, frequent stress to the end walls.
The problem with film (or woven fabric) end walls is that unlike the covering, they can usually move in the wind. The long-term oscillation of the material structurally weakens it, much like what happens if you wiggle a paperclip for a couple minutes. Add UV degradation into the mix and you're likely to have a failure.
If you go the route of having a loose cover on the end walls, you should patch any holes immediately. A strong tape should work. I just patched the tunnel in Independence with Gorilla Tape which worked well where the tears weren't too bad. I expect that patching when the tears just begin (and not during a windstorm) would be more successful.
Anything that can help reduce flapping movement of the wall covering will be very beneficial.
Among the different designs in the Owens Valley, it appears that end walls framed in wood and covered with greenhouse film work best. Using a fixed panel like fiberglass or polycarbonate on the end walls would likely be even better if you are looking for long term .
The bottom line is try to prevent your coverings and end wall materials from flapping in the wind to extend their life and UV protected materials.
- Author: Alison Collin
- Ants are already running up and down the fruit trees, so now is probably a good time to put an insect barrier around the trunk. I have found that if I put a strip of very fluffy quilting fleece around the trunk before wrapping it in paper tape (available from the local nursery) or duct tape, it helps fill in the fissures in the bark that ants use to circumvent the trap. Smear a product such as Tanglefoot over the surface of the tape following the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure that your sticky strip is well above dog- or small child- height since these products are formidable to remove from fur or hair!
- When pruning trees that have long straight twigs at the top (such as apples), save a bundle of them for use around the garden. They can be used as pea sticks, or to make teepees around delicate seedlings when first planted out. They can also be used to give a hold to a climbing plant before it is high enough to reach a trellis.
- If using half-inch drip tubing with embedded emitters for irrigation, make sure that the ground is level under the tubing and that it is well anchored. I lost a plant last year because the ground was slightly hollow under the emitter and the tubing arched slightly so the water, instead of dripping straight out of the hole and onto the root, was running along the tubing until it hit the soil that was in contact with it which was some way off from the plant.
- Don't forget to deadhead your bulbs (such as daffodils) so that they can build up reserves in the bulbs rather than make new seeds.
Happy gardening!
- Author: Jan Rhoades
Do you recycle? Compost? Plant a vegetable garden? Have fruit trees? Raise chickens? If so, you are already practicing permaculture.
A while back, a fellow Master Gardener shared an article about permaculture, which enticed me to research and explore local permaculture practices. The term ‘permaculture' was coined in the mid-1970's by two Australians, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, to describe a philosophical approach to living and gardening: permanent culture and permanent agriculture. What sparked this line of thought was a reaction to the petroleum shortages of the era, food shortages, and the desire for self-reliance. Combining philosophy and practical application, permaculture encompasses anything from recycling, reusing and regeneration, to simply observing.
Most formal definitions explain that permaculture is an ecological design system for sustainability in all aspects of human endeavor. Inspired by nature, it teaches how to design natural homes and abundant food production systems, regenerate degraded landscapes and ecosystems, develop ethical economies and communities, and much more. As an ecological design system, permaculture focuses on the interconnections between things more than individual parts.
Permaculture philosophy proceeds from three ethical principles: Care for Earth, Care for People, Care for Community. Design for anything must be held up to these ethics– care of the earth is the prime goal, the root of sustainability. Care of people is rooted in respect for self,family, and culture. Reinvesting surplus creates equality, as everyone gets their fair share– no one takes more than they need.
By adopting these ethics and applying these principles in daily life, a transition from dependent consumers to responsible producers is possible, building skills and resilience to face an uncertain future with less available energy. Permaculture envisions a world of abundance for all beings and aims to supply natural human rights: clean water, clean air, clean food, access to land, safe affordable housing, ethical meaningful work, community, and spiritual freedom.
This philosophy goes beyond Backyard Gardening – it is a very big idea. Yet, the pervasive thought is that agriculture, big or small, is a good place to begin. Permaculturists aim to design agriculturally productive ecosystems that have the stability, diversity and resilience of natural ecosystems. Creating a permaculture environment is a gradual process that involves discerning optimal methods for integrating water catchment, human shelter and energy systems with tree crops, edible and useful perennials, self-seeding annuals, domestic and wild animals and aquaculture. Methods include the use of excess or waste products as nutrients to benefit other elements in the system. Plantings can be arranged in patterns to catch water, filter toxins, absorb nutrients and sunlight and block the wind. Particular associations of trees, perennial vines, shrubs and groundcovers known to nourish and protect one another are clustered together. Ponds and other elements are incorporated in patterns to maximize their edges to take advantage of the increased biological activity at the intersection of two ecosystems.
Since 1981, the permaculture community has offered two-week intensive design courses around the world. These workshops, courses and seminars help to form a loose global network. I recently had the pleasure of participating in a week-long permaculture workshop hosted by the Big Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe. This workshop came about as an extension of the idea that tribal sovereignty must include food sovereignty.
In addition to the Big Pine Tribe, there are several entities in the Owens Valley quietly working to incorporate these principles into their work. The Owens Valley Growers Cooperative – along with the Eastern Sierra Certified Farmers Market – espouses these principles in its quest to provide wholesome food for all. The Metabolic Studio (derived from “metabolism”, the process that maintains life) has a goal of transforming resources into energy, actions and objects that nurture life by working to sustain the continuous cycles of creation and destruction of energy and matter. To that end, the Metabolic Studio Soil Exchange (headed by Julie Fought, a Master Gardener) transforms manure, water and waste carbons (leaves,paper, cardboard) into compost. The project aims to capacitate the region toward food sovereignty by offering local growers improved soil. Compost users are encouraged to see their role in the community as one of vital participation. The exchange aims to create community by collaborating with local pack stations, local businesses, neighbors and the larger community. It supports local food production and addresses the issues of healthy food choices in a region that is isolated and economically challenged.
Rooted in and inspired by long-time practices of people and cultures all over the world, permaculture can become a vital tool for food growers and gardeners alike. The facilitator at the Big Pine workshop explained that the first step is always observation– a commonsense, but often overlooked, approach. She encouraged us to: consider the natural inclination of our site along with the needs of its inhabitants; observe light,wind, and water through the seasons to discern microclimates before planting, and; plan plots with a nod to zones. Considerations of which plants will be visited the most and which will require the most tending can help us identify which should be planted closest to the house, thus receiving the attention they need to thrive. Plants placed farthest from the house should be those that require less attention. Beyond that is the wild, undisturbed haven for nature and wild life.
After observation and planning, composting and sheet mulching can help get things growing without turning the soil. Companion planting, natives, and edible landscaping with hardy perennials are encouraged, as is the use of natural predators for pest control. Employing such sustainable practices is economical, beneficial to all living things and,at the end of the day, satisfying, as we observe the fruits of our labor and harvest our daily meals. Perhaps as we enjoy and share these gifts, we can contemplate the “big ideas”of permaculture.
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