Sprout Thinning and Sucker Pinching

While I was installing the drip irrigation system in the raised beds, I did a bit of maintenance.

I transplanted some overcrowded lettuce from one slit to a slit that had no sprouting lettuce.

I marked the unproductive slits by poking my finger through the slit into the growing medium. The plastic mulch was then pulled back revealing the hole.

A sprout or two was taken from one of the overcrowded slits and place into the poked holes.




The medium was then firmed around the newly transplanted sprouts. 





The plastic mulch was replaced being sure to align the slits with the sprouts. The slits were enlarged to allow more room for sprout growth.


The tomato plants have already added green mass over the last week or so. 

Along with regular growth there were many suckers that needed to be pinched off the vines.

As you can see there were quite a bit to remove. By removing the suckers the plant can use its strength to grow a strong central stem and additional roots. A strong stem is needed to support the soon to be tall vine. More roots will benefit the plant with a stronger base. They will also have the ability to reach deep below the sun dried surface where moisture is present. 

Thinned and pinched the garden is looking good.

Direct Planted Vegetable Seeds Sprouting

Vegetable seeds were directly planted into the growing medium on 20 April, 2013. These photographs were captured on 4 May, 2013, two weeks after direct planting.

  

In the plastic boxes were planted ... 

 

I don't remember exactly what I planted in those boxes. I didn't write any notes about these boxes as I did for the raised beds.

Between the open packets of seeds and the visual clues, I believe I planted bunching onions, beets, swiss chard and radishes.

In raised bed #2 the lettuce was peeking out of the slits I cut in the red plastic mulch.

The started tomato plants are showing evidence of growth. I have already been thinking about supports/trellis for the tomatoes and cucumbers to be planted in early June.

Carrots are peeking through the plastic mulch.

Close up of some lettuce.

Once the secondary leaves are opened I will begin to thin down to a few plants per slit. A little later the space will go to the strongest single plant.

I purchased two more varieties of tomato plants - Super Sweet 100, a grape tomato, and Cherokee Purple, an heirloom. I planted them in raised bed #1.

I try to keep the producer's plant ID with each plant.

I visit the home center often to look for new arrivals of tomatoes and peppers. If they ever arrive, I will round out my tomato purchases with a Rutgers variety and a Marglobe variety.

The Rutgers is suppose to be close to the taste of Jersey tomatoes, a familiar flavor from my childhood. Jerseys were tomatoes grown in New Jersey when Campbell's Soup had a tomato soup canning facility in Camden, NJ.

Marglobe I will plant for its abundance of fruit production. The grower touts 50lbs/22.7kg of Marglobes per plant per season. I will need to keep up with watering to fill 50lbs of tomatoes.

I can hardly wait to bite into one of these beauties. Teeth snapping through the red skin, juice popping into the air and seeds dribbling down my chin and onto the front of my shirt. I'll swoon from the odor of vine ripened tomato as the acid cuts into my sun parched lips. Is there anything better? Well, maybe there is. This has got to be a really close second, right?

Good gardening!

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Lettuce

I planted lettuce seeds on May 2nd.  

By May 9th lots of sprouts were visible.


The night temperatures have not dipped lower than 50ºF/10ºC since April 31.  The day temperatures have risen as high as 80ºF/26ºC on May 4 and have averaged 60ºF/15ºC in May. Rain totals 0.75"/2cm for the 7 day period and I watered the plot once.


©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved