Green Tomatoes

Check out our 'maters! They're getting to be pretty big. We've been checking the big ones every day for signs of ripening, but not yet. This particular tomato is a greenhouse hybrid beefsteak variety ('trust') that I started from seed on February 1st. The temperatures in the solarium are perfect for tomatoes - currently minimums around 60 and maximum temps around 90-100. These tomatoes are growing in 5 gallon pots. They've had a diet of water and a little bit of blood and bone meal. They're in a south-facing window angled to allow maximum sunlight in and get 10 hours or so of full sun each day.


The variety above is a debarao tall vine tomato. I originally thought we were about 60% successful germinating everything by hand, but it's turned out to be closer to 80-90%. We still make our daily rounds with the paintbrush. These plants are covered in blossoms.


I don't know why I ever thought a tomato variety called "tall vine" anything would be good for growing in pots. Next time I'm getting smaller, more compact varieties. The greenhouse hybrid one has done very well. The brandywines have also done pretty good, however they've got some sort of fungus going on. It doesn't seem to be slowing them down very much and we've been treating it with a store bought organic fungicide.


These sweet antohi peppers were also started from seed february 1st and are growing in 1 gallon pots in the solarium. They're a bit slower than the tomatoes. I'm dying to pick these peppers and try them out, but I'm waiting for them to get an extra half inch in length.

These bell peppers are growing in milk jugs and don't seem to mind one bit. Maybe another week or two before I pick this pepper. Hmm.. should I roast and stuff it?


These antohi peppers were transplanted into the beds in the greenhouse near the beginning of March. The cooler temperatures in the greenhouse have definitely slowed down their growth, but they still look quite healthy.


We found a spot that lettuce seems to love in the greenhouse. This bed is about 24 x 2 feet, and 5" deep. This is on the north wall of the greenhouse and is a little shaded by the timber frame construction of the greenhouse. The lettuce, endive, arugula and spinach are all thriving back here. We've been having salads full of baby greens in addition to the mature heads of lettuce that are growing in a larger bed in the greenhouse.


Not a great picture (it was getting dark when I took this), but this is a cucumber plant in the greenhouse. This evening I was checked on the cucumber, melon and cantaloupe seedlings relaxing in the solarium when I discovered a fully opened flower on this baby of a plant! I did not expect a plant with 2 true leaves to start flowering this quickly. I probably ought to pick the flower off, but we've got back up cukes in case this one dies. We're going to see what happens with this one.


We're still working on the fence. The fruit trees and berry bushes are in a holding pattern in the greenhouse and are hopefully not getting too comfortable. The rain has been preventing us from getting the fence posts in the ground. It looks like things might be drying up soon though. Keep your fingers crossed for us.