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| So I finally planted my (purchased) tomatoes a few days ago, after they spent a cool rainy week on the screened porch (and a few nights indoors). I put them in sturdy, very hard to remove cages to keep my dogs from trampling them. They're mulched lightly with straw.
Ever since I planted them, the weatherman keeps forecasting lower nighttime temps over the new few days. Now the lowest forecast has gone from 42 to 37 overnight on Monday. It's about 50 and raining outside now. After Thursday, nights are supposed to get in the 50s again... So anyway, I have read a suggestion to wrap plastic around tomato cages to protect plants from wind, but I'm a little skeptical that would have much effect unless I completely encase them. A lot of my other options would be difficult with the cages already in place, and I don't have a bunch of empty plastic bottles lying around. WOWs would be expensive, plus would they work if I install them when it's already cool and cloudy (no sun to warm them in the daytime)? So what would you guys do? Just wait and see, or should I try to find some way to keep them warmer? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Some of the plants are maybe a little big for it, but what if I just bought gallon jugs of water to dump and put the jugs over them? Would it hurt the bigger ones if were pressed against the tops of the jugs? |
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| Wrapping the cages works. One of the ladies wrapped her cages with a light plastic about 3' high and it really helped the plants. I didn't think it would but I was wrong. So get some cheap painter's plastic and some shipping tape and do a quick round or two and be done with it. When it gets hot, cut it off and let them free again. |
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- Posted by wordwiz (wordwiz@fuse.net) on Sun, May 1, 11 at 18:22
| I really wouldn't worry about 37 degrees. It won't help the plants but it shouldn't hurt them. One dangerous thing about wrapping the cages - if the following day it turns sunny and warm, you can bake the plants in a matter of a couple of hours unless you want to poke holes in the top and sides to let air through. Mike |
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| Well, I wrapped black plastic around them, but only about 18 inches high (taller than the plants). Tonight it's supposed to get down to the low 40s and rain, rain all day tomorrow, then upper thirties and clear overnight on Monday. So I was thinking about leaving them as is with just the wrap tonight, then tomorrow night putting a tarp over the top of the cages. The tarp should overlap the plastic so they will be mostly covered that way, with maybe a little gap at the ends. Or maybe the forecast will change completely tomorrow and I won't have to worry about it:). Thanks for your help guys. |
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| 37 and clear weather, cover and hope your weatherman is right. Mix rain with it... late blight wiped out most of casual gardeners around here two years ago. Once it starts, all you can do is bag your sick plants and hope your neighbors do the same. |
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