Spent the day and evening putting in tomatoes. One 8'x10' patch was in a
friend's yard (he's letting me grow tomatoes next to his veggies and
I'll gove him some tomatoes - it's a win/win situation since I don't
have much space for them this year) and was completely covered with
deep-rooted thistle. It took forever to dig it all out and then
cultivate the earth, adding lime in the process for calcium. Finally got
the plants (all heirloom varieties) in and watered. Then came home and
started on mine which fortunately is a raised bed due to the clay that
passes for soil here. I have beebn working on it for a month or so,
adding eggshells and dirt whenever possible. Also topped with 2" of
farm-grade compost (including cow manure) over the topsooil and several
incehs of my own home-made compost from the traditional leaves,
clippings, etc, I've been composting for ten years, and of course lime
for calcium. Then mulched once the (again, all heirloom varieties,
started form seed) plants were in followed by watering. Now I want
tomatoes, and I don't want to wait 60-70 days. A lot of work all along
but I just can't get heirloom tomatoes here in Columbus so this is the
only way I can have them.

Tomorrow: peppers and basil go in the other garden area. Mmmm, I can
just taste my homemade pesto!

Wish me luck!

"tennis maynard" wrote ...
Spent the day and evening putting in tomatoes. One 8'x10' patch was in a
friend's yard (he's letting me grow tomatoes next to his veggies and
I'll gove him some tomatoes - it's a win/win situation since I don't
have much space for them this year) and was completely covered with
deep-rooted thistle. It took forever to dig it all out and then
cultivate the earth, adding lime in the process for calcium. Finally got
the plants (all heirloom varieties) in and watered. Then came home and
started on mine which fortunately is a raised bed due to the clay that
passes for soil here. I have beebn working on it for a month or so,
adding eggshells and dirt whenever possible. Also topped with 2" of
farm-grade compost (including cow manure) over the topsooil and several
incehs of my own home-made compost from the traditional leaves,
clippings, etc, I've been composting for ten years, and of course lime
for calcium. Then mulched once the (again, all heirloom varieties,
started form seed) plants were in followed by watering. Now I want
tomatoes, and I don't want to wait 60-70 days. A lot of work all along
but I just can't get heirloom tomatoes here in Columbus so this is the
only way I can have them.

Tomorrow: peppers and basil go in the other garden area. Mmmm, I can
just taste my homemade pesto!

Ours are still seedlings in our greenhouse, too early to plant out here yet.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK