The recent surge in temperature has been refreshing for all of us. Looking around it is clear that a transition is happening. Little buds are forming on the trees; forsythia is blloming. A wide variety of glorious iris has appeared and all my broccoli and collards are bolting. Bok Choy and arugual flowered weeks ago. Seeds planted 2 weeks ago are now showing their true leaves and Doubling in size every few days. Gotta love it!

Its time to pick out the tomato varieties. Local growers are a bit behind due to the recent cold temps and the nights are still in the 40′s so it might be best no wait another week . . . My vote is to plant in succession. I will try some out today and then again in a couple of weeks. I had particular trouble with pests last year – squirrels, birds, aphids, flea beetles, thrips, and the primary offender: spider mites. A lot of folks said that their tomato plants burned up last year. They will do his but it seemed far too early last summer. I felt like I was in a Bruce Willis movie last year managing some of the pest problems – handpicking them off, squashing them, squirting them with water, insecticidal soap or other sprays. But the mites seemed to dominate and their damage looks like the plant burns up. They leave a white webbing one can barely see and you need a lens to see the actual insect. I personally think these were the major culprit last year. We are lucky to have had some hard freezes and lots of larvae drowning rain this Winter. We’re gonna kick ass this year folks.

So publication pause – going to ride my bike down to Buck Moore’s and see what they have today . . .

OK – they had a few non-organic varieties from somewhere far away. I bought three anyways – a roma, a cherry and a Better Boy. They have been planted. The following is a synopsis of what happened.

First the location was selected. Weeds were cleared and the baby carrots and collards there were harvested. I laid out the three cages and positioned the plants. The entire bed was worked. Deep holes were dug and filled with compost. I sprinkled on some Rabbit Hill Farm’s Tomato and Pepper Food and worked it deep.

Tomatoes can be planted deeply – 6 inches of the vines can be underground. Rip the leaves off and then plant. Voila. Water well and say some encouraging words.

I like to place concrete re-reinforcing wire cages around the plants and then wrap those in plastic for the next few weeks. Those 45 degree nights can be brutal. Wall of Water tomato protectors could have been used a few weeks ago even with some success, but are probably a bit too much now. Bottles of water serve a similar function by collecting heat and radiating it slowly at night when its cooler. Tuck one in before you wrap in plastic. I’m trying shrink wrap because it’s available, but regular painters drop cloth works well too.

If anyone would like some plants delivered, we’re making a large Garbriel Valley Farms order early next week. $1.75 a plant. $6.75 for tomato cages. Email Us. Enjoy the weather and SXSW!