I'm no farmer

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Originally Posted by TheGrey

I've admired those greenhouses; I'm always concerned about the damn hailstorms taking them out. We really don't have adequate space for them anyhow, but it's nice to dream about having a greenhouse!

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Also, wet heavy snows will take them out. So figure you're going to have to re-build it every year, but its still cheaper than a quality steel and glass one.

One of my neighbors just uses hula hoops cut in half with plastic drop cloth over them to plant their tomatoes earlier. He's already getting fruit off his plants (and will probably remove the mini "greenhouses" any day now). There's also those water filled things that seem to work pretty well too. Tomatoes like sun and heat.


Also, anlther thing to consider is hydroponics. My dad built a hydroponic garden in the basement back when I was a kid and we had fresh beefsteaks for Christmas that year. With all the pot growing going on in the state you can find a good grow store in pretty much every town across Colorado and in general if its good for pot its good for tomatoes.

Both varieties that I'm trying are heirloom seeds from Baker Creek. German Lunchbox and Caspian Pink.

Reducing the amount of direct sunlight has helped a lot. I never would have thought less would be better. No fruit yet just flowers but they look 10x better.

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Originally Posted by Zundfolge

Even down here in The Springs the growing season for tomatoes is just too short to get a big crop (which is why we've been growing mostly cherry tomatoes in several varieties and some "weird" varieties like indigos and green zebras). If you want to grow lots of 'maters you need to consider investing in a greenhouse

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I disagree. Tomatoes can be extremely successful in CO. I'm in the metro area and harvest hundreds of pounds each year from about 40sf of raised bed.

My tomatoes are on the right in the picture and stand over 6ft tall.

I start from seed inside and transfer outside on Mother's day. The hoops are there to cover the young plants with cloth when they're transplanted to protect them from the harsh sun for a week or two and also potential hail. That way I don't have to worry about hardening them off.

I also pinch off all suckers and even flowers for at least a few weeks. This way the plants spend their energy growing big rather than trying to ripen fruit on young, small plants. Yes, I dont get to harvest until much later, but I get a ton more fruit from the bigger plants.

I grow mostly indeterminants but I also grow determinants (like romas) this way with success. Pain attention to the days to harvest of the tomato varieties you choose.

The pictures of produce are examples of what I pick every other day or so once stuff starts to ripen. I eat as much as possible and also can dozens of jars each of salsa and diced tomatoes each year.



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