Square Foot Gardening (SFG) is not ideal for tomatoes, in my opinion. The book recommends 9 square feet per plant!!! That's a 3/4 of each of my SFG's! I'm not willing to give up that much room. Besides when I planted in my old garden, I didn't need that much room. The plants were close together, probably 1.5 to 2 feet apart, but my system for planting still allowed me to harvest easily.
Furthermore, I want a lot (we're talking at least a dozen plants) of fruit to ripen at the same time so I'm able to can. I'm old fashioned and like to pressure can or water bath tomatoes - depending on what I'm preparing. Of course, that might be a bit ambitious this year, as I'll be about 6/7 months pregnant by tomato canning time.
So, this weekend, my hubby is rototilling a plot for me. I'll plant the tomatoes and probably a couple other veggies the 'old-fashioned' way. It's still a raised bed; though not as raised as the pallets used for the SFG's.
Yes, Eric is wearing coveralls to rototill the tomato & strawberry beds. IN. JUNE. Absolutely nuts! The borrowed tiller wasn't working too well, but he got a start. He plans to work it up better this week. After a rain it might be easier anyway; and I can't plant anything until it dries up a little bit.
Wow, we hardly got any rain...just basically misting all day Saturday, not amounting to much. Hoping for more!
ReplyDeleteI plant my tomatoe plants the same way, sometimes only a foot apart!! I don't care if they run into eachother!! My Grandpa told me (when he was alive) that if you cut off the tops of the tomatoe plants once they are big, the fruit will be bigger. Just fyi!
OH, I'm 6 1/2 mos along now and would love to can, you can do it!!!! You will do great!!! Wish I wouldn't be 9 months along at that time, I'd drive out and watch you can, I'd love to learn how!!!
Maybe next year? :)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have you out during canning! I once had a friend come over for canning Raspberry jam - the raspberries were from her garden - and we split the batch. It's a lot of fun to work together.
ReplyDeleteI know I'll can this year ... I'm low on my Mexican Stewed Tomatoes. That's my special recipe for the Taco Soup I prepare.
Rasberry jam? Yum!
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