Hi Glen, people on the vegetables forum swear by them. I haven't used them but I'm going to have to get some this year because I planted tomatoes in Feb. and they are 8" tall. So yes by all accounts they are magical and wonderful. You don't have to put up the Koat until you plant the tomato, and I think you have to open the top during the day.

Yes you should probably be planting the tomato now.

Lee Valley has something new for tomatoes this year that I found interesting, it's a two-part disc you put around the base of the tomato plant, it keeps cutworms off, and collects rain from outside the canopy drip line of the plant and waters the roots. It's also bright red which is supposed to aid growth in the plant. Interesting. But a complete rip off, I think it was like $20 each or something.

With Wall-o-Waters, you put it up a week ahead of time so that the soil will warm. I've never tried the red Kozy Koats, though.

Glen if you're still checking in here, do you know anywhere to buy Kozy Koats in Winnipeg? I haven't seen them anywhere yet.

Hi there,

Not sure where to find them. I bought my sole one from Lindenberg. I think T&T Seeds carries them in their catalogue, so maybe check on line or their nursery/store. Have you checked the big nurseries? Maybe some places just don't have their stuff out yet?

By the way, that item that Lee Valley sells sounds interesting. That was a problem for me last year, slugs on the tomatoes. A bit pricey though, that would probably buy a couple of boxes of slug bait (or a case of beer to drown the suckers!)

Regards,
Glen

I have been using kozy koats for many years now. I ordered mine from T&T a long time ago. They are the clear ones not the red ones.

I have also seen wall o'waters available locally here at the nursery and hardware stores in previous years.

Filling them is a bit of a pain and very cold on the fingers. They should be set out a couple of weeks before you intend to plant. Also they on occassion will fall over if not planted firmly in place.

I have used them for starting lettuce in the garden in April. Tomatoes, peppers, cucs and squash in May. I just leave them, and when it gets warm open the tops and let the plants grow out the top.

Sierra

The trick i saw for filling them was to put a 5-gallon bucket in the middle and then fill the openings. However, you'd have to do that "in place" because you probably couldn't carry them when they're filled!

My problem would be to actually be ready for filling them two weeks ahead of time!

This is the first year that I have tried Kozy Koats. I must say that the plants that are planted in them are growing extremely well. In the picture are 2 rows of tomatoes. The ones in the Kozy Koats were put out about a week sooner than the ones in the black plastic pots on the left. Quite a difference in size. They are both the same variety -Sub artic plenty.
{{gwi:734857}}
You will have to ignore the weeds. 25 inches of rain this year has made my garden too soggy to even walk in. This area had water still standing in it yesterday.
Shelley

Don't worry Shelley. I have the low part of my garden that I haven't even been able to plant in, yet, because it is far too wet. Finally, today, it is starting to look reasonably dry. But now it seems a bit late to plant anything. And I have to get the weeds cleaned out, first, anyway. Anyone know of any veggies that enjoy growing in bog?

Shauna

Wow Shelley, your kozy koat tomato plants are a good size. My plant is half that size, but my first experience using kozy koats went fairly well.

I planted my tomato (one called "keepsake") in the kozy koat a bit late, May 15. It was a scraggly 4 inch high seedling. I could have started with a bigger and better seedling but I was determined to use it because I started it from seed myself.

Anyways, the plant has now caught up in size to a larger tomato that I bought, one which I didn't plant in a kozy koat. My kozy koat plant is about to bloom. Judging from the size of your plants, I am sure you have tiny green tomatoes already.

I have since removed the kozy koat as the weather's warming up, more importantly the night temperatures.

For next year, I think my priority will be starting the tomato a bit earlier and planting it into the kozy koat for May 1.

I noticed, even in the evening, when you place your hand inside the kozy koat, you definitely feel the warmth radiating off the tubes of water.

I am surprised to hear how wet your garden is. We had two very rainy springs the past two years, but this year it's been very dry. I guess there's rarely a "happy medium".

Glen

Sounds like the west is getting all the rain this year - the "far" west, i mean. We're actually on the dry side this year. You're right, Glen - never a happy medium!

On topic - i really need to get myself some of those kozy koats! I used them years ago but never got anymore after the ones i had sprang leaks. Next year, next year...

We have had a ton of that rain! Just before it though, I put out 12 brandywine seedlings. I did't have my WOW's (wallowater)early enough in the year to do anything, but I put a few around the seedlings. I put them around a few seedlings I planted with 2 inches showing. Those maters are now 8 inches taller while the same size/time seedlings are much smaller! My sweet 100 has grown a ton in the WOW, and the husky gold I planted at the same time as the sweet 100 has grown very little. I decided I might as well experiment. I will definitely use them next year (and I'll find that middle ground of when to start my maters!) The only thing I noticed is that the maters inside the WOW's seem a bit thinner stalked, but that might be my perception because of the height difference. I wish I had pics, but I already packed the camera!

Regarding kozy koats, I was really impressed with how quickly the tomato grew while in the kozy koat though part of this could be the fact that plants often grow quicker once in the ground than in pots.

I am debating on putting the kozy koat outside next week just as soon as this horrid cold snap ends. At the very least it will warm up the soil for a couple of weeks or should I say unthaw the rock hard frozen soil? From what I understand, if the "koats" freeze solid with water in them that's okay? You just never know what the weather might have in store.

The only thing is I probably have to remove them and modify the soil a bit before actually planting the tomato.

In the meantime, my tomatos are small but growing under plant lights.

Glen