Sure you can't spread em out some?

That horse manure looks kinda fresh. There are safety and success issues with that.

You're gonna need those arms.

Good Luck with that.

According to the SFG book, they can be pruned to single vines. As an analogy I was thinking it is like cutting my PCs down from hyper-threaded to single thread processor and just having more computers in the office doing different things. I should get less tomatoes, but larger and with greater variety.

I have been assured that the compost is at least aged a year from the business I bought it from (that has been making this stuff since 1967). The reason it looks clumpy and fresh is that I mixed in very dry peat prior to planting and the existing compost + soil + vermiculite was very moist in the garden. I mixed as well one can mix without power tools. :)

My friend recommended I cover all with a sheet with the upcoming cold forecast for Tuesday and then remove the sheet when I get up for work in the morning.

Hi Ben,

I stumbled on to one of your pics from last yr. clearly showing that you've planted close before.

Didn't mean to come off thorny.

It wouldn't work for me at all.

Best of Luck

Oh no problem. No offense taken. :) I think this year's are even closer and I don't have the advantage of being able to walk through the arch as I did a year ago. I moved the arch because the shadows cast by the tomato gauntlet last year inhibited growth on the north side. With the tomatoes all close to the house this year I should have more light available for everything else. Light is a premium in my yard. At best only a few areas get maybe 8 hours.. most get 6 or less.

I didn't do the single-vine thing last year, so I am interested to see how it pans-out with this year's setup (If I can bring myself to not allow so much plant to sprawl).. hehehe