I loss some passiflora last night here in alvin was sad.

Congratulations! I'm in Houston and I plan to plant this week, maybe tomorrow. I've got Celebrity Bush, Black Krim and Burpee Big Boy. I'm 62 and have never grown tomatoes. Hope it works out for me this year.

I was confused about when exactly to plant. I believe in the Houston Chronicle, Kathy Huber's section somewhere, it said to plant Tomatoes in mid February. Wow, that seems early. Is the expectation that you need to cover your tomatoes if there is a frost? I hate to have to add something else to worry about.

I also bought a Sweet Basil and Aussie Basil plant to grow. I think I'm hoping the Basil grows more than I care about the tomatoes. LOL. I'm still looking for a Thai Basil plant. I wonder if Maas Nursery has it but that is a long way to drive and spend about 6 bucks in gasoline just to get one basil plant. Think I will look closer to home.

Keep us posted on your tomatoes.

Yes, the expectation is to cover them if there is frost...we cheat here in Houston since we rarely have much in the way of winter weather.

You could call Maas and ask them if they have the Thai Basil...just a thought.......

My plan is to buy 6 packs for around 2 dollars for the early starts. If they die I am not out very much. I am going to buy 3 or 4 different types,but will probably have to pay 2 bucks apiece for them. One cherry tomatoe[probably sweet 100], 2 blacks , and whatever sounds cool that I come across. Evert year I try to hold the line at a dozen plants, but end up with 20 or 25 or 30. Way too much work later on. I only eat 5 or 6 tomatoes a year myself,but I like "a few extras" for my freinds.last year I thought I had cages that were plenty big, but they weren't. this year I have 5 "magnums" 3' diameter.

Last years :

Gary, how do you keep fire ants from building little condos under that wonderful mulch?
Those plants look so happy!

Whooh, that's a pretty garden. A lot of trouble for someone who doesn't necessarily like to eat them! If I had the kind of space you have I'd probably eat at least half of them myself. I only have space for two toms and when I'm finished "building" my garden I'll still only have space for four, I think. Unless I sacrifice something else... Thanks for the pics.

Dang, what y'all got in that soil over there!
Beautiful garden.
I eat tomatoes like most people eat apples. I'd be sittin out there with my salt shaker ready.

Not here in the ground! I've started romas in the greenhouse and they are blooming, but not setting fruit. It'll probably be another month before I stick a few out there and another couple weeks till the rest go in. After all, we had Easter snow last year here. And maybe some tonight.

ccox, the fire ants are everywhere. I don't have problems unless I lay down a peice of would or anything else they can nest under. If the trash can in the picture was there for a few days it would have a nest of them red devils under it.

trsinc, a few years ago I started growing tomatoes. My first 2 years were a bust [hardly any]. The third year I made so many tomatoes it was a shame. I ate so many that year that I suffered burnout. I didn't even grow any for the next 2 years.

natvtxn , my father in law had a garden in this spot for years. He used a Kabota tractor with a breaking plow every year. for some reason he allways thru the dirt toward the outside of the garden. It ended up like a 100'x100' bowl. He also kept it tilled year round. When I tried to garden there 4 years ago it was terrible. No organic matter and held water after every rain. I watered the ground in a few places to see if I could find an earthworm-----NONE...
I got my shovel and wheelbarrow and moved the dirt back to the garden from the edges. I made short 2x4 raised beds . Then I added leaves ,grass clippings coffee grounds , rice hulls, cow poop, horse poop, and homade compost. I would just add a wheelbarrow or 2 a week. After 2 years it is like magic dirt. No fertilizer needed. Now if I could find a way to get rid of the bugs!!!

Dang txgal, where do you live ,the north pole or a suburb of it like Amarillo? lol.

Frugal Gary, am in Lampasas, but it gets cold here and you can never trust not to get your stuff frozen till April. Do use buckets and other row covers. We really do have snow forecast for tonight here, hope so, we need the moisture.

You could have had some of my snow -- did not need the moisture at this particular time --- We had rain prior to the snow's falling. It is almost 40 degrees here now with the sun shining, so maybe most of it will melt today.