Your frost blanket protection system.....page wire support, light bulbs and blanket....is ingenious and has given me ideas on how to modify it next year for my own greenhouse use. :-)

Thanks Wyndyacre - let us know what you come up with - always looking for options and improvements!

Our first tomato blossoms of 2015. The Sweet 100 cherry tomato is always the first to blossom - this year it is even earlier with the warm weather - I think - and a welcome site!

We decided to let the GH cucumbers - in on the fun - this year to see how they would perform using the early planting techniques we have used for our tomato plants. They appear to be off to a good start. I just checked on them this morning - OS temp is 22 degrees - IS GH temp is 40 degrees - and under the frost blanket is 55 degrees F.

We also place many of our tomato seedlings under the frost blanket that have been potted. We don't have room under our grow lights in the house this time of year with all of the seeds we are trying to germinate. Being able to let them grow here is an added benefit of the low tunnels within the GH.

Here is a photo showing the progress of the tomato plants pictured above several weeks earlier. They have out grown the tunnel and I will have to come up with a way to raise the protection giving the plants room to grow.

These pics are very inspiring! I am SOOOO late in starting my seeds this year, but with the weather in January not resembling winter, just wasn't motivated. Usually I'm earlier than I should be (champing at the bit)!

Question. I'm pretty new to greenhouse gardening. I put some tomatoes in last year, and had lots of growth and blossoms, but had very little fruit set. I'm at 6000' elevation in Colorado and we get a lot of solar, so my greenhouse regularly gets to 100 degrees. It is ventilated, and I have a ceiling fan running to keep a little circulation going. I'm wondering if that kind of heat is part or all of the problem?

HI Maxinmontrose - Heat does have a huge roll in the success of tomato blossom pollination!! Please do a web search - there are so many articles about heat and how it affects pollination. We try to keep our GH between 70-80 degrees F during the day and above 55 degrees F at night. During the day we have two ceiling fans running 24/7 and a thermostatically controlled exhaust fan set at 80 degrees F. We also have 4 double hung windows and a storm door at each end of our 16X28' GH. We open all of the windows and the storm door windows and have two box fans running in two of the windows. You may need a shade cover on your GH - with our ventilation and day time temperatures here in Wyoming - we do not need a shade cover - but our neighbors who not have the ventilation that we do - use shade covers.

Last year - in the spring - I changed the thermostatically controlled thermostat on our exhaust fan to 100 degrees so the little seedlings would have it warm in the GH. I forgot to change it back to 80 degrees in a couple of weeks as I should have. I did not spend much if any time in the GH during the day so I didn't notice that it was hot or that the ventilating system was not coming on. In May my wife noticed that the blossoms were not setting fruit on the current trusses - it was humid in the GH and the ventilation system wasn't coming on. She looked at the thermostat and immediately changed it back to 80 degrees - she appropriately informed me what I had done.

It was clear to see that the lower trusses had set fruit before the daytime temps heated the GH to 100 degrees for long periods - the next trusses had poor or no pollination when the heat was too high for long periods - and then the plants had awesome pollination after my wife changed the thermostat to 80 degrees - very obvious. She didn't believe me when I told her that I changed the thermostat to see if higher temps would have any affect on pollination - haha

Wise wife. But nice try! I knew fruit wouldn't set if it is below 50 at night, but didn't know about the high end heat problem. Good of you to run that experiment on behalf of the rest of us.

My greenhouse is a dome, so I pretty much have all the ventilation I'm going to get. I did put some aluminum shade cloth on the inside, on the south side. I'm sure it helps, but probably not enough. It's a little difficult to do shade cloth on the outside of a dome, especially so with our high winds.

Guess the tomatoes will have to make do with the outdoor beds. Don't suppose anybody has come up with a high heat tolerant variety?

We came up with a different way to cover/protect our GH plants this year. It was 22 degrees OS this morning, 39 degrees in the GH and 50 degrees under the protection - we will have to protect them at night for another month - most likely. Protecting them - and at the same time - allowing them to grow tall is the challenge.

We purchased some tarp clamps and clamped the 6' frost blanket to the sides of the GH at the wall height. Then during the day we clothespin the blanket to the cattle panel above - then at night - remove the clothespins and let the blanket hang over the top front of the raised beds. This method is easy - quick - keeps the plants warm at night - and allows the plants to grow as they wish during the day.

I was pinching suckers this morning on our tomato plants - don't you just love the smell of tomatoes on your fingers !? Now I need to get a pinch fix everyday !

We have tomatoes setting fruit! Our Jersey Boy was the first to set fruit this year right behind Sweet 100.

Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes - always a favorite early producer !

We are so lucky to have a GH in this climate that enables us to grow tomatoes etc. We woke up to a snow storm this morning and while our tomatoes are setting fruit our onions are looking for warmer days!

All protection comes down - OS temps are now above 30 degrees which makes it possible to remove frost blankets and let the tomatoes grow!

AWESOME job, Hudson.

Bellow my small GH - 4' x 6' - last year.

Wow - that is a tomato factory! You're not doing the 4x6 this year? It is clear to see that you are organized with the intent to succeed with your methods. Is this frame-work is one of your tomato supports converted into a mini GH?

> Wow - that is a
tomato factory!

“Factory…” I don’t
know, but I had 126 nice seedlings, in a VERY small space (4’ x 6’.)

> You're not
doing the 4x6 this year?

No, I had a few very
important projects, so… no. And I’m pretty sad about it.

> It is clear
to see that you are organized...

Yeah, I try to
make things simple and solid. Most of the time I succeeded.

> Is this
frame-work is one of your tomato supports converted into a mini GH?

Heeey, you do have
a good eye…

Yes, one section of one of my support / frame – the right one in the picture bellow – I used to
make the small GH.

During the day –
when weather permits – the pots are outside on this 3-level support. [see
picture bellow]

That support has
wheels, so I can move it around, so the plants get the most light.

They have light from 8 am till 6 pm.

I rotate the support at least one time per day with 180’ so all
the plants have the same amount of light. Actually early in the morning and
late evening, all 3 levels have DIRECT light; only at midday the seedlings in
the “back” do not have direct sunlight.

When it’s cold during the night, I put the pots in my small 3-level
greenhouse ( 4’ x 6’. )

When it’s only cool, I put the support WITH the pots – obviously
- in the garage.

And when it’s warm, I simply leave them outside – well, except
if there is some rain / thunderstorm on the forecast.

Very convenient that support: 72 pots, easy to push…

Note: the pictures are from… last year, 2014.

The remaining pots are on the top level in the mini GH,
where ALL of them have full DIRECT sunlight.

As you see, the roof is detachable.

Impressive Daniel - you have put some serious thought into this !! IMO - you are an awesome example of understanding your climate and figuring out a way to successfuly harmonize with mother nature to grow tomatoes! Your tomato cart is the ultimate !! You have it figured out ! Your methods produce outstanding results - from what you have shown us.

Do you use frost blanket for your mini GH sides/roof ? What is your source for the tomato containers shown in your photo?

Hudson,
thank you for the nice words.

The roof
is a sturdy frame with Twin-Wall Polycarbonate Sheets.

I buy
them locally, because shipping of a 4 ft. x 8 ft. sheet is VERY expensive. I cut
the big sheet in store in 4 pieces of 2 ft. x 4 ft. for easy transportation.

The roof has 2 handles to lift and move the roof:

The pots
are GRO PRO White Square Grow Pots (Plant Lighting Hydroponics)

They have 3 sizes:

• 6 x 6 x 8 - $ 1.19
• 7 x 7 x 9 - $ 1.90
• 8.5 x 8.8 x 10 - $ 2.90

I bought the small size, and I was VERY happy.

The plastic is sturdy, so it will last many years.

6 pots of the small size –
which I think it’s a good size for most of us – fit in the standard tray.

My
tomatoes were VERY happy in those pots.

The look VERY happy !! You even have them professionally labelled !! You are way ahead of me !! Thanks for posting the photos and sharing your methods - please keep us posted as you develop new ideas/methods

OK, I'll keep you updated.

Is anyone growing Brandy Boys in your GH this year?

Yes. After reading your posts here I am trying Brandy Boy and Jersey Boy in the GH this year. Not as far along as you, the BB's are about 1' high just having been xplanted to their permanent spots 2 weeks ago. The JBs are further back, in that the first seeds I got for them failed to grow. The seeds were replaced, but are 4 weeks behind as a result, still under lights.

I'm looking forward to seeing how they do (and taste).

Hi Steve - great - I am interested in comparing methods, progress & results if you are willing to share? I found on the "growing tomatoes" forum that growing Brandy Boy in the GH compared to in the garden - is quite different.

I wonder if our experience in a GH will be similar? That is a bonus that you are growing Jersey Boy too! I would love to compare both varieties. If you have time and interest - please check out the threads "Brandy Boy Contest" (part 1 & 2) and "Jersey Boy" on the "Growing Tomatoes" forum and maybe point out differences with your methods and hopefully post photos of your results with these two varieties using your methods.

I am confident you will be happy with Brandy Boy in all aspects - especially production & taste - but this is the first year that I have planted Jersey Boy too - so we will both find out how JB performs!

Be glad to share what I find, although you may more end up learning what not to do, at least from me ;).

I was hoping to find some new GH tomato varieties, and your experiences BB made me think it was worth a try. JB too. So far the BBs are growing well. I have been pulling out side sprouts and flower buds, trying to get the main stem up 2' to my wire grid before I allow branching. If we can get back to some more normal warm weather here (from the constant rain/snow we've had in May) that should be fairly soon.

One way in that my setup may not be an ideal test bed, is I still have one of last year's tomatoes growing in the GH (a Gold Rush cherry). It has been producing over the winter and I have kept it around to provide the family with tomatoes. For a 2nd year tomato it is doing really well, but there are some signs of disease on it (which I prune out). So this may not be the cleanest GH environment to do this test. On the other hand, it might test the disease resistance better than might otherwise have been tested.

It will be interesting to see how these go for everyone trying it.

Here is an update on the tomatoes in our GH. We are off to a good start and we have now removed all light bulbs and space heaters as long as OS temps are above 32 degrees.

Brandy Boy

Better Boy

Jersey Boy

Brandywine Red

Big Pink

Sweet 100

Hudson, seeing you grow tomatoes this well in Zone 3, in cold weather (well, colder than my zone 8-9), bodes well for my plans to grow tomatoes year round in my greenhouse under construction in Southern Nevada!

mrlupin - please post some photos - would love to see what you are doing! I am sure your challenges are different than mine but your success is waiting for you GH's completion!

Looking great Hudson! I presume the Sweet 100 will be the first to ripen? That's how it works for us anyway. They are all so far along and look super healthy. Kudos to you!

Hi Karin - great to hear from you - how about sharing some photos of your GH this year? When you have time - check out this thread about Brandy Boy. I decided to start a contest thread for the - biggest - prettiest - most blossoms on a truss - most fruit set on a truss - first ripe fruit & last ripe fruit for Brandy Boy. It has been great fun so far!

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3067008/brandy-boy-contest-2015-3?n=45

Yes - the sweet 100 will be first to ripen. I was impressed that Brandy Boy was moved to the GH two weeks later that the other varieties because I only planted a couple of seeds and neither germinated on the first go-around. Still - as you can see in the photos - it has the largest fruit! One of these years I may convince you to grow a Brandy Boy?

Hudson, let me help you convince Karin to grow Brandy Boy.

Last year, Br B: tasty and big: almost 18 oz.

Yes - I agree Daniel - I can't see how Karin can resist planting BrB with both of us recommending!! Take a look at Daniel's Brandy Boy Karin - perfect slicing tomato - very prolific & great tasting ! I bet you will not be able to try it - just once!

I love to walk into the GH with walls of tomatoes again! Not bad for May 30th in Zone 3? My wife says we should call it a - Tomato House - not a GH - but we have planted a patch of corn and cucumbers along with flowers for some color - that should qualify it for a GH? haha

BEAUTIFUL...

Yeah !!! Our first - almost ripe - but we picked it anyway - cut it in half - and ate it - Tomato of 2015 !! Yummy...........First ripe tomato is another one of those thresholds that is long anticipated in the spring!

Sweet 100 Cherry Tomato:

Sweet 100 Cherry Tomato... one of my favorite cherry tomatoes.

OK OK! I will try BrandyBoy next year. Remind me in February! I don't normally order seeds from Burpee, that's been my main holdup. Can you find these seeds in stores or do you normally order them?

Hudson, holy cow, your greenhouse is looking mighty lush already. Wow! Go you! Fun to see your success, as well as Daniel's amazing BrandyBoy specimen there. Makes me want to reach for the salt shaker...

Karin - I was sure if we both pressured - you would give them a trial. I will be very surprised if you don't like the taste and the characteristics of Brandy Boy!

I understand - from others on this forum - that Homedepot and Lowes carry Burpee Seed Pkgs. I order them direct from Burpee and watch for their free shipping promotion.

Thanks for your comments on our GH - please update us through the year on your progress and success - always like to see what you are doing!

Oh good, I will keep an eye out for seed packages. I might be better off if I get them now so I don't change my mind over the winter. Thanks for the suggestions Hudson!

Karin, a few places where you can buy Brandy Boy: Burpee, Tomato Fest, Organic Seed Supply...

Here is another update showing the progress of the tomato varieties in our GH:

Brandywine Red

Big Pink

Better Boy

And our favorite - Brandy Boy

I have an unfinished greenhouse up (unfinished since it only went up a couple of weeks ago and I'm slowly filling it with the right soil, hooking up power, water, etc..) and was wondering if you ever start tomatoes in late summer to get a crop in the fall/winter within the greenhouse without having to manage cooling the greenhouse through most of the summer? If so what varieties do you recommend and when do you start them? I have been thinking of letting my greenhouse "rest" during the summer and only using her fall, winter and spring. Thanks in advance!

Hi szut - Your plan seems correct for your zone. I don't have experience with your climate using a GH. I suggest you start your own thread requesting help from those perhaps in zones 5-7 with the same questions as above. Green housing techniques are unique to an area. I would also suggest visiting Greenhouses in your area and see how they are utilizing them. I wished I could be more help but I don't want to give you wrong information! Please post photos of your GH etc - we love to see what others are doing!

szut, I can give you my experiences from Z5 in the Rockies, but that at best might be a bit similar to your locale.

The short answer is yes, I would get some tomatoes now (some larger plants from a nursery/store would get you going faster than starting seeds at this point). Assuming you picked up some decent sized plants, you might be getting ripe tomatoes in 5-6 weeks. However I say this from the POV of I manage summer temps in my GH and keep it going all winter, so if you have no plans along these lines, then maybe it would not make sense to start now. However if you put the tomatoes in large pots, then they could stay outside until fall and migrate into the GH, which should give you a few more weeks to a month of season extension, even without supplemental GH heat (at least I can get that here most years).

I typically leave one or two tomato plants from my summer production in the GH over the winter. They typically produce well up to Thanksgiving, and sometimes longer, although everything slows down in Dec and Jan (I add heat but do not add light so the shorter days hurt). I do have a heat storage system which helps keep the temps up without outrageous fuel bills. And my climate is typically quite sunny, which helps too.

It has been too many years since I lived in the NE for me to have a good feel for how much of my experience here would be applicable to you. As Hudson says, check with some local GH folks and see what they do. But I will say that conditioning a GH for the summer is relatively cheap and easy compared to doing the same for the winter. Some fans and vents, possibly shade cloth, and water misting will do quite a bit to keep summer temps down.

Good luck.

The Big Pink variety is a bit of a surprise for us. This is the first year we planted Big Pink and it is aggressive with 5-12 blossoms per truss. The fruit is setting well in our GH.

This truss on Big Pink has 13 tomatoes ripening !! That is a lot for any variety!

Hudson, a question if I may: if you remove half of the fruits, the other half will double the size ?
[ Well, maybe not double, but substantially bigger ? }

I'm weird Daniel - I have no problem pruning Suckers - but have a hard time killing tomato starts that I grow from seed and pinching out tomato blossoms/fruit. I suppose I don't have a specific goal with regards to tomato size - the Big Pink plant above is a new variety for me and I am not sure how it wil produce this first year - so I am letting it do its own thing to find out. Then there's Brandy, Better & Jersey Boys

Why would I want to pinch any of them out - they average about 7-10 oz ? Most all the fruit I get from these plants/varieties are good sized fruit. I don't like small fruit though and stay away from varieties smaller than 8 oz - except cherry tomatoes.

I am interested in your approach to fruit size though - how many fruit you allow per plant/variety and how it affects your production - the advantages of larger fruit (what size do you consider large?) - etc etc.. I may be missing out !?

In my opinion - NO DATA to backup my statement - I think that if you have 10 tomatoes of 10 oz., and, in the beginning, when they are small (2-3 oz.) you remove half of them (the smallest), the remaining 5 might be... 12 oz. Of course if the variety allows to grow that big. So my point is that fewer tomatoes might grow bigger than many tomatoes. Again, it's just an opinion; no scientific proof. Maybe you don't remove half of them, only 2-3 small ones, and still the others will grow bigger.

In the past, I removed tomatoes, because 5-6 tomatoes, of 1 lb. each, are VERY heavy, and can easily break branches. And you loose ALL of them.