We are halfway through the month of May and it is finally time to get the garden in. For those of you that planted too early, the late frosts we have had should come as no surprise. This is Ohio after all.
Cool season crops like lettuce, spinach, carrots and radish should be thriving by now and the cold temperatures should not have been an issue for these plants that actually grow better and taste better when temperatures are not too warm.
It was charming to see sheets from the linen closet lovingly draped and covering gardens, flowers and bushes in the community on the cold mornings we had earlier in the week.
Hardened off tomato plants are ready to be planted in the garden this month. Choose a day when it is cloudy or even raining so young starts are not stressed by the intense heat of the sun. If youve never tried trench planting, do so now. Youll be surprised at how nice your tomatoes are later this summer.
I first learned about trench planting from my second cousin Michael. With an Italian mother and a Hungarian father, Michael was born with a penchant for good food made at home with the best ingredients. He was also born with a green thumb.
This always surprised me as he was an aggressive football player and the type of guy that when in college would give the dog in his frat house beer. I never saw him grow anything until he married Francis, who is always called Tootsie.
They made a perfect pair as he could grow food and she could cook it.
When its time to photograph tomatoes that will grace the cover of the seed packets and catalogs they go to Michaels house. OK, they dont, but they should.
Michael doesnt have a typical garden with traditional rows or raised beds. He plants vegetables and fruits in places most homeowners reserve for boxwoods and bedding plants. Plants surround the deck and are easily visible when the family relaxes outside.
When trench planting, dig a small trench that is about as long as the tomato seedling is tall and about two or three inches deep. Pinch off any yellow or dying leaves. Plant the seedling on its side and back fill leaving only the top leaves above the soil line. The plant will straighten as it grows and eventually will need to be caged or staked to support the luscious and heavy fruits.
Plant tomatoes at least 36 inches apart and allow enough space between rows for cultivation and access when it is time to harvest. Proper spacing also allows plenty of air to flow between plants and they seem to like that.
With trench planting, roots develop along the length of the stem, forming a larger and more stable root system that is capable of supporting a larger plant. More roots mean more water and nutrients can be taken up by the plants. With more of the root mass near the surface, the roots will be warmer and promote plant growth.
Tomato plants that have a substantial root system that stretches several feet below the surface is important for healthy plants and trench planting is meant to contribute to that. A large healthy plant above the surface requires a correspondingly substantial root system below the soil line.
Tomatoes, whether planted this way or any other way, are a delicious part of summer that cannot be compared to the imposters that fill grocery store produce sections nine months out of the year.
