The tomatoes were started on January 15th, and transplanted on March 5th. We got our first tomatoes coming in about 20-days later. Amazing. The ones in grow bags are taller and fuller than the ones in the new raised beds, and those are taller and fuller than the ones on the slope.
The peppers are growing well in the grow bags. I’m very happy with my new trellis. I can easily use tomato hooks and string, as well as shade cloth.
The soil in the raised beds settled down 4 to 6 inches. I think it’s compacting a bit too much for the plants liking. I removed straw mulch in bed 2, fluffed the soil a bit, and added organic matter for structure and nutrition. Happy Frog potting soil mixed with coco coir, pumice, and homemade compost: about 40/40/10/10, mixed into the top inch or two. I would do more like 3 or 4 times as much if I wasn’t concerned about disturbing the plants growing. This is a lesson for next time I fill a raised bed. The 70/30 topsoil/compost mix was too dense, too fine in structure.
I filled a 25-gallon plastic pot and two 30-gallon grow bags with a similar potting mix / coco coir / topsoil / compost blend to be used later for pumpkins and watermelons.
I’ve done a fair amount of weeding, soil prep, gopher hunting, compost maintenance, and seedling upkeep this week.
The Dahlias are looking good, along with the spinach and marigolds. The marigolds and remaining peppers have been hardened off this week and will be left outside tonight for the first time. Transplanting to bigger containers or in-ground very soon.