I’ve been neglecting my usual update of our tomato project to UMB. With my Arts Editor, Deb, out of town, succoring her mother, it has fallen to me to plant and raise the tomatoes. That doesn’t mean Deb hasn’t contributed, of course. The last two years we’ve started them on various platforms laid across the pool table in the basement, which has been fairly successful, but makes it impossible to play pool (as if I do on a regular basis), and the coolness of the basement renders the endeavour’s goals somewhat dubious. Heat rises, after all, and Minnesota in March doesn’t ordinarily feature a lot of warmth.
Therefore, this year she moved the tomato complex from the basement into my computer room. We have a southern facing window in this room, although it’s somewhat shaded. But the actual physical platform? Why it’s something that she was going to throw out when we married, and I insisted she keep – and now it’s useful! Here it is:
Grow lights above, sun to the south, and some motherly succulents down below to comfort the tomato plants. Here’s another pic, from an atypical angle:
And how’s it going? Quite well – nine of the ten varietals have at least one little green head showing. Only the Yellow Pear is being surly. Here’s a good angle on the Opalka and the Mortgage Lifters:
And a better angle on the Cherokee Chocolates and Grandma Mary’s Paste:
I planted on March 10th, and we have a long ways to go – but it still feels like success!
