don't be fooled

man those delicate purple flowers on our tree sure are pretty, and smell so sweet in the breeze flowing through the house. ah, spring. however, to all my fellow st. louis gardeners, don't let all these blooming flowers and warm winds trick you into setting your tomatoes out in the ground. in the 10 day forecast, there are going to be three nights where the temps are dropping below 50 degrees. i know the magic date of april 15th is just a few days away, and as impatient as i am right now to get the garden really going, i think it's still risky business to set the tomatoes out just yet. i think i am going to stick to my original plan and wait till the very end of april. however, this is a great time to start hardening off your tomato seedlings. once the morning temperature warms up to a nice 60 degrees, set the little guys out for the day, and them bring them in once the sun starts to fade.

yesterday was the first day i set the tomatoes outside for some fresh air. i gave them all a super soaking of water, let them drain out on the grass, and then set them back in the shade so i wouldn't shock them to much with the full sun.

today however, the wind was pretty mild and the temps not to hot (below 70), so i set them out in direct sunshine. here's the funny thing, i only have room for 4 tomato plants and a handful of peppers. nothing like a little tomato over kill.

 

and maybe it's just my very wishful thinking, but i really do think that they have grown more in the last few days outside, than they have in the last three or four weeks. they still just seem so small to me. before their next good soak of water tomorrow, i'll put a thick layer of fresh compost around them. i guess i could make it easier on myself and just give them some store bought tomato feed, but i'm still holding out that my current plan of attack will work. i'm always surprised at how fast they shoot up once they're plant in the warm ground. and it's not about having the first tomato, but having the last. plus, if all my neighbors plant out bigger plants earlier than me that produce bright lovely fruit before mine do, maybe all the squirrels will hunker down in their yards and leave my tomatoes alone. fingers crossed.