Coastal Tomatoes

Enjoy Tomatoes Longer Than Fellow Gardeners: Extend Short Season

Harvest a bounty of homegrown tomatoes with these five smart strategies.

Every day is a good day to eat homegrown tomatoes, so why not do all you can to make the dream of fresh tomatoes in spring through mid-winter come true? It’s easy to get a head start in spring if you use the right varieties and a few tricks. Then once the summer planting peaks, you can switch your attention to growing a fall crop that will finish ripening indoors after the first freeze. Plenty of light can keep a container-grown cherry tomato producing indoors through winter, which brings you back to spring.

Ready to get started? We’ll walk through the five basic steps.

Start New Plants from Cuttings

Whether you want vigorous young plants for a fall or winter crop, or decide to multiply a tomato you particularly like, learning to grow rooted cuttings is a valuable skill. Speed is a huge advantage. Seedlings need six to eight weeks to grow to transplanting size, but cuttings kept in warm conditions will be ready to set out in just 10 to 14 days. You also can root cuttings directly in the garden.

Brookings

Terraponics
White Wolf Distributing
Brookings, OR 97415

Horticulture Supplies
Greenhouse and Indoor Growing Supplies
Plant Nutrients, Grow Lights, Organics and more

Cave Junction, Grants Pass

Dillon's Nursery and Garden Center (Since 2001)
Owners: Paul & Shannon Dillon
1313 Rockydale Rd.
PO Box 1427
Cave Junction, OR 97523
541-592-5386

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Redwood Nursery (Since 1981)
Owner:  Ed Morey
1303 Redwood Ave.
Grants Pass, OR 97527
541-474-2642

Seeds, Plants, Fountains and more. . .

Rebecca's Greenhouse

REBECCA'S GREENHOUSE

Rebecca Gardner
Lanny Cutsforth
24948 Pistol River Loop
Pistol River, OR 97444
541-247-2471

Hanging Plants - Perennials - Annuals - Exotics - Trees
On an impulse and a recommendation, I drove to Rebecca's Greenhouse on Pistol River Road.  What a delightful place.  Take a peak at these photos.

Brookings-Harbor

Al's Garden Center
Owner:  Al Dib
15138 McVay Lane
Brookings, OR  97415
(541) 469-7180

Where beautiful gardens begin.  Imports, pottery
fountains, garden art, palm trees and more. . .
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Brookside Nursery (Since 1960)
Owners: Allen and Margie Smith
301 Oak Street, Brookings, OR  97415
(541)469-3831 - (541) 469-5255 fax

Landscape Contractor
Bonded & Insured, Landscape Lic# 5867
Specializing in Sprinkler Systems!
Sod Distribution and Installer
Greenhouse
Brookside Florist - FTD
Complete Year Round Garden Center
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Rockhouse Nursery (Open April - November)
Owners: Thomas and Teri Bond
99022 W. Freeman Lane, Brookings OR 97415
(entrance on S. Oceanview)
(541) 469-5149

Hanging Baskets - Perennials - Exotics - Trees 
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Winchuck Gardens Nursery & Gardens
Owners: Jeff & Connie Gallemore
15546 Hwy 101 S. Brookings, OR 97415
(541) 469-6081

Gifts - Gardens - Gallery
Herbs - Perennials - Trees - Homeowner Greenhouses - Unique Fountains

'If we don't have what you need, we'll make the extra effort to try
and find it for you. Stop by and let our flowers and plants take a look at you!'
(Living-growing in area since 1980)
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Pictures of my Tomatoes

Go to this link to see July 6th pictures of my tomatoes. So far so good!  Linda Correia

Vermicompost Anyone?

What is Vermicomposting?

Vermicomposting, or worm composting, is different than traditional composting.

Worm composting is a process that uses red earthworms, also commonly called redworms, to consume organic waste, producing castings (an odor-free compost product for use as mulch), soil conditioner, and topsoil additive. Naturally occurring organisms, such as bacteria and millipedes, also assist in the aerobic degradation of the organic material.

Vermicomposting is especially useful for processing food scraps, since the worms consume the material quickly and there are fewer problems with odor. Worm composting does not generate temperatures high enough to kill pathogens. For this reason, vermicomposting is more appropriate for food, paper, and yard waste.

Food scraps should be chopped or shredded for faster degradation. Unprocessed materials can be used in vermicomposting, but the time required for complete degradation of the organic waste is generally six months or longer. Vermicomposting does not require a specific carbon-to-nitrogen ratio like traditional aerobic composting methods.

Blossom-end Rot

Well I told you that I would let you know of my woes as well as my successes.  Today, I found 2 tomato plants with blossom-end rot. The plants were in my greenhouse. Thank goodness that these plants are not one of the plants that I started from seed. For some reason that makes me feel a little bit better.

I was startled and then anxious to find out if this disorder was infectious.  I immediately went to my computer and did an online search of the OSU website and found the article that follows. 

We all hit speed bumps that take us by surprise on the road of life.   This is one of them for me. 

Late Blight, Tomatoes - OSU Disease Prevention

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) -- Late Blight

I know some of this is pretty detailed stuff, but hang in there.  This tomato disease is common on the Pacific Northwest Coast and you should be aware of the symptoms and controls.   At least look at the pictures and cultural controls.  This may save you, or I should say, save your tomatoes from an untimely end.