Tender tomatoes worth extra care

As all of us cold-hardy Inland Northwest gardeners know, nature can (and will) throw anything at us. Our USDA Zone ranges from 5 to 6 when microclimates are thrown in, though there may be cold pockets here and there.

Zone 5 means low temperatures from minus 20 to minus 10, with our average date of last frost on May 15. Vegetable growers, beware: If you plant early, be prepared to cover your plants if a night frost is predicted.

Local gardening expert Tonie Fitzgerald offers some good tips in her book, “Gardening in the Inland Northwest”:

•Plant root crops – carrots, turnips, potatoes, radishes – when lilacs are in bud.

•Plant cold hardy veggies – lettuce, peas, spinach – when lilacs begin to leaf out.

•Plant frost tender vegetables – tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers – when lilacs are in full bloom.

The most common vegetable grown by local home gardeners is the tomato. If you didn’t start your plants early with seeds, buy your plants from a reputable nursery. Select healthy looking plants with good leaf color and strong stems.

Make sure they have been watered regularly and not allowed to dry out. If they have started to put out fruit while in their pots, pinch the fruits back. They need their energy for root growth when transplanted.

Because they are tender, we recommend holding off transplanting tomatoes until close to June. When transplanting tomatoes, remove the lower sets of leaves and bury two-thirds of the stem. The tomato stem will grow roots when buried, adding to the overall health of the plant.

Tomatoes need to be staked, or you can use the more expensive tomato cages available at your nursery. Mulching is important for keeping the roots from drying out – tomatoes need even moisture. Keep your planting area well weeded and fertilize using 5-10-10 tomato food.

Enjoy your delicious tomatoes.