When is the best time?

Early start of planting time in the greenhouse

For lucky owners of one Greenhouse the planting time begins in mid / late April. In a protected atmosphere under glass, belated ground frosts have little chance of harming the tomatoes. Assuming that Cultivation took place in the house at a constant 18 to 24 degrees Celsius. If you want to be on the safe side, take the planting a natural 'manure heating'. This trick works like this:

• Dig the soil in the greenhouse about 70 centimeters deep
• Put a manure pack in it, ideally made from horse manure, and stamp it well
• over it a 20-30 centimeter thick layer Compost soil to distribute

While the manure rots, a pleasant warmth develops. This is transferred to the greenhouse so that the room remains frost-free without any additional energy supply.

Go outdoors from mid-May

For generations, the exodus of the ice saints has heralded the beginning of the planting season in the vegetable patch. From mid-May, no more ground frosts are expected, which could seriously affect the young tomato plants. In particularly rough locations, it is still advisable to leave the bed overnight with one

Garden fleece to protect. Particularly effectively preserved Polytunnels(€ 5.80 at Amazon *) Tomato plants from frostbite, which is closed during the night hours.

Individual plants on the balcony find effective protection from the cold under special tomato covers. These are made of weatherproof foil and have air holes so that no Mould forms. It is important to note that spacers keep the canopy away from the leaves and flowers. At the same time, these mini tomato houses hold the rain away and minimize the risk of infection with Late blight.

Appointment is not the only criterion

Experienced hobby gardeners know that the calendar alone is not enough as a basis for making decisions about when to start planting. Only the vigorous tomato plants are able to withstand the stresses Outdoors, grown on the balcony and in the unheated greenhouse. Only the interaction of the following factors signals the final start of the season in the open air:

• the minimum temperature of 13 degrees Celsius is exceeded permanently
• the perfect tomato plant is 30 to 40 centimeters high
• ideally has a first Umbels educated
• There was a one-week hardening process, during the day in the partially shaded place in the garden or on the balcony
• the plant is absent or only minimal healed