DIY Tomato Arbor

Every year we struggle to keep our tomato plants under control, at the beginning of the year our tomato cages work great but as the plants grow and begin bearing fruit they quickly begin leaning. We've tried staking each cage, but the plant ends up outgrowing the cages and laying all over the ground anyway which blocks our walkways and makes it really hard to harvest the tomatoes as they ripen. 

Last year we decided to move our raised beds down to the sight of our original garden, the trees had grown up and it wasn't getting enough sunlight. While we had everything taken apart we thought we try to solve our tomato cage problem, we had lots of wood left over from an old aviary chicken coop we'd torn down years ago. It's been sitting behind our wood pile waiting to be repurposed for another project. 

One of the main issues with our old tomato cages is that they weren't tall enough to hold the plant upright, another was that it wasn't strong enough to hold the plant and stay in the ground. To remedy this we took 2x4s cut them to 4 feet tall and attached them with screws to either end of our raised beds, between each of 2x4 we wrapped 17 gauge galvanized steel fence wire in three sections. You'll want to make sure that the wire is nice and tight and secured well to the wood. We wrapped ours several times around the board before continuing to the next 2x4. 

We talked about notching the wood or using heavy duty staples to help keep the wire from sliding, but just wrapping it kept it from slipping down. 

We planted 3-4 tomato plants beneath the wire and used small sticks and garden ties or pieces of velcro to support the stock until they were tall enough to reach the wire. We also removed the limbs close to the ground to encourage the plants to grow taller (it also helps to keep the plant more orderly  Once they were tall enough to touch the wire we removed the sticks for the most part and secured the plant to the wires.

This year we are going to add support to prevent the 2x4s from pulling in, other than that we love this system! It held our tomatoes up off the ground and was strong enough to handle the heavy plants. We probably could have cut the 2x4s longer, but we weren't expecting our tomato plants to get 6 feet tall (a couple even went over our arbors). All together we are really happy with these tomato arbors and plan to continue using them in our garden.

DIY Tomato Arbors:

What you need:

2x4s (1 4 foot section for either side of the box- we use untreated wood but you can use whatever you want.)
17 gauge fence wire
Screws
Drill with the proper attachment.
Tape measure
Saw

Directions:

Cut the 2x4s to the desired height, attach securely to your raised bed using screws (we chose to attach it in the center of most of our beds so we still have room to plant other things in them), wrap wire around the 2x4s tightly, you do not want it to sag as the plants get heavier. Make sure that the wire is snuggly wrapped around the 2x4, if you are going to use heavy duty staples or notch the wood this is the time to do it.

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What We Are Planting

Gardening season is upon us here in Tennessee (if you happen to live in a place that is still cold, we're sorry!), with highs already hitting the low 80's F. Over the last three weeks we have been busy prepping our flower beds and raised beds for plants and getting our seedlings started. We buy some at the store ready to go in the ground but we like to start a good chunk ourselves, this helps to keep the cost down and we know exactly what the plants have been exposed to. It also gives us a wider variety of plants to grow, instead of having to go with whatever the local stores have.

This year we are experimenting with some new varieties and we challenged ourselves to grow most of our flowers from seeds (we did buy some plants for $1-3 on clearance but we want to grow everything else ourselves).

What We're Planting

Flowers:

Zinnias - Purity, Giant Cactus, Fruit Smoothie, California Giant, Forcast & Bonbon.
Marigolds - Mission Giant Yellow & French Vanilla
Impatiens - Butterfly & Flavors Mix
Petunia - Tutie Fruity
California Poppy - Watermelon Heaven, Icelandic, Lady Bird
Moss Roses
Sunflower - Giant & Dwarf Teddy Bear
Lupine -
Larkspur - Kaleidoscope
Holly Hocks - Double bloom, Nigra, & Double mixed
Calendula - October Fest
Tulips - Darwin Hybrid, Happy Generation, Candy Prince, Miss Elegance, & Emperor Mix
Columbine - McKana Giants Mixed Color
Dahlia - Unwin's Dwarf Mixed Colors

Veggies:

Tomatoes - Heirloom Abe Lincoln
Tomatillo - Purple
Lettuce - Romaine, Red Romaine Black Seeded Simpson, & Head Lettuce
Kale
Spinach - Bloomsdale Long
Peas -
Watermelon - Rattle Snake
Pumpkins - Green & Giant White
Peppers - Jalapeno, _
Egg Plant - Black Beauty & White
Beans - Roma
Onions - Sweet
Carrots -
Okra -
Cucumbers
Corn -
Artichokes
Asparagus
Cantaloupe
Squash - Yellow Sumer & Spaghetti
Beets
Radish
Potatoes - Yukon Gold & Red
Broccoli
Zucchini

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How To Transplant Your Seedlings To The Garden

Spring is here, which means the gardening season is upon so we thought we'd share how to transplant your seedlings into the garden! It doesn't matter if you are planting in the ground or using raised beds like us, we're going to teach you how to give your plants a chance to thrive. 

Gardening can be really intimidating, especially to those who are new at it but we have a secret for you! Transplanting is super easy! 

Before You Transplant

• Check frost dates for your area
  
• Check the conditions each of the plants you plan to transplant need to thrive.
  
• Keep an eye on your local forecast if you are expecting a cold snap hold off until weather is more favorable.
  
• If you started your plants from seeds try keeping a garden journal with the date you planted the seeds and the date you transplant them, this can help you next year when you go to plant.
  

Preparing Your Plants & Garden

• Harden off your plants before moving them to the garden, to do this leave your plants outside starting for several hours and then leave them out longer and longer. Make sure you start off in a sheltered, mostly shady place that is protected from the wind. Slowly bring them into more and more sunlight and expose them to more windy conditions. Make sure you keep the soil nice and moist while you are hardening off your plants.
  
• Don't water your plants as much this week and withhold fertilizer so they will get used to garden conditions
  
• If you are planting in raised beds make sure the weeds are pulled before planting, if you are putting them in the ground you may need to till and add fertilizer or manure to your soil to help your plants thrive in their new home. 

Time To Plant

• If at all possible transplant your seedlings on an overcast day, or early morning hours this way they have some time to adjust before being exposed to the intense midday sun.
  
• Dig a hole large enough to comfortably hold the roots of the plant, push the soil back covering the roots. Label where you planted each plant if you are keeping a garden journal you may want to sketch your garden and where everything is planted.
    
• Water the soil around the seedlings after transplanting, but be careful not to damage the plants.
  
• Fertilize every couple days using a boxed fertilizer or compost tea (use a big bucket and place some manure at the bottom, fill the rest with water allow to sit for several hours. Use this to water your plants)
  
• Watch for late spring frosts in your forecast. You can cover your plants with sheets or build a cold frame around them, you can also run Christmas lights between your plants to keep them warmer. 

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How To Start Seeds

Spring is just a little way off which means we're going to be starting our seedlings soon!  It's always kind of a family affair, here at Rosevine Cottage, I always love the day we all get together on the back porch around our table and start planting. I have so many memories of my grandmother laughing and filling all of the pots so we could label them and put seeds in them.

Gardening can be a little intimidating, especially for beginners so we thought we would put together this post to show teach you the ins and outs of seed starting!

What You Will Need:

A good seed starting soil
Pots - anything with drainage holes will work
Seeds

Time To Get Your Hands Dirty

Moisten dirt, not so much that it becomes muddy but just enough to let the soil plump up.

Fill pots with seed starting soil, tap the pots on a hard surface to settle the dirt and remove any air pockets. Add more soil if necessary to top of the pot.

Check the package of each seed variety to find out the depth they need to be planted and any specific requirements, it's also a good idea to see when each one should be planted. Fast growing summer annuals should be started 4-6 weeks before last frost date, while slower varieties should be started 10-12 weeks before the last frost. Talk to a reputable nursery, master gardener or check the Farmer's Almanac for your area to figure out the estimated last frost date.

Once you know the depth that the seeds need to be planted, start sewing your seeds. For very tiny seed you can lay them on top of the soil and dust with soil over them, larger ones will need to be buried. Depending on what you are planting you can plant more than one seed per pot, we like to plant two when we are planting veggies. Label each pot/tray with what you planted so you won't have to guess later, pop cycles sticks work great or use the ones in our shop!

Keep the soil moist, but don't over water it. If you are planting very small seeds water from beneath, this will work for larger ones too. You can do it by sitting the pots in a tray of standing water, allow to sit until the soil becomes moist then remove from water. Once the seeds have sprouted you'll want to water from the bottom so you don't damage the tender plants.

Once your seeds have sprouted they will need lots of light (14-16 hours), a south-facing window will work or you can use grow lights. Keep the lights 2-3 inches above the top of the plants. Check seeds daily to make sure they are moist enough, and the lights don't get to close to the plants.

Before you transplant out into the garden make sure you "harden off" your plants off. A cold frame works great for this, but if you don't have one place seedlings in a partially sunny place that is protected from the wind for several hours at a time (make sure you bring them in at night).

Store leftover seeds in a cool dark place, where rodents and bugs can't get at them.

Keeping a garden journal of what you planted and when will be really helpful later on, you can also keep track of how different varieties do and when they start to produce.

Find everything you'll need to get started in our shop!
Check out our "Home & Garden" tab for more garden tips!

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How To Make Your Own Garden Soil

I don't think there is anything better than working in the garden with the sun on your skin and the breeze teasing your hair as you care for tender shoots of plants. Or that accomplished feeling you get when you stand back and look at what you've accomplished, or that feeling of knowing where the food on your table came from, what went on it and just how fresh it is. 

Gardening has been a family thing at the Cottage, I grew up watching my grandmother tenderly care for her beloved roses and working in the yard with my mom and dad. Every spare second of summer is spent outside (usually barefoot) working in our many different gardens, I love the smell and the peacefulness of working out there. Watching the early morning sunlight spill over the back pasture and touch the brilliant sunflower petals and caress the dew on the tomatoes. The bees quietly buzzing between squash flowers, and rainbows dancing through the spray from the hose. 

 Over the years for one reason or another, that morphed into using raised beds you can read about how to make them HERE and check out our whole raised bed garden HERE. 

Whether you're new at gardening or a seasoned pro garden soil is always going to be important, when we first moved into Rosevine Cottage we had a massive garden at the back of the yard.

The Soil Mixture

1/3 Vermiculite
1/3 Peat Moss
1/3 Composted Manure

Mix well (we mix it in a wheelbarrow) and add to box. Make sure you fill it well to give the roots of your garden plenty of room to grow.

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How To Plant And Store Tulips

We've been wanting to plant bulbs in our flower beds for a while now, so when we saw a bunch at Lowes and Tractor Supply 50% off we couldn't resist. We picked a couple of different varieties so we can switch it up in the garden and create an interesting focal point. We went with colors that were similar to the colors already found in our flowerbeds throughout the season.

First off you want to pick where you are going to be planting these beauties, you want someplace with lots of sunshine as tulips aren't a huge fan of the shade. You also want someplace that is well drained and water isn't going to pool and rot your bulbs. We chose to a put a good chunk (75 of these) around the edge of our gazebo, for a pop of color in spring.

Now that you picked the place you're going to plant your tulips you need to prepare the soil. We used a shovel to turn over the soil and get it all loosened up, next we added composted manure to the plot and then used the shovel to mix it together. You want the end result to be nice loose soil. You can also add organic fertilizer to the soil while you are mixing.

Use a bulb planter or hand shovel to dig a hole in the prepared soil, you want the hole to be three times deeper than your bulb is tall. You want about 5 inches of dirt over the top of the bulb. Set the bulb with the little tip pointing up in the hole, this will help the sprout come to the surface much faster. Space your bulbs a couple inches apart. We kept ours pretty close, together so it would be a wall of color around the gazebo. Play around and find a pattern/distance that works best for you. We chose to go 2-4 rows wide in our flowerbed.

Once your bulbs are planted you'll want to cover them (it's easier to leave the bulbs uncovered until you are finished so you can make sure your pattern and spacing are staying about the same throughout the flowerbeds) and water thoroughly. Next, you want to cover the freshly planted plot with a nice layer of mulch. That's it you planted tulips!

The best time to plant your bulbs is in October or November- but if you live in places where you have mild winters you can plant in December.

If you're not ready to plant your tulips, keep them in paper bags, not the plastic ones they come in,  in a cool place that is rodent free. If you have room a good place for them is in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator but don't store them with bananas or apples because they give off gasses that will kill the flower inside the bulb.

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