As the winter months draw to a close, many gardeners are anxious to get outside and get their summer vegetable gardens started. In the 1700s, gardeners would move up their planting dates with protective bell-shaped jars called garden cloches. These jars would protect tender seedlings from the elements, allowing outdoor transplanting to occur earlier in the season. Today the same thing is accomplished with protective bags and tomato plants. With protective bags to shield tomato plant, you can enjoy tomatoes earlier in the season, especially in a mild, Mediterranean climate.
Even in a climate that experiences mild winters, it is important to protect your tomato plants from the elements when planting seedlings outdoors early in the season. Protective bags, also called hot tents, or hot caps, shield young tomato plants from wind and cooler temperatures. Until the days and soils warm to a suitable 70 degrees Fahrenheit, hot tent bags protect tomato plants, providing warmth in temperatures as low as 30 degrees. Additionally, these bags protect young plants from insects without the use of harmful chemicals.
Protective hot tent bags are made from variety of materials. From plastic to fabric to paper, these bags create walls of warmth around tender, young seedlings. Hot tents made from plastic are also called tepees. These bags have water tubes built into the walls of the bag. This water heats up with the sun during the day, providing warmth for plants on cooler days. Look for these bags at your local garden supply store. Protective bags are also easily made at home using large paper grocery bags, wax paper or burlap bags. Use tomato stakes to keep the walls of the bag from resting on the leaves of the plant. Secure burlap around tomato stakes with twine.
Garbage Bag Planting
When you don’t have the space for a vegetable garden, or the quality of your soil is poor for growing tomatoes, opt for a nontraditional planting method, also known as garbage bag planting. Filling a garbage bag with rocks, terrarium charcoals and a mixture of potting soil and perlite, the garbage bag is punctured for drainage and set inside of a milk crate, ready for planting. This planting method makes your tomato plants movable and transportable. Because there is an excess portion at the top of the garbage bag that is typically folded over the sides of the milk crate, this portion of the bag is easily used as a protective shield for tomato plants. Pull the sides of the bag up over your tomato plant and hold the bag in place with twist ties around tomato stakes. Always use white or clear garbage bags, as black plastic collects too much heat and has the potential to burn plants.
Protective bags around tomato seedlings allow you to transplant and plant your tomatoes in the ground up to two months ahead of schedule. But it is important, especially when creating homemade bags and tents, to allow proper air flow to reach your plants. Secure bags loosely around plants to account for ventilation. Do not leave bags over your plants for more than 10 consecutive days at a time. After the 10th day, remove the bag and allow air to reach the plant for a few hours before replacing the bag. Remember to remove the bag when the soil and the weather warm to avoid plants overheating and drying out. As your plant grows, increase the size of the protective bag, as a tomato plant under a bag that is too small experiences stunted growth and decreased fruit production.
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