Tomato Casual » A Temporary Tomato Greenhouse

By Kira Hamman

Here’s a trick I learned from my Mennonite neighbors, who always seem to have ripe tomatoes practically before I even have peas and strawberries.

It works at the end of season, too, keeping tomato plants alive and thriving long after Mother Nature would have them in the compost heap.

You will need:
• Four to eight sturdy wooden tomato stakes
• A large, heavy, clear plastic dropcloth (sold at paint stores)
• A heavy duty staple gun and staples
• Scissors
• An established bed of tomato plants

Here’s what you do:

Drive a tomato stake at each corner of your bed, with an extra at the middle of each side if it’s very large.
Drape the dropcloth over the stakes so that it is roughly centered and forms a flat roof over the bed. Cut a few small (1” square every couple of feet, approximately) vent holes in the top using scissors. Staple the cloth in place, leaving the bottom half loose so that you can lift it during warm spells. The cloth does not have to come to the ground, but the closer it is the warmer you’ll be able to keep your plants.
Now the tricky part: watch the weather! If it’s hot, uncover the bed as much as you can to let the hot air out. When it’s cool, lower one or two sides to keep the plants warmer. When it’s going to be cold (as in frost), put all the sides down and leave them that way until the temperature gets back above 50°F.

Sit back and enjoy your late-season tomatoes!