Potting up the Tomatoes

Started the task of potting up tomatoes today. The weather has been relentlessly cold. Since last weekend where there was ice/snow on the ground at nearly sea level, there has been no warming. The soil temperatures have dropped back to 52 degrees. I'm taking a risk leaving the tomato babies in the greenhouse, as my greenhouse is small (8'x6') and passive solar. I don't heat it at night. But I don't think it's going to get much colder than 40, crossing fingers.

So I potted in the greenhouse just to stay out of the chilly winds. I don't mind the cold, but the wind will cut straight through you. So I stand in the nice 70 degree greenhouse and trot out to sift potting soil and water in the transplants. (Mr C. watched for awhile and came up with an idea to build me an actual potting bench from some left over metal shelving he has). I ran out of pots after about 50 so I need to collect some more.

My back is tired and I am wishing that I had another day to the weekend. Had to work Saturday on a OS upgrade. Took a comp day last Thursday to go to the SF Garden show. I'll try to post some pictures of that later. But I'm guessing the week will be long with users calling in with whatever problems show up that weren't caught in the test upgrade. And for some reason, I never feel rested for the work week if I don't have 2 consecutive days off. Mr. C says I should call in for a sickie. But I'll see.

Also, I transplanted some of the sugar snap peas that I started March 6th. I transplanted some purchased starts of lupines and columbines and generally cleaned up and re-arranged bed one. I still have 2 rubine brussels sprouts plants and one looked like it was about to set sprouts. The calendula planted next to them are beginning to bloom and the elephant garlic, leeks and onions are still looking good. My plan is to clear the bed in May/June when the garlic finishes and do a short crop of beans. Of course this depends on many things with the garlic being the priority crop. Whether I make this a veggie bed again or a grain bed for the winter, is hard to say. The thing I noticed is that it didn't get much sun around the soltice as the tree shadows keep it in the shade.