Soil preparation for your winter crop is simple: dirt with just a little
fertilizer added to help your tomatoes and peppers grow strong and
healthy. If you have chickens or rabbits then you already have access to
free, natural fertilizer. If you use poultry manure for fertilizer, you
need to be certain that it is thoroughly dry before adding it to the soil,
as chicken manure is extremely hot and
must cure before being used on plants. If it is not cured beforehand, it
will burn the plants up before they ever get the chance to grow. Rabbit
manure, on the other hand, can be used at anytime without detriment to
plants or soil. Rabbit manure is one of the best natural fertilizers for
plants, and the great benefit of it is that it is totally organic. As the
plants grow, continue to maintain the soil in the pots with your chosen
fertilizer and be sure to keep the soil moist - especially for the
tomatoes. Peppers on the other hand need a bit drier soil.
Pick a spot that has natural lighting as well as a spot for placing your
artificial lighting. You will need to mist your plants occasionally with
water and keep them away from drafts. This ensures that your winter
crops have the best chance for winter production. Tomatoes and pepper plants will need either natural light through a window or the aforementioned lamps to make sure that the plants do not
become weak or leggy. Tomatoes require at least 12 hours of light a day to
produce and do well. Make sure to turn your
potted plants often where all sides of the plant will be exposed to
the light at least some of the time.
If you are working with tomato plants that are new and have not yet produced, you might need to help with their pollination during the winter
months. Outside in the summer the bees and bugs help with this, but in
winter the job is left to the grower. When you see blossoms start appear
on the plants, you need to move the flowers over other branches and mildly
shake the plant. It is also a feasible alternative to blow a small fan
over the blossoms to help with pollination. Either way, these actions will
help to make sure that pollination occurs. You won’t really need to worry
about this on peppers, since they are self-pollinating and will take care
of themselves.
You may wish to build more than one cold frame and separate your tomatoes
and peppers, because pepper plants generally require a warmer temperature
than do tomatoes. Separating them would allow you to maintain a higher
temperature in the pepper frame than in the tomatoes’ frame. However, they
can both be managed well enough together if you are confined on space and
supplies. Two different cold frames will double your cost and space
allowance, but might allow for better management of your winter crop. Ultimately, you will have to decide which way is best for you and plan
your crop from that perspective.
Now you have all the information that you need to plan your budget, choose
supplies, and select the types of plants that will best fit your
situation. You will be able to experience the taste of produce you would
otherwise be unable to have during the winter. It is a great feeling to
know that while there may be frost outside on the ground, there is
homegrown freshness waiting at your table. A little care and planning can
go a long way in providing summer freshness in the winter.
