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Northwestern Gardening

how, when, and if to remove Kozy Koats from tomato plants

13 years ago

well hello there...

this is my first year year gardening in Oregon. and looking at my tomato plants, wow! makes me look like a pro.

plants are healthy, vigorous, and growing over the tops of the red Kozy Koats that allowed them to thrive over this cold spring.

(my neighbors' tomato plants look like hell.)

my question is whether i need to remove the Kozy Koats at all. will it get too hot for the plants to tolerate?

if i do need to remove the Kozy Koats, then how? they are really heavy and i can't just lift them up over the plant.

thank you for sharing your expertise with me.

i am from NC where we just use Sol to grow our 'maters.

~fairie_moon

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Comments (5)

nancyanne_2010
13 years ago
Where in oregon? Central oregon had frost warning the other night. This year is weird.
fairie_moon
Original Author
13 years ago
Portland.
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nanagarden
13 years ago
I know what you mean about the cool spring, my tomatoes just reached the top of the cages. They are only about 4 feet tall and are about 3 weeks delayed due to weather. I read online that some people squeeze the Kozy Koats to remove the water and then lift them over the plant. Try the manufacturer website for product instructions maybe? Hope it works since we are hitting 80 Sunday here in Portland.(finally summer)
oliveoyl3
13 years ago
Depending... I've left them all on season before and have taken them off. I live at a higher elevation in a small clearing amidst the forest, have moving shade from tall conifers, so have to nurse along the warmth loving tomatoes. This year, I'm leaving them on though it isn't as lovely. They are in an open position supported by an extra stake. I've also slipped a coffee can over the stake and inserted in soil to prevent the kozy from falling over & squishing the tomato plant and to give more reflected light.

Some years I also put the filled jugs next to the plants inside the kozy. Just haven't done that this year because the plants are just barely rising over the kozy.

My dad lives NW of us at a lower elevation with more wind and sun nearly all day, yet still has his tomatoes wrapped in plastic until harvest time. He uses concrete wire around the large barrel and plastic is open at the top. He has drip irrigation.

I've given up comparing harvest dates as his garden has always beat mine. Nowadays, his consists of containers only in a small area in the backyard with his acreage sold off. I started with containers 20+ years ago, but now grow in the ground and raised beds. The difference is the amount of sunshine & heat he gets.

He'll plant cukes by seed and have earlier harvest than me with my hardened off transplants peat pots cucumbers in soil in cloche w/ water jugs, etc. I can't make the sun shine more here unless I cut down the forest, which is not happening.

Corrine
fairie_moon
Original Author
13 years ago
When I planted the tomatoes, I took an ordinary galvanized tomato cage, turned it upside down, and snipped off the pointed ends. I planted the tomatoes, placed the cage upside down, so that the wide side is down, rather than up, and put the Kozy Koat outside the cage.

The KKs are now filled with water and very heavy. I couldn't lift them, and even if I could, I would be afraid that I would break branches off the plant. They are very vigorous.

So I folded down the KK, pressing water out so that I could fold the plastic. I left it folded down about 4 inches, so it is providing some insulation still. When I did that I was so excited to see that I have 3 green tomatoes on the plant.

The weather has turned cool again, so I am leaving the other two in place for now.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

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