Extend your gardening season with a Wall-O'-Water.

A Wall-O’-Water is an easy way to extend your gardening season. The earlier you can start your tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and other warm-weather vegetables, the sooner you can start picking. Wall-O’-Waters act like mini-greenhouses to protect your young plants from frosty weather. Set up your Wall-O’-Water 6 to 8 weeks before last frost date. In Longmont the average last frost date is May 8^th. Set up your Wall-O’-Water at least one week before you actually set out your plants. This allows the soil to warm up under the Wall-O-Water and reduces transplant shock.

Amend the soil with some compost before you set up your Wall-O’-Water.

Dig the compost in about ten to twelve inches deep. Open the package and select one of the three Wall-O'-Waters.

You can hold the empty Wall-O’-Water in place with stakes or an empty 5 gallon bucket.

Fill each of the Wall-O’-Water tubes about two thirds full and allow the tubes to fold into themselves.

This will form a teepee and help protect your young plants.

While the soil is warming up under the Wall-O’-Water, start setting your young plants outside for a few hours at a time. This is called “hardening off” and it allows your starts to become accustomed to the outside temperatures and conditions.  As your plants grow and temperatures warm up, fill up each of the tubes to the top. Your Wall-O’-Water is now ready for you to add a tomato cage. Keep your Wall-O’-Water in place at least until mid-June. Keeping the soil warm and protecting your plants will help you pick fruit sooner in the season. Your Wall-O’-Water is reusable so store it in a safe place until next season.

Photo credit: wmmorris, nestbox