Discussion Board

Well--I'm so busy I haven't had time to think about when I should plant my tomato seeds....I can't put them out in the garden until May 10--so thinking I should wait a few more weeks, maybe end of February? I put them in our sunroom which gets pretty warm when the sun shines but pretty cool at night (it is not heated)....I've had little green tomatoes on my plants when I've planted them outside in the past and they seem to do fine.....

When is everyone starting to plant their seeds. What else are you planting besides tomatoes early?

I no longer have a garden, sigh, but I did learn the hard way one year that putting out smaller plants was a WHOLE lot easier than managing ones that had started to bloom in the basement. Geez, I had to excavate a FOOT of soil out of the cold frames in order to get them in there to harden off! So, I started mine in a coolish basement somewhere between the first and fifteenth of April, depending on the winter, well spring. It would take about two weeks, if I remember correctly, for them to germinate, always nerve wracking. It seems like they grow soooooo slowly at the beginning, but then one day they're off and running like the weeds from which they are descended! They went out into the cold frames around the first or so of May, again depending on the temperatures, and into the ground by the fifteenth. Hopefully that gives you a timeline from which to calculate your own. Happy growing!

thanks for the timeline Plum--I'm thinking I started my tomatoes the end of February last year and I've never had a problem planting them in the garden or hardening them....but I also know each year is always so different...one never knows what will happen for sure. I may opt to wait until the middle of March or so....

I'll let you know when I start mine....

I'm sorry you don't have a garden this year....I'd have to at least have one tomato plant...lol

Well, we live in an RV, and are spending our retirement traveling in it. We no longer own a house, thus no garden. I do keep some potted basil and sometimes flat leaf parsley, but trying to transport a tomato plant doesn't seem wise to me. This year we are going to Alaska, so I can't even have potted herbs, customs regulations. So, lol, I just garden vicariously through all of you here!

I am planting mine now but we should be past frost by the end of february. Or at least that is how it seems. We are having a mild winter so far. I should be planting my tomatoes out in about six weeks or so.
I am hoping to get a godod hear start this year.
I just got home from the store with two of those big seed trays for starting plants. With the peat pots included. I am hoping to get some in tonight and more maybe this weekend.

What varieties are y'all planting this year?

I put my tomatoes out on Mothers Day weekend. I usually start them the beginning of March. I give 2-3 week for germination. My tomatoes aren't so large they are blooming then.

Mom and I purchased some yellow cherry tomatoes last week and she liked them, so I thought of adding that pineapple tomato to our mix. Mom usually doesn't like yellow tomatoes. I always grow Juillete grape type, Sweet 100's cherry, a plum tomato, a slicing tomate and one or two large tomatoes. Last year I added this small tomato called Tomato berry. I loved them, I loved the texture. So doing those again. Tomatoes take up a large part of my garden.

Oh my, tomatoes do fine being transplanted. I grew up on a farm and my family grew commercial tomatoes--I'll never forget having to work at transplanting....so easy and never a problem. Hardy things!!

I am hoping to plant a grape tomato this year and some other varieties too (like Faith)....

and Kitty--I am SO JEALOUS that you can put your tomato plants out so early! By the time Faith and I are putting ours out, you'll be eating tomatoes!! Lucky you!!

We don't even have our garden centers set up with anything yet and this is February already---you would think the seed pkts would at least be out....

I haven't seen any signs of packets yet either. It gives the poor mail order folks a chance at least.

this week is to map out the garden and take inventory and then order.

Our Wal Mart and one small grocery have their seed packets out. The grocery also have onion bulbs already. Our local farmers store said they would have their seed any day now.

OK speaking of tomatoes - I wanted to grow either a cherry or a grape or baby pear shaped Yellow tomato this year. We tried a box of some cherry style that were nice and sweet. I have no clue what to try. Any recommendations?

It's golden orange, not yellow, but Sun Gold is my hands down favorite. Candy when you're out working in the garden. There's also a variety called Yellow Pear, which I believe is an heirloom. I had so-so luck with it, as heirlooms seem more disease prone. Didn't stop me from growing them though. A really fun one, especially for those with small children, is Matt's Wild Cherry. Remember my grand-niece, the tomato monster, Faith? That's the one she so loved when she was little.

Sun Gold sounds familiar. I am wondering if that wasn't the name of what we got. hehe I do remember the grand-niece, and her love for tomatoes. I wonder if she's had any since you stopped your delivery service of plants.

Probably not.

Oh Plum, sun-gold sounds good. I'm going to look for that one. Thanks for sharing that info.

I went to Wal-Mart on Tuesday and sure enough, they have their Burpee seeds out. But not much to choose from and some names I didn't recognize. No Early Girl which I like to grow---I'm sure they'll have it later. They had the "Big Boy" and "Beefsteak" seeds. I only bought one pkg.

Next week I'll look again--they will be getting in their plants too---I always plant a Sweet 100, Early Girl, and this year "Big Boy" from Burpee....I want the "Sun-gold" for a gold tomato and I may experiement with others.

Okay Faith, if you plant first of March, that is what I'll do too. I'm SO anxious I can hardly wait!!!