Tomato Growing Season Has Started
 

For Me. [SIZE=4][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Lucida Grande]Planting the seeds went as scheduled. Used 2ea Jump start 81 pellet starting trays and one Root Riot tray with 50 plugs for a total of 212. My do everything workbench which is now my seedling bench is butted up to the radiator and is keeping the ambient temperature around the seed flats at 78 deg F or 26 deg C . My 4" CowPots are in the mail and already have my "Light Warrior" potting mix. Life is good. Ami[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

I planted seeds on 3-6 and had germination by 3-11. Mater babies are under the lights and growing even as I type this. Peppers and flowers are all potted up and I need more room again ;)
Still have 2 tomato varieties that haven't germinated. I'm bummed about it, but trying very hard to be patient. I took a peek at fusion's site though, and see that he carries the two varieties so if they don't germinate, I'll buy some plants!
It's all good when the babies are growing in the basement :) I spend all my free time running down there and staring. Watching things grow I guess LoL
Sharing my tip of the week, too. Last year, after I'd transplanted into pots, someone told me they used a dish soap squirty type bottle to water tomato seedlings in flats. So this year, I got out an old bottle, cleaned it up and tried it. Wow, it works like a dream! You can just squirt the amount you need on the babies and they get a gentle shower. Cool stuff!

Barbee hang in there on your slow pokes. Seen some that can take up to 4 weeks. And you already have a backup plan so relax. I think dcarch made a similar water bottle except he used a soda bottle and hot glued a plastic tube to the cap he had drilled out. When you get older your aim isn't that good and you need all the help you can get.:) Ami

Yeah, hang in there. I started seeds beginning on 02/21. I just had a couple of late babies come up. If you need to clear the starting tray due to space or something, use a cup or something (I actually used a cupcake cup last year) and carefully move the soil with the ungerminated seeds in (without crumbling) and set to the side. You can go on with the bulk of the others and let the slowpokes take some extra time.

Ted

I cant tell you how much I love Fox Farm products. The Light Warrior mix is great for seedlings. Tried making my own mix this year and will never that again. My season is under way too. Planted out half of my crop yesterday. Good luck!

Damon

Damon,

When did you start seed this year?

Mine have been out hardening off for a couple of weeks now. They will go into their individual 'Tainers (in pairs) in 2 weeks.

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_6841.jpg[/IMG]

My planting of Snow Peas done a couple of months ago made it through the Winter and are beginning to flower:

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_6845.jpg[/IMG]

Ray:D:D

Raybo,

I was very sporadic with starting seddlings this year and I'm paying for it as some of the varieties I want to plant are still 1-2 weeks out. It will be a progressive planting this year as was last year. I started seedlings as early as Jan. 1 and was sowing my last batch early Feb. Check this out..... I have drywall scraps laying around all the time as I'm a drywall contractor so I made these first line of defence sun blocker boxes with drywall scrapes.

[IMG]http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z144/sprtsguy76/Picture030-1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z144/sprtsguy76/Picture031-1.jpg[/IMG]

Here is my comparision of my home made seedling mix and Light Warrior. The green and healthy ones are in the LW.

[IMG]http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z144/sprtsguy76/Picture032.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z144/sprtsguy76/Picture033.jpg[/IMG]

Damon

Damon,

To attach photos here at Tomatoville, you need to copy the photo link in the IMG format on Photobucket. I think it is the next click box below the HTML box (which you use for that other Forum).

Ray;)

Damon, if you have your photo's on your computer in jpg format just downwsize to 800x600 and use the manage attachments section in the"Additional Options" section below your "Reply to Thread" box. Ami

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Ami-That radiator will keep those little seedlings all nice and toasty. How many plants do you get to have out? (I know I should ask how many containers do you have):)
Really appreaciate all the good advice from you and the others in this regard. Hopefully you will have great plant "karma"
Kat

Kat, this year I will have around 35-40 in containers and 10 in the ground. Ami

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Very nice Ami. What do you do with all the maters? I am having grandiose delusions that I will be swimming in them. You on the other had would not be delusional :lol:
Kat

Here's my garden! I tucked in my tomato starts this past weekend, about a month before the last frost date here in Central CA.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v340/dct45/tomatoteepees031509.jpg[/IMG]

I've never used tepees before but I've heard good things about them, and it satisfies my impatience to garden! It's a challenge sometimes to 'beat the heat' And as another bonus, it keeps the chickens and dog from digging up my babies!

Although some leave them on, here I'll probably remove them in about a month, and keep the tepees free of algae and stuff in the water.

Vermiit, Looking good. I use plastic tubes that fit over my cages and remove when the weather has stabilized. Here's a few photo's of my plants and greenhouse in the back yard last year. Ami

Ami 0

I like your cages with the Zip Ties - then you cut them and lay them flat till next year.

My only question, how do you secure them in the dirt? Cut off the bottow cross row?



[quote=amideutch;124157]Vermiit, Looking good. I use plastic tubes that fit over my cages and remove when the weather has stabilized. Here's a few photo's of my plants and greenhouse in the back yard last year. Ami[/quote]