Planting Seeds Outside?

lillivewire87 · July 22, 2015

I have already started one inside...(I actually planted 4...three sprouted and then I went on vacation for 4 days and only one survived) and I would like 3 more Red Robin Cherries. I am starting them this late so I can move the pots into our covered porch area once it starts to get cold and maybe have some later cherry tomatoes to snack on in the fall.

Anyway...since our days are anywhere from 75-95 and our nights haven't dropped below 55 (and weather report shows no sign of that changing) would I be ok to try and germinate some more directly outside? Or would it be too hot? I don't leave for vacation again anytime soon, so hopefully the next batch will have a chance to survive however I do it.

This is my first year ever trying to grow any tomatoes from seed...I have always bought these as seedlings in the past.

KC.Sun · July 22, 2015

You can cut suckers and roots them either directly in potting soil or root them in water. It will be much faster than germinating from seed.

lillivewire87 · July 22, 2015

Other than the little baby seedling that survived I do not have any of these plants to keep clippings from. I have to go from seed.

It is also a dwarf variety so I don't know how the parent plant would hold up to being pruned.

jvbal219 · July 22, 2015

Best temperatures for tomato seed germination range from 70 to 95 degrees F, with 85 degrees F being optimum. There should be no problem starting them outdoors.

I believe you have a longer growing season than us folks in MN, so your seedlings should be of good size by the time you need to bring them indoors.

You could also pre-sprout them in a moist, not wet paper towel, for a day or two, in a warm spot. Carefully monitor the seeds until the tiny roots just start showing, and then plant outdoors. Keep the soil around the plants moist (too wet and you risk rotting the seeds). I use my pointy finger to monitor soil moisture.

The best of luck,
Joe

KC.Sun · July 22, 2015

This method may help you speed up the process.

Craig L has a dense planting method that he has shared with many of us. It is illustrated in the link/YouTube channels. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...Dense+planting

In the dense planting method, he places the seeds on top of his potting mix, then covers lightly with potting soil followed by watering. The method is illustrated in his video.

I use this method with my tomato seedlings and they sprout/grow really quickly. About 2-3 days for me with new seed. Longer with older seed.

July 22, 2015	#1
lillivewire87 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Pacific NW Zone 8b Posts: 10	Planting Seeds Outside? I have already started one inside...(I actually planted 4...three sprouted and then I went on vacation for 4 days and only one survived) and I would like 3 more Red Robin Cherries. I am starting them this late so I can move the pots into our covered porch area once it starts to get cold and maybe have some later cherry tomatoes to snack on in the fall. Anyway...since our days are anywhere from 75-95 and our nights haven't dropped below 55 (and weather report shows no sign of that changing) would I be ok to try and germinate some more directly outside? Or would it be too hot? I don't leave for vacation again anytime soon, so hopefully the next batch will have a chance to survive however I do it. This is my first year ever trying to grow any tomatoes from seed...I have always bought these as seedlings in the past.

July 22, 2015	#2
KC.Sun Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: 6a Posts: 322	You can cut suckers and roots them either directly in potting soil or root them in water. It will be much faster than germinating from seed.

July 22, 2015	#4
jvbal219 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: South Saint Paul, MN, USA Posts: 4	Best temperatures for tomato seed germination range from 70 to 95 degrees F, with 85 degrees F being optimum. There should be no problem starting them outdoors. I believe you have a longer growing season than us folks in MN, so your seedlings should be of good size by the time you need to bring them indoors. You could also pre-sprout them in a moist, not wet paper towel, for a day or two, in a warm spot. Carefully monitor the seeds until the tiny roots just start showing, and then plant outdoors. Keep the soil around the plants moist (too wet and you risk rotting the seeds). I use my pointy finger to monitor soil moisture. The best of luck, Joe