Re: offlist, tomatoes again
- Subject: Re: offlist, tomatoes again
- From: E*@aol.com
- Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 12:55:42 EST
In a message dated 3/3/03 11:17:59 AM Eastern Standard Time,
bhayes@catskill.net writes:
> I got the tomato seeds I was looking for, and I've been growing them for
> years now. So you would think I remember how to start them, but I don't
> know whether they need light right away or only after the seed has
> sprouted. The envelope the seeds came in doesn't say.
Isabelle,
Don't start those tomato seeds until after the first of April in our area
unless you have glassed space and big pots. Something about the lengthening
daylight, an indescribable element in the air and the tomato's predisposition
to leap into life will give you etiolated plants by the end of May when you
want to put them in the garden.
A smaller, steadily growing tomato plant will do better in the long run than
one sitting around getting too tall and potbound. The later in a northern
site the seed is begun, the faster it will take off, the better plant you
will have.
As evidence, there are self sown tomato plants all over the compost here.
Some emerge in June. The self sown plants are stronger than transplants.
The self sown plants produce tomatoes at about the same time as the
transplants and do so with no care from the gardener, sometimes they are
pulled as weeds.
Garden centers want transplants as early as May first here (they need a
product to sell) but they will need protection to be put in the garden. A
gardener growing from seed does not need to have something on the shelf for
the customer so you can do it at the absolute optimum time. Spring wind is a
major problem with too-tall tomato plants. The plants take off when the
nights become warmer.
We have grown some of the Canadian, Russian and Alaskan seed. You get tiny
ugly and unappetizing tomatoes for planting out in cold weather.
It is my experience that no matter when you start the seed, the plants ripen
fruit all about the same time. Early varieties in the North vary from
midseason varieties by only a few days. Late varieties may take ten days
longer.
If you have seeds rare to you and valued by you, start them in two batches
ten days apart. That way if one does not do well, another is waiting in the
wings.
Start them in any good mix with sand or grit on the top for insurance. A
tomato can be transplanted to a three inch pot at the two leaf stage. Thin
the started seeds so there is space between each seedling.
I am not a tomato plant grower or expert in any way except for a few self
saved seeds. I start mine outdoors in a frame around the first of May.
Tomatoes in our garden ripen the same as anywhere in our town. The seed
population in the house and greenhouse area got out of hand one spring so
trying some outdoors has been quite enlightening. The best frame is one
against the house, south/southeast facing.
If the tomato did not have so many fanciers, it might actually be a weed.
Did any else notice that the first one or two are awaited eagerly, the next
lot are happy gifts to friends and the Labor Day glut are a big headache. Do
not even mention the cherry type tomato.
Claire Peplowski
NYS z4
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