My Sad Weekend

[sparkles2307]

I started my precious baby tomatoes from seed in March. I used Baker Creek, love their stuff.
About 3 weeks ago I started hardening the seedlings off, letting them sit out in mostly shade during the day and going in the garage at night. Then, about a week ago, Dh was helping (helping....) and put the babies in full sun, and over half of my 64 seedlings got sunburned. The remaining seedlings I had been babying and finally planted.... only to have them all burn off too! I've never had issues with them being so delicate before! So last night I direct seeded and prayed my little heart out that its not too late.

 

[lesa]

Oh no!!! I always say the hardening off, is the hardest part! Maybe you should pick up a few plants, just in case...
When did you direct seed last year?
Good luck!

 

[sparkles2307]

Oh no!!! I always say the hardening off, is the hardest part! Maybe you should pick up a few plants, just in case...
When did you direct seed last year?
Good luck!

Um, I think I direct seeded about Memorial Day last year, and had plenty, so being one week later I dont think it'll be too bad, but tis still frustrating. Oh well, we live and we learn and then we can what makes it.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Oh boy! I know exactly what you're going through. I did the same thing a few weeks ago. Out of 100 very rare and precious heirloom tomato plants I only have 13 left and they are very sickly looking. I ran out in desperation and purchased 10 Celebrity hybrid potted tomato plants and planted them 2/3 deep in the garden. The hybrids are about 18" to 24" tall right now and my sweet little heirloom babies are still in their peat-pots and they are about 3" tall.

If I were you I would keep nurturing the sunburned plants and see what happens. I have found that sunburned plants do better if you keep them outdoors and in a shady spot. It is our natural tendency to smother them with kindness but mother nature will rule no matter what we do.

Good luck and keep us up to date on your success.

 

[rebbetzin]

I never have good luck with peppers or tomatoes from seed. (Unless they are volunteers) Now I go ahead and just buy plants and hope they do ok...

 

[wifezilla]

I had much better luck with my cold frame starts than my indoor starts.

 

[sparkles2307]

Most of the sunbruned ones were literally bruned to a crisp at the dirt... theo nes that are kind of still not totally dead I left, but still seeded more of the same variety next to them... I made sure everyone had a dose of epsom salts in their hole.

 

[sparkles2307]

Oh boy! I know exactly what you're going through. I did the same thing a few weeks ago. Out of 100 very rare and precious heirloom tomato plants I only have 13 left and they are very sickly looking. I ran out in desperation and purchased 10 Celebrity hybrid potted tomato plants and planted them 2/3 deep in the garden. The hybrids are about 18" to 24" tall right now and my sweet little heirloom babies are still in their peat-pots and they are about 3" tall.

If I were you I would keep nurturing the sunburned plants and see what happens. I have found that sunburned plants do better if you keep them outdoors and in a shady spot. It is our natural tendency to smother them with kindness but mother nature will rule no matter what we do.

Good luck and keep us up to date on your success.

Yes I was doing some of the rare kids, and those were the most fragile... maybe thats why they are rare. I'm so sad. But I'm not giving up, I refuse. and I hate the plants from the nursey, all you can get are early girl and better boy... not very exciting at all, so I will NOT allow myself to buy from them.

 

[sparkles2307]

I never have good luck with peppers or tomatoes from seed. (Unless they are volunteers) Now I go ahead and just buy plants and hope they do ok...

Reb, for the last 3 years my tomatoes from seed were AMAZING and I didn't even have to make an effort. Threw some seed in pots, tossed them into the gardenw ith only a few days of hardening off, never a worry. This year its just crappy. The seedlings didnt get very big in the house and now they're dropping like flies. I like baker creek but if the tomatoes are going to be so fragile from them I might have to go back to SSE.

 

[skeeter9]

I feel your pain. I've lost all of the heirloom cherry tomatoes that I started from seed. They just burned to a crisp for no apparent reason. Obviously I did something wrong, but our days have been cloudy and barely warm at all, so I'm not sure. . . Had to go to the store and buy a few plants. Oh well, as long as we get tomatoes I guess I shouldn't complain.