Start your tomatoes from seed NOW if you're in zones 5-6

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
26,690
Reaction score
32,369
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
I don't know about here . . . All of our above-normal temperatures thru the winter, vanished :rolleyes:. We've had below-normal for weeks now. And, one forecast outfit says 3 nights in the low 20's next week!!?! NOAA just says 2 shades below normal.

I've been trying to slow the tomatoes down, with poor results. If I keep messing around (and paying the least bit of attention to what DW says :/), they are going to have some real problems.

Okay . . . find your frost date . . . count out 14 days . . . then work back 6 or 8 weeks. Of course, things can be changed a bit. I mean, you can go back farther if you are willing to pot up to larger containers. AND have enuf sunlight! Also, you'd better plan on pinching off the flowers when they are transplanted out.

Walls of Water or some other protection - I don't know. They've already been slapped around enuf by Yours Truly. If they don't get all the TLC in the world from here on out, someone may call the Tomato Protective Service on me . . . :/

Steve
 

curly_kate

Garden Addicted
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Messages
1,452
Reaction score
142
Points
217
Location
Zone 6A - Southeast Indiana
I wonder if there's such a thing as a 'normal' season. Seems like it's always warmer or cooler than normal. It's been warmer than normal here, but not scorching. I'm going to plant some of my tomatoes this weekend. I always plant extras because I'm SURE some will not germinate or thrive, and I'm ALWAYS proven wrong!
 

msbear

Chillin' In The Garden
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
58
Reaction score
0
Points
34
started mine a couple weeks ago. I got some heirloom WV tomatoes growing like crazy and everything else got burned under the plastic during the first hot day :rolleyes: Im giving it another swing today but will be buying most of my tomato plants this year. I think Im going to give up starting them from seed til I have hubby make me a greenhouse... it's just too much of a pain!
 

ducks4you

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
11,733
Reaction score
15,419
Points
417
Location
East Central IL, Was Zone 6, Now...maybe Zone 5
I planted my seeds, both beefsteak and cherry one week ago. I started them in toilet paper rolls, all shoved into plastic bowls (and large yogurt containers) to hold the water, and there are 5 small containers, and put them ALL on top of the fridge. Yesterday there were 3 that had popped up one inch. TODAY, there are literally 30 that are up!! :weee :celebrate
 

HunkieDorie23

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
1,066
Reaction score
36
Points
177
Location
Georgia Bound
I started mine on Mar 10th. I potted them once and am starting to repot the bigger ones. This way they get a nice start before they go into the garden. I have only gotten tomatoes once by the 4th of July but getting them a little bigger helps.
 

mothergoose

Garden Ornament
Joined
May 27, 2008
Messages
140
Reaction score
11
Points
96
Location
Chebanse, Illinois (zone 5)
I have a flat of tomatoes that were started the first weekend in March another flat started about 2 weeks after that and 2 more flats, one started a week ago and one today.

I kept finding more varieties I wanted to try...15 different varieties so far!

Obsessed,
Christie :D
 

desertgirl

Garden Ornament
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
467
Reaction score
0
Points
88
Location
Albuquerque,NM
digitS' said:
I don't know about here . . . All of our above-normal temperatures thru the winter, vanished :rolleyes:. We've had below-normal for weeks now. And, one forecast outfit says 3 nights in the low 20's next week!!?! NOAA just says 2 shades below normal.

I've been trying to slow the tomatoes down, with poor results. If I keep messing around (and paying the least bit of attention to what DW says :/), they are going to have some real problems.

Okay . . . find your frost date . . . count out 14 days . . . then work back 6 or 8 weeks. Of course, things can be changed a bit. I mean, you can go back farther if you are willing to pot up to larger containers. AND have enuf sunlight! Also, you'd better plan on pinching off the flowers when they are transplanted out.

Walls of Water or some other protection - I don't know. They've already been slapped around enuf by Yours Truly. If they don't get all the TLC in the world from here on out, someone may call the Tomato Protective Service on me . . . :/

Steve
Tomato Protective Services!!!HA!! Priceless!!!!:lol:
 
Top