I am going to start my own tomato seedlings again this year.

[wildeyed]

Last year I bought them at the garden store, and they just weren't as nice, plus they didn't offer many varieties at all. This year I am doing 2 varieties I have had before and 3 new.

Brandywine, a gorgeous heirloom slicer, but difficult to grow in hotter climates like my own. I am going to start it indoors right away, then warm the soil outside with black plastic and protect it with one of those wall-o-water thingys once I get in in the ground. I figure if I can get it off to an early start, I might get some before the hot August weather shuts down production. But this one is worth the trouble, so, so delicious.

Yellow Pear Cherry Tomato. I had these before, but a long time ago. There is another cherry, it is very small and orange, that I like, too, and I may do instead if I locate seeds in time.

Wisconsin 55, a new variety for me. According to the label, this is a large slicer with outstanding flavor that does well in hot climates. It is my back-up in case the Brandywines go wrong.

Stupice, a new variety for me. Small fruits, early producer, I am going to see if I like it better than Early Girl.

Black Plum Paste, a new variety for me, too. I have never grown paste tomatoes before, but with my recently upgraded cooking skills, I thought I might give it a go.

I may do a sweet pepper, probably Gypsy since that has gone well in the past, but I might be out of space already. My garden is tiny!

Also, lots of basil, only Genovese this year. In the past, I have grown many different varieties, Thai, purple, curly, but the Genovese is the best, so I am keeping it simple this year in the basil department.

Anyhoo, that's my plan, wish me luck. I am the type of gardener that starts out really strong in early Spring and fades as it gets hotter. My goal this year is to maintain focus through July and August!

[Kolesar]

1. You could probably start your Stupices now

My plants survived two heavy frosts two weeks after I had transplanted them to the garden. Make use of the wall of water if you have them. I used row covers and jugs of water near the plants. This article I found last year led me to my early tomato success:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2007-02-01/Enjoy-Fresh-Tomatoes-All-Year.aspx

[wildeyed]

2. Alas, the stupices are only seeds.

I am just getting the seed starting supplies out today. But thanks for the article. They have some great tips. I never heard of rooting plants for a late fall harvest. I have a really sunny window, maybe with a supplemental light I could get a plant going inside for winter. Mmmmmmmm, sun golds at Christmas :)

[Kolesar]

3. Oh, yes, I mean plant the seeds now so they germinate and you have starts in a month

You can start gardening a lot sooner than me. Final frost is late May here, for sure.

[wildeyed]

4. I was reading that you already had tomatoes out.

I thought that sounded *mighty* bold. Here all I have going is some spring mix and radish in the cold frame.

But you are right, if I get some starts going right away, I think I can get them in the ground early this year. I have not done season extending before, other than greens in the cold frame, but it doesn't seem that hard. I bought those wall-o-waters years ago and then never used them :(

[Kolesar]

6. I like to talk about them

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=246&topic_id=5384#5396

[wildeyed]

7. Of course.

The first tomato of the season is a very blessed event. Needs to be talked about.

Thanks for all the info on stupice. I didn't do any research, just picked it off the rack at the store, but it sounds like I lucked into something good. My flats are prepped, I will plant the seeds tomorrow :woohoo:

[sazemisery]

5. The little orange ones are Sungold

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/product.aspx?item=770#tabArea

They are so sweet and delicious. We grow these every year.

[wildeyed]

8. Sungolds rock!

I have some old seeds from 3 years I just stumbled across. I may try to start some this year, even though they are out of date. The sungolds plant I have had in the past were excellent; produced early, long and prodigiously.

[NMDemDist2]

9. me too

i have 5 varieties but the seeds are old so I'm gonna see which ones germinate

I'm only gonna do 3-4 tomatoes cuz I am doing corn and squash and melons and peas and cukes and radish and lettuce and 8 herbs

but I have space .....

[wildeyed]

10. I have plenty of space if I wanted to develop it.

My problem is with consistency. I get a great start in the spring planning stage. I adore seed starting and do it well, so I always have excellent seedlings. After I get them into the ground I fuss over them daily. Then, in early July, about the time it gets really hot and the mosquitoes come out in droves, I completely lose interest. And that is the time the plants require the most intensive cultivation; lots of watering, consistent fertilization and pruning. Pruning is the hardest to keep up with. I had tomato plants the year before last that were taller than me. Eeeek! They grew off their supports and kept going up and up.

If I manage to exercise some discipline in regards to the garden this year, I will expand next year to include cukes, squash and melon. I have lettuce and radishes going now, but it gets too hot for those in summer, everything bolts.

Good luck with the old seed. I am going to try starting some of mine, see what happens. Since I mostly have heirlooms this year, I can collect my own seeds at the end of the season, save them for next year.

We should start a DU seed swap in fall, that would be fun. We can all save seeds and send the extras off to other DU gardeners :)

[NMDemDist2]

11. I'm a newbie and have no idea what to expect

but the old owners have a nice 20x15 patch that has excellent soil that laid fallow for 3 years. we have it all tilled and ready to go, putting in 3 rows of corn and melons and herbs in there (she also has an asparagus bed there I'm watering....)

and then we took out that useless 5 foot across bathtub from the master bath, I put that at the base of the deck stairs and will do my 'kitchen garden' in there, lettuce, herbs, radishes etc in there using the square foot gardening method

I'll take lots of pics I promise!

remember the old bathtub? here's a pic of it (what a useless POS LOL)

[wildeyed]

12. It's nice that you have a patch ready and waiting.

I use an intensive raised bed system. I have plenty of space, but the soil is hard clay, impossible to work, so the intensive system is easier to get started. I have 2 3x6 beds right now. I would like to expand to 4, but I need to prove to myself that I can maintain the space I have before I add to it.

An added problem, we have all sorts of nasty soil borne illness here, so if you want to grow heirloom tomatoes, you must rotate. I am worried because I have only had a one year rest from maters and peppers where I plan to plant this year. A two year rest would really be ideal.

The bathtub garden is a great idea. Can't wait for the pics!

Do you have to do a great deal of irrigating where you are?

[NMDemDist2]

15. my soil is VERY white (old sea bottom/alkaline) and yes lots of water

at least in the spring. we get all our rainfall during the late summer and early fall

I've already planned on how many soaker hoses I need.... and I'll have to add shade cloth to the bathtub in July or it will scorch something awful

[Kolesar]

13. 1 cubic foot composted chicken manure per 100 square feet

I am also going to turn in four bags of composted feedlot steer manure per 100 sq ft of my raised bed. It is cheap.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=246&topic_id=6196#621

[NMDemDist2]

14. i gotta buy a bunch of dirt for the bathtub too (about 25 CubicYards)

and a wheelbarrow

think I can get this going??

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=246&topic_id=6472&mesg_id=6472

the check at the end of the month is pretty clear, I'm hoping to grab $200 and see how far I can get......

[NMDemDist2]

16. my coffee grinds have lots of nitrogen

I'm actually saving them (and the eggshells) separate from my other kitchen waste to add directly around the babies.....