Growing tomatoes (and veg) from the seed

IrishDevl · December 2012

I grow tomatoes each summer and do a fair amount from seed starting in March. I just got a seed book (to buy seeds) and wondering if anyone grows any uniques tomatoes or vegetables. Looking to place an order soon and wouldn't mind mixing it up if I heard something different.

Village Idiot · December 2012

When I had a 1/4 acre garden, I grew tomatoes from seed. As I recall, it was generally 6 weeks from seed to transplant, 6 weeks from transplant to flower, and 6 weeks from flower to harvest. With a small garden now (I only grow about 8 tomato plants), it's not worth it.

I'm sure you know this, but I try to buy some determinate tomatoes (for canning), some indeterminate (for longer harvest), cherry, and plum tomatoes (like Roma). There are some better varieties of plum than Roma now because they are more prolific, but I can't remember their names.

My other major category is chiles. I grow jalapenos (hot and mild), serranos, and have two permanent chile pequin plants. I also like to grow onions and garlic. For some reason, in the last two years, I've had bad luck with zucchinis and yellow squash. I think it's something in the soil.

Other things I grow:

Lettuce

Pole beans (against the fence)

Snow peas

Strawberries (in a pot)

Herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, tarragon)

Fruit trees (orange, peach, avocado, fig, olive)

I grew some red potatoes last year, but they weren't worth the real estate required.

Kosko · December 2012

Nice garden VI!

fishlessman · December 2012

my favorite is cherokee purple, real ugly tomatoe but great flavor. i dont see them too often anymore

bodski · December 2012

Beautiful garden! About 5 years ago I converted about 1/3 of my garden over to an asparagus bed. Some years I have fresh asparagus from March to July. This will be my first year with an egg. Can't wait.

Skiddymarker · December 2012

Envy you folks who can have a garden, it is a very rewarding "hobby". Going through the seed catalogues, which always arrive right around Christmas, was always good reading and dreaming.

This past year we actually were able to get 5 tomatoes from a nursery plant. Our yard gets less than 2 hours of sun each day, Douglas Firs are too tall and and full.

Great looking garden VI.

Heritage tomatoes seem to be the rage lately, getting away from the seed that produces "tennis" ball tomatoes that all ripen together, with the same shape and size.

IrishDevl · December 2012

Great garden vi. Puts mine to shame.

IrishDevl · December 2012

fishlessman said:

my favorite is cherokee purple, real ugly tomatoe but great flavor. i dont see them too often anymore

The magazine that just came has these as seed. Could never find the plant which is why I do seed for some. 30 seeds 2.95

IrishDevl · December 2012

I've seeded oxhearts, Japanese oxhearts. Can't get the plant anywhere near me.

IrishDevl · December 2012

Love poblanos. Stuff them then grill. My favorite pepper.

billyray · December 2012

IrishDevl said:

I grow tomatoes each summer and do a fair amount from seed starting in March. I just got a seed book (to buy seeds) and wondering if anyone grows any uniques tomatoes or vegetables. Looking to place an order soon and wouldn't mind mixing it up if I heard something different.

Check out this web site. She is my neighbor. I've sold her seeds for years at our garden centers. She's traveled the world to get heirloom seeds. I've got 13 acres and have grown many of her seeds for testing.

http://www.reneesgarden.com/

IrishDevl · December 2012

billyray said:

IrishDevl said:

I grow tomatoes each summer and do a fair amount from seed starting in March. I just got a seed book (to buy seeds) and wondering if anyone grows any uniques tomatoes or vegetables. Looking to place an order soon and wouldn't mind mixing it up if I heard something different.

Check out this web site. She is my neighbor. I've sold her seeds for years at our garden centers. She's traveled the world to get heirloom seeds. I've got 13 acres and have grown many of her seeds for testing.

http://www.reneesgarden.com/

Thanks. Will take a look.

BigGreenBamaGriller · December 2012

+1 on the Cherokee Purple

SamFerrise · December 2012

Try Opalka tomatoes. They are grown by the Amish for paste and are also excellent for sauces. Very meaty and very few seeds. The look like red peppers. We have been growing them for 20 years.

IrishDevl · December 2012

That is the

SamFerrise said:
Try Opalka tomatoes. They are grown by the Amish for paste and are also excellent for sauces. Very meaty and very few seeds. The look like red peppers. We have been growing them for 20 years.

That is the exact picture as in the order book. Will buy a bag for sure. Thanks.

U_tarded · December 2012

I like I think it's called Russian black and German Johnson. I do about 4 different heirloom varieties I pick up at a local greenhouse each year. They are great to work with because they help with soil and climate conditions.

billyray · December 2012

IrishDevl said:

I grow tomatoes each summer and do a fair amount from seed starting in March. I just got a seed book (to buy seeds) and wondering if anyone grows any uniques tomatoes or vegetables. Looking to place an order soon and wouldn't mind mixing it up if I heard something different.

Irish, PM me your address and I'll send some packages of seeds from Renee's Garden. We haven't got all the varieties in yet, but I have some good ones. Hopefully I don't get 12 peeps claiming to be IrishDevl. =))

Village Idiot · December 2012

Billy Ray,

My great-great grandfather's last name was Smythe. Does that count?

:D

Gary (but my friends call me Patrick O'Leary).

billyray · December 2012

Close but no cigar VI. :))

billyray · December 2012

Village Idiot Posts: 4,849

5:11AM

When I had a 1/4 acre garden, I grew tomatoes from seed. As I recall, it was generally 6 weeks from seed to transplant, 6 weeks from transplant to flower, and 6 weeks from flower to harvest. With a small garden now (I only grow about 8 tomato plants), it's not worth it.

I'm sure you know this, but I try to buy some determinate tomatoes (for canning), some indeterminate (for longer harvest), cherry, and plum tomatoes (like Roma). There are some better varieties of plum than Roma now because they are more prolific, but I can't remember their names.

My other major category is chiles. I grow jalapenos (hot and mild), serranos, and have two permanent chile pequin plants. I also like to grow onions and garlic. For some reason, in the last two years, I've had bad luck with zucchinis and yellow squash. I think it's something in the soil.

@VI What kind of garlic do you grow. In the stores out here all you can get is soft neck California garlic. I grow several hard neck varieties, Ajo Rojo, Burgundy Creole and Georgian Crystal. When they send up their scapes, I cut them before they set seed and use them in stir fry, nice garlic flavor.

Village Idiot · December 2012

billyray said:

Village Idiot Posts: 4,849
5:11AM

@VI What kind of garlic do you grow. In the stores out here all you can get is soft neck California garlic. I grow several hard neck varieties, Ajo Rojo, Burgundy Creole and Georgian Crystal. When they send up their scapes, I cut them before they set seed and use them in stir fry, nice garlic flavor.

Billy Ray. I'm embarrassed to tell you, but I use the garlic I buy in the produce section of the grocery store. I always ask the grocer if there has been any growth retardant on them, and they say "no". All of our stuff comes from Mexico, and I'm sure they don't do it.

Generally, the garlics come out fine. I might want to get some good starter seeds and use some of them for the next season. That's what I did on the farm, and I ended up with a row of garlic, each about 3 inches apart. My rows were 132 feet long. That's a lot of garlic !!!!

:)

Doc_Eggerton · December 2012

It is getting dark here, so these aren't the best pics.

billyray · December 2012

VI here's where I get mine, but they are usually sold out by Sept. Once you grow your own you should never have to buy them again. I keep some of the heads and plant the cloves for the next season. I haven't bought any since 2008. If you want some of the scapes for stir fry next July, let me know and I'll send you some.

http://www.filareefarm.com/

billyray · December 2012

Here's a indeterminent Juliet over 8 feet tall from last year.

Wolfpack · December 2012

Pink girls aren't bad- really good on blt's

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