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Growing tomatoes (and veg) from the seed

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IrishDevl
IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
in Off Topic
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.  
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited December 2012
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    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.

    image

    image
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • Kosko
    Kosko Posts: 535
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    Nice garden VI!
    Peachtree City, Ga Large BGE
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    my favorite is cherokee purple, real ugly tomatoe but great flavor. i dont see them too often anymore
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • bodski
    bodski Posts: 463
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    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.

    Cincinnati

    LBGE, Weber Kettle

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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    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. 

    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
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    Great garden vi.  Puts mine to shame. 
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  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
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    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
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  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
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    I've seeded oxhearts, Japanese oxhearts.  Can't get the plant anywhere near me.  
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  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
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    Love poblanos.  Stuff them then grill.  My favorite pepper.  
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  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    edited December 2012
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    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/

    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
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  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
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    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.  
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  • BigGreenBamaGriller
    BigGreenBamaGriller Posts: 629
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    +1 on the Cherokee Purple
    Killen, AL (The Shoals)
    XL, Small, Minimax, and Mini BGEs
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  • SamFerrise
    SamFerrise Posts: 556
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    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.


    Simple ingredients, amazing results!
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  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
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    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.
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  • U_tarded
    U_tarded Posts: 2,042
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    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.
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  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
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    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. =))
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    Billy Ray,

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


    :D

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

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
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    Close but no cigar VI. :))
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
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  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
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    Village Idiot Posts: 4,849
    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.
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    billyray said:
    Village Idiot Posts: 4,849

    @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 !!!! 
    :)
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
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    It is getting dark here, so these aren't the best pics.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

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  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    edited December 2012
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    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/

    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
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  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
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    Here's a indeterminent Juliet over 8 feet tall from last year.
    tom.jpg 161.3K
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
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  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
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    Pink girls aren't bad- really good on blt's
    Greensboro, NC
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