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Growing from Seed

Is it too late to start tomatoes from seed?

18 years ago

Is it too late to start tomatoes from seed? I had a lot of seedlings underway and then had a death in my family. Forgot to water and they fried! Our planting date is Memorial Day weekend. Isn't the recommendation 12 weeks prior to that date? Anyone have any suggestions on speeding up the growth other than sitting them in the window or under flurescents and waiting?

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Comments (5)

JenWestie
18 years ago
Nope. I just put three more varieties under the lamps on Monday. I don't plan on planting any of them out until May 27.
larry_c
18 years ago
plenty of time Cathy. maters grow real quick. I think that 6 weeks inside is almost too much and they grow real quick after the soil is warm outside.
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Since this is the Vegetable Gardening Forum I'll stick to talking about the tomato seeds. Check out the Bulbs and the many flower forums for more info on them. ;) The tomatoes can be started from seed 6-8 weeks before your plant out date - which usually 1-2 weeks after your last frost date. In your zone I am guessing that is the end of May? That would make it too late to start tomatoes from seed for the best results. But if you have some seeds for some early varieties you could try them and still get fruit from them before your first fall frost. Otherwise I think I'd plan to go with tomato transplants this year and save the seeds for next year. Good luck with your garden. Dave
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I've been looking at HD ad Lowe's and reading up on different lights. there's a Philips 2 ft T12 "Natural Light" bulb that is 9,000 lumens and 5000k. Though I can't seem to find a really cheap fixture. There's a single light fixture for $13.98. Would only one of these bulbs work? I've got about 18 tomatoes and 10 peppers. How many lumens would I need for all these seedlings? Theres a Metalux fixture for $18 that holds two T8 bulbs and I could get two T8 bulbs that are 1,400 lumens and 3000k or 1,275 lumens and 6500k. There's also 4ft lights that I could actually get cheaper (fixture as low as $13 and 2 pack bulbs for less than $10 - those bulbs up to 2,900 lumens and 6500k), but I'm not sure about being able to dedicate 4 feet of horizontal space. But I know the light should be right over the seedlings so I might not have a choice?? How many bulbs do you think I need for the amount of seedlings I'm starting? Sorry about all the technical specifics on the lights. I know that the higher kevlin the better for seedlings so if I could get a better idea on the amount of lumens I'd need and how many bulbs (considering that people say that should be right over the seedlings) then I think I could know what's best to choose.
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is it too late to start tomatoes from seed?
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Comments (7)
Start them indoors now? NO, it's too late, buy other varieties you may want in a week or two at a gardening place- do not direct sow...your season is too short for them to have time to ripen. Big beef will be a smaller plant than cherry tomatoes! Cherry tomatoes are a huge plant!Don't worry,when they are outside the Big Beef will catch up but the Cherry will always be the biggest! The bottom two leaves are really false leaves...they can yellow and fall off,...it's o.k.! Remember to harden off the plants before plopping them in the ground permanently...also....plant them right up to the bottom leaves/ or where they would have been! They will get new roots up to the leaves! Stop fertilizing them! Fertilize them after about a week outside! AND you can add manure compost (Menards $1.19 per 40# bag) to the hole when you plant them in the ground and a little on top of the soil to get watered in!Later in the season use the blue water (Miracle Grow) !!!!! Hope this helps!!! Bec
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Too late to start seeds for Tomatoes?
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Comments (2)
Not at all. I usually start some each month from April-July. That way I have a continuous source of great, healthy tomatoes until frost (or even after that, since I plant to harvest green tomatoes that will ripen for Christmas!)
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rusty_blackhaw
18 years ago
A recommendation to start tomato seeds 12 weeks before setting out plants is very unrealistic - the plants will get tall and spindly even under ideal indoor conditions, long before they go in the ground.

Starting seed indoors 6 weeks before planting out is fine. The final two weeks can be used to harden plants off outside in pots.
kathy2
Original Author
18 years ago
Sounds GOOD! I'm going to give it a try. Should I attempt to transplant after the second true leaves or should I leave them alone so as to not "set them back" during transplanting?

Thank you everyone for your support!

Kathy
larry_c
18 years ago
You can seperate them as soon as the first true set of leafs appear. They will take an incedible amount of abuse, or so it seems to me, that we invoke when we split them and reset them. Be sure to handle them by the leafs instead of the stem. They will grow new leafs but not new stems. I transplant a second time when they are about 3" and touching. Each time into a slighty bigger pot and bury them as deep as possible each time. The third time is usually into a 4" pot and then outside with the doods to harden em off.

Crazy Larry

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