I can handle a year without tomatoes...I think...

14 years ago

Am I the only one who is still waiting for tomato sprouts? I can't believe I'm still waiting, considering everything that started sprouting so early (and very few things are NOT sprouted, comparatively).

I figure it must be the cool weather. Or maybe all the seeds I got from "Totally Tomatoes" are duds? Could that be?

I dunno. But I'm thinking I'll sow extra cukes and keep sowing radishes (and tend all of my eggplants, peppers, and cauliflower very carefully to make sure I don't lose them).

Aww, what the heck...even though it's late, maybe I'll throw another batch of Toms outside. I was planning on planting them in buckets this year anyway. But I certainly didn't think I'd still be waiting for them. This is a first!

Linda

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Comments (12)

dorisl
14 years ago
Thats weird Linda, Id be thinking about those seeds.....

and heading to the homedepo for some plants, gotta have the toms....
token28001
14 years ago
Hush your mouth. I'd rather go without air.
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sheltieche
14 years ago
Linda,
I have had great germination from Totally tomatoes for few years in a row..
would not be without toms...
nancy_drew
14 years ago
I had only one sprout in a half gallon milk jug. I ended up going to Walmart. In the end, I spent 3.00 on a 9 pack, and ended up with 15 plants that I shared with my neighbors. The two I saved and my single Beefsteak are doing pretty well in their kitty litter pails and paint buckets.

I have to have tomatoes!
MLcom
14 years ago
Goodness they seem so easy for me, guessing you had sprouts early before you realized it and they froze. I have plenty dash me off a email for some plants.

At our local walmart they are 3.25 and 5.00 per seedling! The bigger shock was at Home Depot at one single 1 foot high at 17.97.

Have extra beef masters and brandy wine pinks.

ML
trudi_d
14 years ago
"I can handle a year without tomatoes...I think..."

Horrors!
lblack61
Original Author
14 years ago
I will not buy plants! I figure if the seeds haven't germinated, they might know something about this coming summer season that I don't.

Last year was so wet and cool that my SIL had to pull her purchased tomato plants out of her garden (they were rotting and molding). She and her husband are hardcore vegetable gardeners (although she doesn't start her toms from seeds indoors or out). My WSed toms-- while they didn't produce as much as I was used to-- survived our weird weather and I had some to can and eat. The prices and availability of locally grown tomatoes in our area last year was AWFUL!

I'm getting a bit suspicious that this is going to be a cool summer. My "Five Spot" is still blooming! And the Oriental poppies are producing incredible blooms this year.

I think I'd better get a few more row covers. I might need them all season to keep my peppers and okra going!

(but I will take you up on your offer, Trudi.)

Linda
lblack61
Original Author
14 years ago
BTW,
I haven't even had more than 6 volunteer seedlings either, and they were found in areas that were probably warmed by the presence of the jugs on top of them and such. I'm usually pulling volunteers out of garden beds left and right.

Linda
drippy
14 years ago
Linda, I think you are a wise woman to watch the signs of life around you - it does seem like there are a few cool summer indicators there. Having just moved from New England, I still watch the weather there, and am surprised it's so cool there now - although I guess that's not totally uncommon.

How does this sound? There will certainly be some weather warm enough for you to germinate seeds. At least some varieties of cherry tomatoes - I'm thinking of Balconi Red, from the days I started them indoors - will flower and fruit indoors. If you have space indoors for 1 or 2 pots (you can grow Balconi Red in a hanging planter, but some varieties would need bigger pots), why not start a few more seeds, pot them up, and if they don't mature in time, bring them indoors to complete the process?

I don't know if this would work with standard size tomatoes; I've never tried to grow them indoors.
karendee
14 years ago
my tomatoes are slow going this year. I am hoping they pick up soon. I even planted some new (to me) tomatoes from Trudi's seeds so I am really worried about those.

I don't see any flowers or tomatoes on my neighbor's store bought plants though...

I can't go without them. I look forward to the nice ripe ones all summer. (the grocery stores never sell them as yummy as the ones i grow)
Karen
nancy_drew
14 years ago
My plants are only about 6-8 inches tall. They are looking really good... for the size, but the ones I sowed for my friend are about a foot tall or so. I sure hope mine fruit, I don't have room inside. Sue's probably will though, that's just my luck.

I feel like an auto mechanic who can fix anything that runs on gas, but who's own car keeps braking down, or the hairdresser who never gets her own hair quite right and keeps choosing the wrong co-worker to style it!
stlgirl
14 years ago
Yeah cool weather can really mess up the toms. Lots of rain can be just as bad. Have you seen Kiddo's hoop house? I am thinking about making one of these next year to help my tomatoes along.

-StLGirl

I can handle a year without tomatoes...I think...

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