I was sort of in the same boat last year. I did a small scale experiment in the back yard the same time my builder spread seed and straw on the rest. What I have found is that any topsoil will do. I bought the Lowe's $1 per bag cheap stuff and the Scott's $2 per bag topsoil. I spread the two types of soil in seperate areas of the yard that get the same amount of sun. The Scott's soil did not help the grass grow any faster or thicker. (Remember this was my experience) Both mine and my neighbors yards were put in on the same day and mine is doing a ton better. There were two things that I think really helped my yard develop better than the guy next door. 1) Rake up all straw once your grass starts to grow. When I did this, the grass seemed to fill in a lot more than my neighbors. I had a fraction of the weeds also. I found the best way was to rake it all up into rows and run over it with the mower with the bagger on. 2) Arriate. My neighbor did not do this, but I did last fall. You will not notice very much difference by the time snow hits, but in the spring the results are night and day! If you haven't done this before just beware that clay will cake to the tires of your mower and you will have to clean them off. Not a big deal. Lastly, I bought some of the Scott's Patchmaster this spring to re-plant in an area where we had a drain put in. I didn't think there would be much of a difference, but man that stuff really works. It grows in pretty thick too! If I ever put in another yard, I will definately be using the hydroseeding.

Dear ourhappyhome, I tried to email you through GW, but I haven't heard back from you (unless I just don't recognize the name!) So please email me at asay715@aol.com and let me know if you still wish to join! Thanks, Andrea

Cutting will give you a plant faster than from seed. True Can a cutting be grown in a window during the off-season and then be planted after the temps cool off (for me heat is not cold that is the problem in FL). How long of an off-season are you talking about? One can surely be rooted and planted in a pot but how well it will grow depends on available light (IME supplemental light is almost always needed). Will cuttings age with the 'mother plant'? Ex. if I could keep taking cuttings for 4 years would I notice a change in the plant? You'd be taking a fresh cutting from a new plant each year. Never tried it and don't know of anyone who has but my best guess would be that no, you shouldn't see any changes assuming the parent plant has no disease problems. Seeds can be stored for a long time. But is it likely when you take seeds that you can get cross pollination from other varieties and get a plant different than when you started? True seed can be stored for along time. However, the odds of cross pollination are minimal (normally less than 5%) and many of us have saved seeds from the same variety for years with few problems. This, assuming you are talking about an OP variety and not some hybrid variety. If you are talking about a hybrid variety then whether or not it will breed true depends on how stabilized the hybrid was. The reason I ask is I think my season is coming to an end soon and want to be ready for the fall. Then like most of us, grow new ones from seed for fall - that is the safest route. Or, try it both ways - a cutting and some from seed - and see which works best for you. ;) Good luck. Dave

The cliff notes version for anyone who is on dial-up wanting to see the Bearded Gardener video: 1. Cut tomato and scoop out seeds with a spoon into blender (3 "Sam Marzanos"). 2. More than half fill blender with tap water. (He uses "Magic Bullit") 3. Blend (relatively vigorously) for 10 seconds 4. Seeds settle and he adds water a few times and dumps it until it runs clear. 5. Dumps seeds into a non-porous "Chinese take out food" plastic tray. (Shows a polypropylene black tray) and slowly pours out the rest of the drops of water. 6.Sets tray aside to dry for up to 48 hours but says he packs them after 24 hours. Note this is Part 1 video to watch tomatoes seeds in a blender 10 minutes. Stay tuned as we see them dry and bagged in Part 2 ;-) and you are invited to subscribe. OP, Some people do use blenders. Usually it is done at a lower speed, and then seeds are sometimes fermented anyway. That's because their family put up with it more than yours. It is considered poor form to exchange seeds prepared this way by some. The value of fermentation is more to produce natural antibiotics during the process which can prevent the transmission of some diseases such as bacterial spot, canker and speck. That is why we do fermentation. It is nature's method which provides some degree of protection, without resorting to chemical treatments to accomplish the same thing. Many don't consider it a time saving process to dirty up a blender when they just drop the seed mass into a jar and forget about it, and then do the same thing without using electricity. The actual time spent is less for fermentation. Also your seeds are drying more slowly than the standard of using a porous medium such as a paper towel. This may decrease shelf life of the seeds and give disease further opportunity to multiply. Thanks for sharing your ideas ;-) & hope this helps. Nice video. PC This post was edited by PupillaCharites on Tue, Nov 18, 14 at 0:41