Donna- this is old news. New SCIENTIFIC evidence simply does not support this information. Many Hummingbird plants, such as Trumpet Creeper have at least a 33% ratio. This is simply wrong information! Last season I posted a link to a scientific study that gave the ratio for many Hummingbird plants and I also printed a letter from author Sherri Williamson that I received from her answering my question about formula--I am pasting it below. ""Hi everyone- I am new to this forum but I have had the exact same question about sugar formulas. I am sure many of you are familiar with Sheri Williamson who wrote "Attracting and feeding hummingbirds" a few years ago. I went to her website and I asked her that very question via email. Following I will quote her answer and a link to a site with research that has been done on nectar content of flowers. You may all be surprised to know that most hummingbird favored flowers contain more nectar than any of us thought. Quote from Sheri "Some hummingbird experts do (or did) insist on a feeder solution no stronger than 4:1, but I've never been a member of that camp. On page 40 of Attracting and Feeding you'll find that I recommend a solution of three to five parts water to one part sugar - a pretty wide range. Hummingbird-pollinated flowers produce nectar that ranges in sugar content from as weak as 10:1 to as strong as 1:1. Both of the extremes are rare, and the average sugar content is close to 3:1. Studies of the birds' physiology suggest that solutions stronger than 3:1 may not provide sufficient water in extremely hot, dry conditions and that solutions weaker than 4:1 may not provide enough sugar for the birds to maintain their body weight when the weather is cold (stronger solutions also freeze at lower temperatures, which is very useful for people lucky enough to host hummingbirds year round). A 5:1 solution can be useful in discouraging bees or helping the birds through extreme heat and drought. When I wrote Attracting and Feeding eight years ago, I was deliberately conservative in my recommendations to avoid upsetting a handful of my colleagues in the hummingbird community who were adamantly opposed to solutions stronger than 4:1. Since then most of them have changed their minds, thanks in large part to the article that begins on page 7 of this issue of the Louisiana Ornithological Society News: http://losbird.org/news/0326_201_news.pdf I now feed 3:1 most of the year, except during the very hot, dry days of late spring and early summer, and I do think it helps the southbound migrants and overwintering birds. Using a slightly stronger solution may not be as important to your feeding strategy with all the good natural food you're providing, but it isn't going to do the birds any harm." End of quote from Sheri )"" Donna those of us who feed a stronger formula simply are not hurting our beloved birds. I ask you to please go to the site of the scientific study listed in Sherri's letter and read it for yourself. The information you quoted does not even have any evidence or facts or science behind it. Where does the lady quoted get her information? 3 to 1 is not harmful and the experts are now using it! Will you pleases read the information I have listed and then tell us what you think? Thanks, Vicki

I'm not real sure what your question is so bear with me. Can it be done? Sure. It is just another method of germinating plants although it does have a lower germination rate IME. I have set out several milk jugs of wintersown tomato seeds the past several years. They are just for my own use and used as back-up plants for any greenhouse grown ones I might lose or for garden plants that don't make it for some reason.. Does it get them ready to set out earlier than the indoor ones? No, not size-wise. The indoor ones are always ready to transplant first when it comes to size. But those indoor plants still have to be hardened off before planting while the wintersown ones don't so they can go to the garden, even though smaller, a week to 10 days earlier if I wished. Do they set fruit earlier? No, about the same. Do they produce better or longer? No, about the same. Are they more cold or heat tolerant? Cold, yes. Heat, no, that is genetic not sowing method determined. The advantages WS IMO is it is easy to do as they are basically on their own so less work involved, don't take up space inside, and are pre-hardened off for transplanting. So are they hardier? Yes but only in that they are more cold tolerant, don't require hardening off, and are less affected by transplant shock. Once they are planted out in the garden next to the hardened-off indoor grown plants there is no difference IME. Dave

Love the information and the explanations....I have a little to share, and much to learn! I am trying to not have the maters control me...so I try to limit myself. I replace the duds quickly (the next year). I agree about the EG's. Mine grew well, made OK salsa, and tasted fair at best. I so love my Cherokee Purple's! I am moving slowly from containers to raised beds (containers did well, even with indeterminates). More learning needed....

Thank you all for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I love hearing everyone’s opinions and greatly appreciate it. Looks like there is a decent consensus on the Sweet 100 so I will definitely give that one a try. Although, I have to admit, the purported size of the plant intimidates me a bit. I had originally hoped to try to stick with just determinate varieties this year but I am going to just scrap that. I will just give the Sweet 100 a 20-30 gallon SIP to itself and invest in a sturdy staking setup. I am not really interested in tomatoes for “slicing” I don’t think my landlords are either; although they are very excited for cherry tomatoes. Any other plants I choose will be used mostly for salsa and sauces which makes me initially lean towards planting a Roma. BER worries me but I am hoping that a SIP will help me in keeping my soil moisture as consistent as possible. Do you think Cobra, Lemon Boy, or Sub Arctic would work okay for sauces? I think Lemon Boy would make a very interesting salsa. I can’t say whether or not I like yellow tomatoes as I have no experience with them. Do you think Sweet 100 would work for a sweet basil marinara? Our nursery always used to carry Early Girl but, for some reason, they don’t have it this year. We had a farmer that used to come up biweekly to sell produce and he often had Sungolds. They always sold out fast and really helped me start liking fresh tomatoes. (I had no idea they could taste so sweet!) I will be haunting the local Cnd Tire and other stores closer to planting time to see what they have and if any of it is worth paying money for. Unfortunately, I have no space available for starting or nurturing plants like toms inside. I am currently renting a small bachelor style basement suite that walks directly out to the back yard. I have one large east facing window but no room for any type of grow setup at the moment.