Spicy tomato seeds- how to start them properly

14 years ago

Hi, I have a few seeds- 25 to be exact from a volunteer in my yard last summer. They are an oxheart type tomato. Two of the tomatoes on the plant were spicy, like peppers. So I saved the seeds hoping they might potentially grow and have more like the original. Problem is, I only have 25 seeds, I don't want to waste more than I have to. How many seeds do I need to put in each peat pellet? Or is there a better way to do it? If someone could point me in the right direction for where the best instructions are for starting tomatoes and what medium to use as well as number of seeds that would be fantastic! Thank you so much. Had planned on starting them in peat pellets, moving them up to larger peat pots with a soil mix from earl may and then hardening them off and moving them into a very sunny garden area with the soil mulched to keep in moisture and giving each plant a good hill and space around- 5 foot across likely. I am not growing a huge garden this year, I want to make sure I have time to focus on these if they do grow. If they could in fact create more of themselves that would be so wonderful, the two that we saved last year were fully ripe and burned the mouth they were so hot. We had others that were not as hot from the same plant but those two were tasty as all get out! Thank you so much everyone!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

mitanoff
14 years ago
And a 'Happy April Fool's Day' to you too!
digdirt2
14 years ago
See FAQ linked below.

Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ - How to grow tomatoes from seed
Related Discussions
Too Late To Start Tomato & Pepper Seeds
Q
Comments (9)
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.
...See More
How do you properly seed a rockwool cube?
Q
Comments (5)
This is my first hydro crop, and is a learning experience. I've already done plenty wrong. I dropped approx 5 seeds in each 1" rockwool cubes, then put them in a tray of water. I didn't realize I should have soaked the rockwool before planting. The seeds sprouted in about 3 days, and just like hinzy said, they seem leggy and thin. Planted them in 3" baskets with hydroton around them. I put 6 of them in the ebb and flood system right away, and held 6 back to grow a bit more. The 6 I held back I PULLED the extra seedlings out this afternoon. I will have to go out to the hydro garden tomorrow and snip the extras from the other 6. Thanks for all your suggestions.
...See More
Time to start sowing tomato seeds?
Q
Comments (15)
I'm starting my tomatoes, here in Irving, today after I get up (1 AM and about to go to bed here), as well as my peppers, cukes, and a few other things. My brassica and salad beds are still going from last fall, so it doesn't look like I'll need to replant anything there. I've been wanting to try winter sowing flowers this year since I don't have room to start those indoors too, but it's been so warm, I'm scared they'll start growing already. =( I should probably just ask this in the winter sowing forum, but am I just being a Nervous Nelly about it? Will the fact that it still gets pretty cool at night keep them from germinating? ...it's seriously supposed to be in the 70's all the latter half of next week, only dropping into the 50's at night. I'm starting to wonder if we're going to have any sort of winter at all at this rate. I hope it's not an ominous sign of what we're gonna get this summer. =(
...See More
How do I start tomatoes from seed?
Q
Comments (0)
Planting seed: The right time to plant tomato seed is 10 to 12 weeks prior to your average last frost date. Tomato seedlings are susceptible to damping off, so a warm area, soiless mixes amended with a small amount of bone meal and a fresh new florescent light bulb set close to the tops of plants is in order. By close I mean no more than six inches from the growing tip of the plant. The debate of 16 hours of light vs. 24 constant light per day may never be satisfactorily won by one side or the other. However cold soil leads to damping off, so when the lights are off the seedlings still need to be warm (75 to 85F). At home that may be on top of your refrigerator, at night. Plan on potting up at least once from what ever you use to start seedlings in. In fact twice (i.e. from a six pack to a 4" pot, to a 6" pot) every time the roots start to wind around in their pot. Never ever use a loess soil based "potting soil" to start tomatoes, the soil particle size is too small to permit good gas exchange in the roots. Use a soiless mix or homemade equivalents, made of 2 part peat moss, 2 part finished compost, and 1 part vermiculite or pearlite, and a dash of bone meal. Pure peat--peat pots work for some people I find them more than averagely susceptible to damping-off problems. Mixes containing milled sphagnum have a natural antifungal effect, resulting in less damping-off. Planting plants: Hardening seedlings is an art. The short of this subsection is to gradually let your plants become accustomed to full sunlight and wind, find a very protected area and start on days above 60F with wind protection. Expect it to take 10 to 14 days of hardening off. From 2 weeks before your last average frost date and two weeks after you will want to plant to field. If you must strive for the first ripe tomatoes on your block and you do not have a very protected microclimate in your garden you must look to things like wall'o'water towers or some kind of temporary cold frame to erect around your seedlings. If terms like 'micro-climate' are greek to you, plan for a later planting date rather than an earlier one. You should be planting in a well drained bed that has been prepared in advance of planting. Wet cold gooey soil means that not much growing is going to happen. Corn and tomatoes both like soil that is warmed to 60F. Trellis: These are particularly helpfull for indeterminate plants which can weight in excess of 100 pounds each. I recommend the stoutest and tallest trellis you can afford to build.
...See More
suddensam
14 years ago
The wind blew and the S#%& flew.
anne_mackey
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you digdirt, I appreciate your help, I am assuming the rude responses means that they likely won't grow true? Anyways, the one thing that article (I did read it prior to posting) completely left out was whether I have to put more than one seed in each peat pot or if I can just put one in each. I have so few seeds that I am quite reluctant to kill off 1-2 out of every three just to get the strongest seedlings kwim? I am using a tray so they will be close together, that is all that is needed for proper germination right? Thank you again, I really appreciate the help. I am really hoping that we at least get some though from the other responses I am rather saddened with the idea that it might not happen. Oh well, it will be fun either way and we love tomatoes around here.
digdirt2
14 years ago
Since you are using the pellets I'd sacrifice them rather than seed - use more of them and only one seed to each.

Remember that if using the peat pellets and peat pots you need to strip off the netting before transplanting and strip off the pot before planting.

Dave
anne_mackey
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you digdirt/dave for your help, I greatly appreciate it. Will let you all know if they actually grow! I am obviously a novice :) and so I am not even sure I properly saved them last year. Heres to hoping! Have a great day, enjoy all the beautiful weather to come!
cirtes
14 years ago
Hi Anne, i think some of the posters assumed your spicy tomato statement was an April Fools joke. If not, producing a tomato that has spice to it would have many fans.

I personally would plant all 25 seeds in individual pots and then plant all viable seedlings. If any of the fruit is spicy, you have a winner. If none are spicy, well it was a fluke or perhaps using the same knife for slicing tomatos after slicing hot peppers.

Either way it goes, best of luck.
anne_mackey
Original Author
14 years ago
Oh, I see. What actually happened is we had a whole bunch of tomato plants pop up in the yard of a house we bought as a foreclosure. Just all over like someone threw seeds all over, I assume the birds or something were the actual "planters" but who knows? So I just transplanted some of them since the neighbors dog had dug in our garden and destroyed all the ones we had planted previously. One of the plants produced two tomatoes that I brought in and set on the table. I have a then 4 year old, 2.5 and 1.5, they went to sneak tomatoes like they tend to do and began screaming hysterically, I assumed a chemical had been sprayed on them so I tasted it (the one they bit into) and it was spicy inside not outside. When my husband got home he tasted both tomatoes agreed they were very spicy- like peppers and we didn't have any peppers inside, they hadn't produced yet and that is why we saved the seeds, also is why there were not many, dh accidentally ate some. The plant was destroyed soon after that by the neighbors dogs because they couldn't seem to keep them on their property and they could easily climb the 6 ft fence(large black labs). Thats okay though, I am putting up an 8 ft privacy fence this time :)
I am sorry you all thought it was a joke, there is already a green tomato that is spicy though from what I was told by a neighbor though I have no idea on what its name is. These are red though and had a hint of an orange streaky cast to them.
bau the man (uk, bristol,zone 7a)
7 years ago
I would have rooted a sucker from the spicy plant, and kept it alive through winter, then I would cross pollinate the clone with a plant that came from the 25 seeds, then save the seeds again hopefully with a bigger chance of spiciness!.

Spicy tomato seeds- how to start them properly

Comments (9)

mitanoff

digdirt2

Related Discussions

suddensam

anne_mackey
Original Author

digdirt2

anne_mackey
Original Author

cirtes

anne_mackey
Original Author

bau the man (uk, bristol,zone 7a)

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Spicy tomato seeds- how to start them properly

Comments (9)

mitanoff

digdirt2

Related Discussions

suddensam

anne_mackeyOriginal Author

digdirt2

anne_mackeyOriginal Author

cirtes

anne_mackeyOriginal Author

bau the man (uk, bristol,zone 7a)

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

anne_mackey
Original Author

anne_mackey
Original Author

anne_mackey
Original Author