Safyre--sometimes it is better to start a new thread rather than adding onto an old one. As for your question, it really would help to know what plants you're talking about. (As to the OP where how many seeds really depend on the plant). Are you talking transplanting into pots indoors, or into a garden. Since Houzz got rid of zone info, where are you at? I'm in Denver, so starting seeds now would mean I can't transplant out until April/May at the general earliest (my veg garden is just in plans right now for seed starting soon). But I have lots of pots indoors for the winter. All are different--I have some newly sprouted chives that I seeded directly into their pots. But I won't start my basil for another month or so, because it shouldn't go out until end of May due to our night temps here.

Also, do you think that a single 18-gallon tub would be large enough for both tomato plants? Maybe, possibly - although it is not something I would do here, especially with the two varieties you are growing. They can get quite large as spiced ham pointed out. A self-watering container might increase the odds of a good result, as I think several who use Earthboxes or EB type containers sometimes put two. In any case, if I were to try putting two plants in one self-watering container (here in my inferno), it wouldn't be those two. It would probably be two compact indets or semi-dets (or dets or dwarves), or one large indet and then another var that is more on the compact side. If it's just going to be a tote where you are top watering with a hose and occasionally adding fertilizer, might be tough to keep up with providing enough of what the two plants need and *when* they need it in that size of container. Btw, there is a thread or two here about building your own self watering containers out of plastic totes - do a search on "earthtainer" and/or "raybo". There are also Josh's instructions for making them, see link at the end. Can't recall if Josh covers the need for a fertilizer strip and dolomite lime in his instructions, think Ray might. Also, what state or growing zone are you in? In a warmer or long season climate, the plants will likely get much larger than if, say, you live in Vermont or Canada. Plus, their water needs will be higher in a hot or warm climate. Oh, and I would personally start 8-10 seeds, 4-5 of each - then pick the 2-3 best looking of each var to pot up from your sowing. That way, you have a backup or two in case something happens to the plants. Here is a link that might be useful: self watering container instructions (josho)

mmqchdygg,most of the seed swaps I have been part of have been great.I know the one remy did was awesome and I felt bad because she had to put so much into it,but if not for her,(and the other good host that donated their time to host)so many of us would not be growing what we are today.The one rr I did was the red group and by the time it got to me,I felt disappointed,but it was by no means any reflection on you or any other hostess.I just felt some frustration when you wait and wait and by the time it gets to you,all thats left is where someone dumped tons of okra,sunflowers and mg and I don't grow any of those.It is a risk.I was just in a swap and it is probably one of the worse ones yet.I did not send vege seeds and specifically asked to please not be sent veges,and guess what I got back,,lol yep,veges and stuff I will never use like wheat and quack grass..lol.It is all a risk.In time,I think we know who does the good swaps and who to not participate with.I even sometimes get my own seeds back. Hey lime,don't knock old seeds.I will take any you don't want.I got some of yours last yr.,sowed them this yr. and my seedings from those are doing just as good as commercial seeds. Maybe there can be swaps for just the ordinary stuff that is passed,and I do think Lime has hit on marking the pkts with markers,and some for seeds that some of us has bought new plants,grown and harvested.I don't have a clue how one would keep the traders from dumping in old seeds or stuff we all have though.I for one enjoyed just about every swap I was in and hope they are repeated and then there is a few,I wouldn't sign up for ever again.I have started a list of the great ones and the ones to stay out of.I just hope you and remy and netta and drippy do host again.(and a few others)I learned a great deal from your swaps last yr. and they were so much fun.I guess I am saying the ones like you all did were the best and I know the others that played thought so too.I am glad you started this thread.I too havehad grips and been disappointed but there has been so much good that by far out weighs what was not good.I do think it is very unthoughtful for someone to put in thank you gifts and expect all the others to keep paying to postage to forward it.The gift should be sent directly to the host. moonphase

What hasn't been mentioned here is that those of you who buy seeds or receive them in a trade usually have no idea of what the seed age is, and all things being equal as to how you sow your seeds in what artificial mix, when and how you transplant them after they have 1-2 true leaves, what you transplant them to, how you grow them on, any amendment used, etc. there WILL be differences in germination percentages, count on it, based on seed age alone. One example. I used to make seed offers here at GW and offered several hundred varieties at a time. And I asked for feedback on germination percentages. These were my own saved seeds so I knew exactly what year the seed was produced. Well I remember that I made a seed offer here in late Fall of 2004 and I was offering seeds with ages from 1995 and up, having offered seeds from 1991 to 1994 in a previous seed offer. Let's say variety X was offered, seed fresh from the summer of 2004 and germinated the very next Spring. For a single variety I got back reports where folks got from 100% germination down to zero, that's right, zero germination, with most being in the 80-90% range. Which says that if 10 folks sow seeds of the same variety from the same supplier with the same packed for date, or even known seed age, there could be a HUGE range of results. And the packed for date only tells you when the seeds were packed, not when they were produced. The only place I know of where ALL tomato seeds sold are less than 2 yo is Sandhill Preservation. Seeds being sold by commercial places will have different seed ages for different varieties as they rotate out and replace seed as needed and some but not all places do germination tests before they sell the seeds. So I agree with the others who have posted about the fact that there's no way to know how many seeds will germinate or how many will grow into great plants in the garden and bear well. But when it comes to seed starting I tend to agree with Randy that you should oversow. He says 4 seeds to get one good seedling, and I agree. I usually sow 5 seeds for each variety to get two good plants to the garden. There are just so many variables that enter into all of this that it makes no sense to me to skimp on how many seeds/variety one sows. Is oversowing, as some define it, wasteful? I dunno, I don't 'think so as all of us sit in front of our not cheap computers with added software, etc, and spend on this and that,etc., but do have priorities when it comes to how we spend our money. I don't buy tomato seed b'c it comes to me, and I won't trade tomato seed either, except for certain situations, but I know, knowing me, that oversowing a few seeds for anything I don't consider to be wasteful and that's because gardening is my life and my love. And if it's considered wasteful to use more seeds than some think necessary then save your own seeds. Go to the top of this first page, click on the FAQ link and scroll down to the excellent article on how to prevent Cross pollination. Whether it's a waste of money to try and ensure that you have enough good transplants to set out that you hope the critters and diseases and all else don't get them is, I think, a decision that each person has to make depending on what their goals and expectations are for growing tomatoes. Carolyn, who gulps at the prices of some seeds these days but she wants her Savor F1 melons and will pay the price. She does think that some sources for tomato seed have prices she would never ever pay, as in too expensive, and here I speak of OP, not F1 hybrid varieties, but again,it really is a personal choice what one pays for seeds/plants of anything. And a personal choice as to how many seeds of anything are to be planted. With experience some of these questions are answered, so it pays to get older and wiser re gardening in terms of experience. Yes, I'm on the downside of the life cycle, but still hanging in there.LOL