starting seeds indoors

[dedavis]

OK, I'm getting ready to do it. I'm gonna send for a grow light, seed starting tray, and seedling heat mat. All because I want to grow "Garden Peach" tomatoes--a delicious mild yellow fruit with a pink bloom and faint fuzz. I can never find plants. While I'm at it, I'll start other tomatoes, peppers and basil.

Anybody have any thoughts, tips, tricks? Especially gardeners in short-growing season zones?

Thanks,
Deb

[Lucille1963]

I'm interested too. Help Please! :)

[rubyslippers]

I have planted tomatoes in my actual yard for years ... I ended up babbling about this in my moonflower post ... but I am going to have to put the tomatoes in containers this year ... I know I will do the sweet little cherry tomatoes ... but these sound fun (and exotic). I'm impressed you are starting basil as well. Wow! I have some catching up to do. Good luck with all of the "grow-lights"!

[Memmey]

My x-mother-in-law always started her plants indoors under lights and I remember she had a tray with gravel in it and just a little water and then the tray. I guess to create a moist enviroment? The she took the babies and moved them up into a larger pot and then outside. That's what I observed not what I participated in..LOLLOL:rolleyes: I can say from experience that root stimulator works wonderful. Good luck...:) :) :)

[RoseMary]

Have any of you tried using the grow lights to raise the little cherry tomatoes indoors during the winter? I'd love to be able to do that. I've started some cinnamon basil and lemon basil in some pots that will hopefully grow enough so I can get an early start with them outside. Supposedly I can plant seeds outside in another 2 weeks, but it seems whenever I do that we end up having a late freeze!

[dedavis]

My experience with basil is that it shouldn't go outside until the nights are above 50 degrees. If it goes out too soon, it struggles.

I've never had any luck keeping garden plants through the winter, except for a scented geranium. I've heard of people having peppers at Christmas, but I'm not sure what they do. I've tried basil in the house, but it always turns up its toes by Thanksgiving.

If you want to drool over tomato possibilities, check out the Seeds of Change website. They have all kinds of seeds, and seedling collections. Also have a look at Gardener's Supply Company. They have many self-watering containers and tomato apparatus. I always put those polymer crystals in the potting soil to hold and release water in the containers.

Have fun!
Deb

[RoseMary]

I would really love to grow tomatoes in the winter, (I start craving them by January every year!) but since we use wood heat, I am afraid that it would be too dry in here for them, even if I keep them watered well. Still, I may try it next year.

Thanks for the website suggestions--I'll take a look at them.

[kate]

Good Morning! I'm Kate, the Garden Editor here at Cottage Living and I have to get into the mix here.

1. Tomatoes Indoors. Follow this link to this website for info on growing tomatoes indoors during winter. We successfully grew Tiny Tom and Patio here and while they didn't have that sun-drenched summer flavor they did beat the stuffing out of the store bought options. Worth the work? Maybe.

http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/VegFruit/tomatind.htm

2. Short Season Tomatoes. I used to own a company called Tomatomania based in Southern California and we did big business in cool-season tomatoes for the coastal communities. The smaller the fruit the better it will do overall, but the black Russian varieties were champion producers as were any of the Oregon varieties (need no pollinator...). Go to www.tomatomania.com for lots of suggested varieties.

3. Seed starting tips. A few tricks of the trade (I was also a commercial grower with a small nursery that sold perennials, herbs and vegs)

---to avoid damping off, mix up a weak batch of chamomile tea (one bag to a quart or so of water), let cool to room temp and spray on emerging seedlings. Also, keep a fan running on low near your baby seedlings as keeping the air moving helps prevent air-borne fungi from settling in plants.

---mix tiny seeds with Knox gelatin before spreading on soil-less mix. Helps separate seeds and feeds the soil.

---gently brush seedlings with your hand (after they have their second set of true leaves but before setting out) to encourage growth. Sounds weird but it works.

---keeps records especially noting from what vendor the seed came. You'll be glad next year.

---as for equipment, I use a cheapie heating mat from the drugstore for my seedlings (set on low) and a $10.00 shop light from Home Depot with one warm and one cool bulb. Or, you could buy the good stuff...

Enjoy!

[RoseMary]

Thanks so much for all the advice, Kate. How weird, and neat, about brushing the seedlings with your hand! I'll give it a try:D .

[Chyna]

Thanks Kate. My dh wants to start some tomatos indoors this year and I frankly am terrified of starting them from seed. Odd since I'll do anything else but them.

Feel free to jump in more often. We can use all the help we can get. :p