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Old September 20, 2017   #42
beefyboy
Tomatovillian™
 
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Pt. Charlotte fl
Posts: 329
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I am jumping in on this party a little late but have experience blowing up tomatoes with just a simple procedure. I know we all have different methods but we can all agree is starts with proper soil but just as important, you have to have the right lights. I used to use T12 lights a decade ago and it took 7-8 weeks to get a tomato plant ready to set out. I now use a Hydrofarm with T5 bulbs. I started my seed on the 26 and 27th of Aug in Jiffy commercial size 50 mm x 95 mm seed starters. I buy them on amazon or e- bay. they blow up to 2 inches x 3 3/4 inches tall and as many know, it has a netting to keep the starter in one piece. It is now the 19th of Sept. and I have already set out one plant on Sunday which was the 16th. I went from setting seed in there Jiffy cells and putting on a heating pad to transplanting in the earth box in less than 3 weeks. 6 more are ready to set out now and still in 3 weeks time from setting seed. All will be transplanted in their spots within 4 weeks of seed set. Total cost is 30 cents per plant plus electric for lighting.
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