Feb, 2008...planting time for many!

[TomatoDon]

Moving right along into planting time. It's already February 1, and many of you have already started seeds. I will be starting some this week-end, and am hoping to grow at least one plant from seed that I can get a tomato from in May. Everything is ready to go for seed starting, and I'm close enough to "plant out" date to start a few early ones.

What February dates do some of you have for starting seeds? I know the Texas and Florida people have seedlings up already, and maybe even some blooms. I have a good sunny location in my "sun" room (ie, storage area!), and hope I will have enough sun to get small tomatoes inside before the plant out in late April.

What are your seed starting dates? And plant out dates? I will be starting a few seeds today, Feb 1, and will plant out after April 17, with a good 10 day forecast that has no cold weather predicted.

Don

[Big_Red]

Hi Don,

I usually start my tomato seeds around the end of February (if I can wait that long!!!). I plant them out around the end of April, weather permitting.

I start my peppers mid-February and set them out in mid-May.

Chomping at the bit here, first sign of spring!

Red

[dice]

I read 6-8 weeks is ideal size for transplants,
and realistic plant-out date here is around the
end of the first of week of May. So I usually
get seeds wet about the middle of February,
figure that they will be up by March 1, and
I try to cheat a week and plant May 1st, weather
permitting. (Last year I had a big collection of
empty plastic milk jugs for little greenhouses
for the first week. They are kind of a hassle to keep
track of all winter, but they work for frost protection
on fresh transplants, as long as the seedlings are not
too tall).

[RonnyWil]

I just filled my trays with seeding mix and have my seeds soaking to plant tomorrow. Started 18 varieties of tomatoes and 6 varieties of peppers.

I'm outside of Memphis and hope to have mine in the ground the second week of April.

[TomatoDon]

Collierville! I was at Dan West's and Stringer's Wednesday!

Don

[jwr6404]

I will start my seeds the last week of February. Would like a good early variety but have yet to find one I like. Any suggestions an early 4-8 ounce variety for the PNW?

[dice]

Any suggestions an early 4-8 ounce variety for the PNW?

Aurora and Fireworks II worked well for me last year. Aurora
was as early as advertised, first fruit about the same time
as Stupice, fruit 2-3 times the size. Fireworks II was a week
or two later, depending upon sun exposure (different plants
in different amounts of direct sun exposure per day), biggest
fruits were bigger than Aurora.

These also might be possibilities, based on reports
from other people:

http://t-garden.homeip.net/mwiki/index.php/Redskin
http://t-garden.homeip.net/mwiki/ind...ear_Pink_Early
http://t-garden.homeip.net/mwiki/index.php/Urbikany

Sandhill has Redskin in their 2008 catalog. I don't know
where you might find the other two. Tania may or may
not have enough seeds of any of those to sell.
(It's not like she has pounds of seed around for the cultivars
that she maintains, even though she offers seed for sale. You
just have to email her and ask if you see something there that
sounds interesting.)

I have seeds for Aurora and Fireworks II, PM me your
address if you want some.

[jenn_sc]

I'm starting my seeds today, Feb. 4, and hope to start planting out the first week in April. I'm so excited to be starting seeds! I've got spring fever big time

Last year we got a killer freeze in April, but that's rare. I'm planning on growing out between 2 to 4 each of the varieties I've chosen, so I can hold back one or two of each at the start...just in case. I like getting a few in early to try and get some fruitset before the worst of the heat and humidity is upon us.

This year final list, in no particular order:

Stupice
Polish
Neves Azorean Red
Renaldo
Ernesto
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Regina's Yellow
Opalka
Brandywine (Sudduth)
Black Cherry
Sara's Galapagos
Matt's Wild Cherry
Kellogg's Breakfast
Tennessee Heirloom
Peach/Rouge D'Irak

Who else is starting this week?

Jennifer