Dwarfs go snowbirding to Mexico!

ddsack · December 10, 2006

We left the cold of the Minnesota to spend December and January in Mexico this year, for our first longer term stay in a small town about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta.

I brought along 5 varieties of dwarf types and will be having fun watching them grow here in the heat and humidity. I started them in moist paper towls on a Sunday afternoon, and they had all sent out rootlets by Wednesday, when I stuck the seeds in regular soil -- dug it out of an unused pot on the premises, so who knows what's in it, but they are thriving. Sophies Choice came up first, and is the liveliest. New Big Dwarf is the slowest.

They are on this rooftop area, at least for now.

Closeup of the seedlings, this was taken a couple of days ago, and they are much sturdier already.

The varieties I brought along are New Big Dwarf:

Stupice:

Stick:

Sophie's Choice:

Silvery Fir Tree - notes that the first leaf already has the subdivision tendency:

I plan to photograph them on the same day each week to track progress while we are here. Too bad I probably won't be around to eat any tomatoes, will have to leave them to the care of the other guests in our little apartment complex. But this is a nice treat to be able to grow something from seeds during our time here.

Dee

dcarch · December 10, 2006

I wish I could afford to go to mexico just to start seedlings!

Are you bring them back when you retrun?

dcarch

ddsack · December 11, 2006

Ha! No, they will stay here with whoever will take care of them. Doubt I could get them across the border legally, even if we weren't flying.

Not many people here are interested in growing tomatoes, guess they are just so cheap in the markets, although they are mostly just hard Roma types. I did see a bigger slicer in one stall that I have not tried yet.

Most of the seedlings now are starting their first true set of leaves at 9 days after putting the semi-sprouted seeds in dirt.

ddsack · December 18, 2006

The pics were taken on the 14th day after the seeds were first put into moist paper towels to sprout. I am most impressed with the fast germination and growth to second leaf stage. Back home in Minnesota, I occasionally have some seeds that have not even *sprouted* by the 14th day. Day temps have been in the mid-80's and fall at night to around 65 or even a little lower. This was taken before I separated and transplanted into individual pots.

Next are a bunch of pics after transplant.

How i wish I could take these plants home with me in a few weeks when I return home.

Grub · December 24, 2006

Maybe there's a way?

travis · December 24, 2006

DSack,

I don't know what the international rules are ... but my dad flew from Louisville to Reagan National with a shopping bag stuffed with eight seedlings last spring. He did it as one of his carry-ons and there were no problems with TSA or the airlines.

PV

Lilypon · December 24, 2006

Here's a link that might help:
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/cl..._prod_inus.xml

APHIS-PPQ Permit Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, can provide information about import requirements and permits for plants, plant parts, fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural items. Call the unit at 301-734-8645, or visit the Web at Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ( APHIS ) .

You can also write:
USDA, APHIS
Plant Protection and Quarantine
4700 River Road, Unit 136
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, Attention: Permit Unit

.

Grub · December 24, 2006

I have been thinking... padded bra.

ddsack · December 25, 2006

I don't know Grub, five hours of dirt next to the skin might get a little itchy! Besides, in five more weeks I don't think even one will fit!

The rooftop area is being fixed up as a nice communal sitting area, so I think the other tenants who stay until April will keep watering them. Hope to transplant them into permanent pots by next weekend.

Tooks pics this morning for the 3 week from seeding comparison but have not had time to mess with them. Growth is not as dramatic as from weeks one to two. It got "very" cold last night, people were looking for jeans and sweatshirts -- must have been down below 60.
:wink:

ddsack · December 27, 2006

Here are the pics from last Sunday which are 21 days from seed:

And the individual pots:

The soil they are growing in came from a local nursery and is what everyone grows their potted plants in. I wish it had a little less clay in it, but ya use what ya got! I'm going to see if I can find some kind of fertilizer, think I've seen some granule type to work into the soil. I bought some yellow plastic pots to transplant into -- couldn't find any white ones. Any darker color will get too hot on the rooftop. They do get a little late afternoon shade from the palm trees.

Dee

ddsack · January 13, 2007

Update for week five from seeding in dirt. Last pics of seedlings just before transplanting into larger pots.

They were transplanted into their permanent pots. I found the cheapest light colored pots and dishpan saucers at the local Thursday street market. They have a 10 peso booth that is just like a dollar store in the U.S. I borrowed a larger pot for the NBD and found a piece of rebar that I bent into a support frame.

Here’s what their roof top environment looks like.

They get full morning sun and then filtered shade from the palm trees after 1PM. The soil they are in came from two different sources, one has more organic matter, the other is more clay. It certainly wasn’t sterile, because both bags were full or rocks and root pieces. Just four days after transplanting, all the seedlings have visibly strengthened and thickened up stems and leaves. Most also have flower buds and SFT has a blossom opening.Now to sit back and watch them grow.

I’ve been too slow in finally posting these, -- time for new pics tomorrow, and the plants all look great and have flowers.

December 10, 2006	#1
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,220	Dwarfs go snowbirding to Mexico! We left the cold of the Minnesota to spend December and January in Mexico this year, for our first longer term stay in a small town about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. I brought along 5 varieties of dwarf types and will be having fun watching them grow here in the heat and humidity. I started them in moist paper towls on a Sunday afternoon, and they had all sent out rootlets by Wednesday, when I stuck the seeds in regular soil -- dug it out of an unused pot on the premises, so who knows what's in it, but they are thriving. Sophies Choice came up first, and is the liveliest. New Big Dwarf is the slowest. They are on this rooftop area, at least for now. Closeup of the seedlings, this was taken a couple of days ago, and they are much sturdier already. The varieties I brought along are New Big Dwarf: Stupice: Stick: Sophie's Choice: Silvery Fir Tree - notes that the first leaf already has the subdivision tendency: I plan to photograph them on the same day each week to track progress while we are here. Too bad I probably won't be around to eat any tomatoes, will have to leave them to the care of the other guests in our little apartment complex. But this is a nice treat to be able to grow something from seeds during our time here. Dee

December 10, 2006	#2
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	I wish I could afford to go to mexico just to start seedlings! Are you bring them back when you retrun? dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

December 18, 2006	#4
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,220	Update on dwarfs in Mexico The pics were taken on the 14th day after the seeds were first put into moist paper towels to sprout. I am most impressed with the fast germination and growth to second leaf stage. Back home in Minnesota, I occasionally have some seeds that have not even sprouted by the 14th day. Day temps have been in the mid-80's and fall at night to around 65 or even a little lower. This was taken before I separated and transplanted into individual pots. Next are a bunch of pics after transplant. How i wish I could take these plants home with me in a few weeks when I return home.

December 27, 2006	#10
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,220	Three weeks from seed now done! Here are the pics from last Sunday which are 21 days from seed: And the individual pots: The soil they are growing in came from a local nursery and is what everyone grows their potted plants in. I wish it had a little less clay in it, but ya use what ya got! I'm going to see if I can find some kind of fertilizer, think I've seen some granule type to work into the soil. I bought some yellow plastic pots to transplant into -- couldn't find any white ones. Any darker color will get too hot on the rooftop. They do get a little late afternoon shade from the palm trees. Dee

December 11, 2006	#3
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,220	Ha! No, they will stay here with whoever will take care of them. Doubt I could get them across the border legally, even if we weren't flying. Not many people here are interested in growing tomatoes, guess they are just so cheap in the markets, although they are mostly just hard Roma types. I did see a bigger slicer in one stall that I have not tried yet. Most of the seedlings now are starting their first true set of leaves at 9 days after putting the semi-sprouted seeds in dirt.

December 24, 2006	#5
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Maybe there's a way?

December 24, 2006	#6
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	DSack, I don't know what the international rules are ... but my dad flew from Louisville to Reagan National with a shopping bag stuffed with eight seedlings last spring. He did it as one of his carry-ons and there were no problems with TSA or the airlines. PV

December 24, 2006	#7
Lilypon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 303	Here's a link that might help: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/cl..._prod_inus.xml APHIS-PPQ Permit Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, can provide information about import requirements and permits for plants, plant parts, fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural items. Call the unit at 301-734-8645, or visit the Web at Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ( APHIS ) . You can also write: USDA, APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine 4700 River Road, Unit 136 Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, Attention: Permit Unit .

December 25, 2006	#9
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,220	I don't know Grub, five hours of dirt next to the skin might get a little itchy! Besides, in five more weeks I don't think even one will fit! The rooftop area is being fixed up as a nice communal sitting area, so I think the other tenants who stay until April will keep watering them. Hope to transplant them into permanent pots by next weekend. Tooks pics this morning for the 3 week from seeding comparison but have not had time to mess with them. Growth is not as dramatic as from weeks one to two. It got "very" cold last night, people were looking for jeans and sweatshirts -- must have been down below 60. :wink:

January 13, 2007	#11
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,220	Update for week five from seeding in dirt. Last pics of seedlings just before transplanting into larger pots. They were transplanted into their permanent pots. I found the cheapest light colored pots and dishpan saucers at the local Thursday street market. They have a 10 peso booth that is just like a dollar store in the U.S. I borrowed a larger pot for the NBD and found a piece of rebar that I bent into a support frame. Here’s what their roof top environment looks like. They get full morning sun and then filtered shade from the palm trees after 1PM. The soil they are in came from two different sources, one has more organic matter, the other is more clay. It certainly wasn’t sterile, because both bags were full or rocks and root pieces. Just four days after transplanting, all the seedlings have visibly strengthened and thickened up stems and leaves. Most also have flower buds and SFT has a blossom opening.Now to sit back and watch them grow. I’ve been too slow in finally posting these, -- time for new pics tomorrow, and the plants all look great and have flowers.