140 tomato plants and counting....:D

[Cindiloohoo]

I started 140 Beefsteaks inside today!!!

I hope I have better luck this year with them than I did last year!! I'm going for about 25 Cherry tomatoes and 50-75 Roma tomatoes too but haven't gotten them started yet. I plan on selling a few to neighbors who usually buy started plants. That is, if they don't get too leggy. Anybody have any pointers on raising from seed rather than buying started plants? I want to have LOTSA TOMATOES!!! I want to can a lot this year instead of buying that store bought junk all year. I'm tired of reading labels for DD who is intolerant to MSG and I don't plan on having any MSG in my dirt so..I want to grow enough for us and we eat tomatoes in some form or other EVERY DAY. I want to make spaghetti sauce, chilli sauce, salsa, ketchup, paste, juice, and barbecue sauce from them. Yummmmmmmmm!

Anyway, tips would be appreciated

Who else is going tomato crazy this year?

 

[ChickyLaura]

Ha ha, you made me remember my first garden! My dad bought tomato plants at a plant auction. We must've planted at least 60 tomato plants - all cherry tomatoes, and I didn't cage any of them. What a mess, but what a fun memory!

I think it's a great idea for you to plant all of those tomatoes so you can avoid the MSG issue! Cool! Now you make me want to go through the Burpee catalog we just got yesterday!!!

 

[fasbendera]

You need to keep the light as close to the plants as possible once they sprout. Transplant them when they have their first true set of leaves. If you have a room that is cooler than the rest put them in there since cooler temps will keep their growth down, run them a little dry and weak on the fertilizer. Also either put a fan on them or pet them daily to strenghen their stem. I have worked in a greenhouse (commercial) for 10 years and grew the tomatoes and I was trained by the grower who had 20+ years experience. Good luck! When you transplant them don't be afraid to transplant them deep - leave just a little bit of stem and the leaves above the dirt.

 

[call ducks]

not me ...

i only have 30 or so yellow pear tomatos started , in feb. i am not a grden addict at all

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
Well aren't you just a plethora of info!!! That is AWESOME!! WOOHOO! I may be able to get some maters out of this bunch now..lol! Thank you so much for sharing that!! I have never had much luck with them so I started a bunch to make up for my "brown thumb" as DH has so sweetly referred to my level of expertise

I'll show him this year

 

[fasbendera]

I'm a tomatoe nut myself. I planted 50 last year in my garden, I won't bore you with the number at the greenhouse, and I can two types of sauce, a tomatoe cabbage soup and plain tomatoes among other things that aren't tomatoe based. Good luck.

 

[BigSkyChickens]

I'm so excited - I got my first Marvel Stripe sprout today!

I am also going tomato-crazy this year:

I started 100 seedlings last weekend: Amish Paste, Black Cherry, Cherokee Purple, Marvel stripe and some random heirloom seeds saved from the local market. I want LOTS of tomatoes this year!

I've got a seedling heat mat coming in the mail - It goes under the tray to provide bottom heat which will help w/ germination.

Before you transplant them, put them outside during the day (in a wind protected location) for a few days to "harden them off" and get them ready to be outdoors.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[dntd]

My tomatoe sprouts have came up already, doing herbs in the heated mini green house. Spring please come soon

 

[pringle]

Thats a lot of tomatoes,I just started 15 cherries tomatoe plants and 20 cherokee purple tomatoes(sp?)there under a heating mat right now until they sprout then im gonna put them under a plant light,im also going to start a few dozen broccoli plants..

 

[joedie]

Wow, that will keep you busy! Last year I planted 25 heirloom tomato plants and EVERY day was making 1-2 batches of spaghetti sauce!.