Tomato seedlings, how are yours doing?

[pepper4]

Saw pics. of Alex's tomato plants. I wish I had a way send send pics of mine because I'm not sure if they're on track with growth or maybe I'm just being impatient. I planted beefsteak and sweet 100 hybrid from seed The first part of February. They look healthy. Nice and green with 4-5 leaves. I am just concerned because they are only about 4 inches tall. Is that about right after 8 weeks or so? They get plenty of heat and light. I have read alot of posts. Some talk about eggshells, coffee grounds, miracle grow to name a few. Is there something else I should be doing or adding to the soil to boost growth or am I just being paranoid? Bambi

[hendi_alex]

Here we are in early April. Another three weeks until planting time. Frost coming for two days early next week and I'll be out of the country. What to do? What to do? Have white flies in the greenhouse, so am hesitant for the plants to go in there, but have little alternative. Can't keep them inside the house for a week.

Anyway here are some of my plants grown from seed, show in the first series of photos in this thread. They seem to be making very good progress.

Oldest batch, started in December. One blew off the porch this week and lost the top few inches of the main stem. Have 4 this size.


[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/3409879748_7a6a7e25e8.jpg[/img]

This batch was started in February. A little wilted from the wind, just watered them.


[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3629/3409071695_76e31a0be4.jpg[/img]

This batch started in mid February. Recently moved into one gallon pots. Size will jump over the next couple of weeks.

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3308/3409069681_f576de309c.jpg[/img]

One of the plants from the first photo has a couple of clusters of fruit. Will be ripe before the end of April, which is pretty good for here in zone 8.

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3409885152_766a53d1e6.jpg[/img]

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/3409884634_f66784ed6f.jpg[/img]

[hendi_alex]

Bambi, I wouldn't be concerned as long as the plants look thick and have a healthy green color. We have mostly had very warm days and my plants have been outside during the day time for most days since mid February. When the soil gets warm and you put the plants in the garden, they will jump. As said earlier, make sure you get the plants outside as soon as possible and make sure that they are hardened properly to avoid sun scald and wind burn.

[The Helpful Gardener]

I'm a fan of some of those Eastern European varieties too, Dude; did Black Krim last year and loved what little we got (BAD weather for tomatoes here last year). I have heard good things about Stupice (which is Czech, I think, but I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong...)

HG

[hendi_alex]

Posted this somewhere else, but this year is a year for experimenting with a few new heirlooms. Cherokee Chocolate is one of my choices. Next year will be sure to include both Black Krim and Carbon both of which appear repeatedly on superlatives lists.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Darker means more lycopene which means better for you (Lycopene is a super antioxidant) AND more tomato flavor. I do 'Cherokee Purple' and like that one too... fun to mix colors because if you are doing a plate of slices it just looks great... 'Yellow Pear' was kind of smallish on fruit, but tasty, a little tarter, and ' Striped German' was pretty last year, but not so abundant (we had a BAD year, cool rainy summer)

HG

[petalfuzz]

I just started my seeds yesterday! That is one week earlier than last year. We've had a bit of a cold snap, so they're hanging out in the laundry room until the garage warms back up--or until they start sprouting!

[BrianSkilton]

Right now I have a jungle of tomato plants, that are looking very good, and growing fast. I have Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Red Beef Steak, Yellow Brandy wine, Cherry Tomatoes, Yellow Pear, Matt's Wild Cherry, Grape Tomatoes (from grocery store experiment)...and I think that's it. I have to keep them inside for at least another month and a half and they are getting pretty huge. I will post pictures later. Happy Growing ALL!

[Cirtes]

I picked my first Black Krim of the season. It was heavenly! I was moving to a new house these past two weeks so I split it with the movers and we just ate it like an apple. It was pure delight. Big sucker too at ~ 12 Oz.

Black Krim beat all my other early varieties including Fireworks and Aunt Ginny's Sugar Gem. I lost a bunch of tomato clusters from both of these plants in the move but they will recover.

At long last I can go and put everything in the ground.

[elevenplants]

My Cherokee Purple and the Carbon (both started later than my others) are just POKING along....and not looking too good at that. They'll be late going in the ground, so I'm hoping....

Rebecca