Bobberman
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How much is too much for a tomato plant?

I was at Lowes today and the 6 inch high tomato plant was $5.98 for only one hybrid or Heirloom varities! I think there is something wrong when someone would pay that much! I could see if it was 2 foot high with tomatoes on early in the year but a 6 inch plant!
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Now they have the tomato factory on tv that tells you you can save $300 on tomatoes. Grow 150 pounds from 3 plants!

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SPierce
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Bobberman wrote:I was at Lowes today and the 6 inch high tomato plant was $5.98 for only one hybrid or Heirloom varities! I think there is something wrong when someone would pay that much! I could see if it was 2 foot high with tomatoes on early in the year but a 6 inch plant!
+++
Now they have the tomato factory on tv that tells you you can save $300 on tomatoes. Grow 150 pounds from 3 plants!
I think one year, I paid- what- $7 maybe for a patio tomato plant? It ended up dying (not by it's own fault- but mine, probably!),

This year, I just got some seeds and started that way. I've got 5 happy looking tomato seedlings downstairs just ready to go! I think the seed pack cost me 99cents :D

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Rogue11
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I think it depends. Not everyone has the knowledge or patience to grow tomatoes (or any other plants) from seeds. Some people just want one or two tomato plants in their garden for the summer and are willing to pay those prices for the variety they like.
And then of course there are people like me, who pay 9.95 for a plant they just have to have out of curiosity :roll:

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gixxerific
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All I can say is for that same $6 you can get 3 packets of seeds (possibly more). Each packet might contain 20 - 30 seeds maybe more.

Now let's see if you had 3 packets of 20 plants that is 60 tomato plants if they all did well than you do the math. :lol:

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Rogue11
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gixxerific wrote:All I can say is for that same $6 you can get 3 packets of seeds (possibly more). Each packet might contain 20 - 30 seeds maybe more.

Now let's see if you had 3 packets of 20 plants that is 60 tomato plants if they all did well than you do the math. :lol:
I completely agree with you when it comes to the most common tomatoes sold in stores and the seeds for them. However I have never found seeds for most of the tomatoes I am growing in a local store and ordering seeds online can cost you easily $6 or more (including shipping) but I have seen some of those tomato plants at the nursery.

Also many people don't know how to grow plants from seeds and rather don't want to hassle with it.
I went to a gardening class at the local nursery today which was supposed to be about container gardening, but it turned more into a class about tomatoes, because people just kept asking question on that subject and there was little time left to cover whatever was planned in that class. Considering that many of the questions asked there were very, very basic it showed how little people actually know about gardening. And I am pretty sure if I would have asked everyone in that class if they felt like they could raise tomato plants from seeds, I am sure I would have gotten 80% negative responses.

P.S. I gave the URL to the site to several people there I talked to after class, so maybe they will check out the forum and by next year are ready to start from seeds. :)
Last edited by Rogue11 on Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

SOB
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I completely agree that starting your own seeds is the way to go. But I remember just 3 years ago when I started my first garden I paid $5 for a tomato plant. Now, I see that as rediculous as I know how much a package of seeds cost.

Also you have to think about the price of lights and electricity...it may not be much but when you lump in the time and care that is needed some people just cant afford it! Time is money...

For me, I love doing it and I don't care what I save to start my own, and I don't care (that much) what I pay to buy things like lights, soil, pots, etc as my operation expands since I do it as a hobby. The enjoyment is priceless...

To some people though, they just want tomatoes...

EDIT: Let me just add that I do believe $6 is way too much for a 'mater plant...I was just trying to give some argument to justify buying it.

tedln
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I used to buy from Lowes, Home Depot, and Walmart when you could get the six pack cells for a couple of bucks each. Then Bonnie plants convinced all three to go to the single plant containers for about $2.95 each. Now the price per plant goes up about about $1.00 per year. The prices will go up every year until profits for both the big box stores and Bonnie plants levels out. When they reach the saturation point (at which total sales and profits start a decline) they will hold prices at the last years prices. If someone starts selling the six packs again and the business starts transferring back to the six packs, the big box stores and Bonnie will start lowering their prices to keep the business. I've found that buying from local growers and farm supply stores who sell the plants cuts the costs by at least 50%. I bought about 25 heirloom and hybrid plants this year at local nurseries and farm stores for $1.75 each. The big boxes were selling some of the same varieties for $5.95 each and they were mostly stressed because the big box employees never seem to find time to water them. I was in Lowes yesterday and they had plants for sale at $5.95 and the tomato plant in the container (sometimes an entire flat) was dead from lack of water.

Ted

nosta
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the average at big boxes here seems to be $4.00 for a 6 inch pot. you can also get a 6 pack of corn seedings for $2.00 :shock: .corn seedlings? crazy, huh?

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Duh_Vinci
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I agree, the prices are getting higher and higher every year on tomato and pepper seedlings...

How much is too much? I guess it really depends on individual situation. I do grow them form seed, and I love doing so! However, for someone with limited time on their hands, and lack of knowledge (at first) on how to grow tomatoes and peppers from seed, store/nursery bought option can indeed be a viable one.

If I have to buy something, I do buy it from local nurseries or better yet, Saturdays, veggie stands/markets have plenty of local farmers that grow and sell seedlings that are healthy and variety selection no big stores can match, and usually under $2.00 as Ted mentioned.

As for time spent on growing your own seedlings... This year my hours changed, I now work from 6:30am, and while I get to come home very early, this "inability" to properly harden off the plants efficiently, simply went out of the window (weather not helping much either). I just don't have time to move plants outside early in the morning or it is simply waaaay too cold at 5am...

If it wasn't for the selection of varieties, this year, I simply feel as if I would have just went out and bought those seedlings, it would have made my life easier... And seedlings would have been hardened off already. But at $5.00+ from the big box stores, and limited selection - no thank you!

Regards,
D

TZ -OH6
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Its all pretty relative. If I had no other option $3/ plant isn't bad for what you get in the end (10-20 pounds of tomatoes worth lord knows how much at the market). But someplace in town someone is selling six packs for $3 when the bigbox store has their impulse buy vegetable displays at the front door of the garden center. If I were desperate, stuck in a far away place for the summer all by myself I might pay $10 for a pet tomato plant. I have been tempted to take my extra seedlings and park next to our Lowes garden center gate and sell them off for $1 or even give them away just to save people from themselves. BTW, our KMart has their tomato plants on sale now...still 4 weeks from last frost.

I've seen people on forums get bent way out of shape at seed venders selling tomato seeds for $4 a pack of 15 seeds, which is about about $0.25/seed=plant....IMO not bad if it is something you really want and can't find anyplace else...and equal to Early Girl plants in a six pack. I figure if you are buying seeds you should be saving seeds too, so you get a lifetime supply of seeds for whatever you pay.

The other day I was looking for a certain variety of corn seed and would have paid $4/pack but the shipping was $7 at every place I found it. I was not willing to pay that because I knew the postage on a padded envelope was $1.22. I had almost given up almost gave up when I found a place (on page 5 of Google search) that sold the seed for $2.35 with free shipping.

Bobberman
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Agway has a nice variety of seeds. Don't be fooled by the bigger tomato plant at $5 each compare to a half the size 6 pak for $3. The smallr tomatoes seem to catch up with the big tomato in no time and even look stronger! I alwas look for the healthy stems and not the size!

lily51
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I was at Lowe's a week or so ago on a cold, windy day...and they had their racks of plants outside! Including the one with tomatoes and a huge "Buy your tomatoes" sign! I couldnt' believe it.
Was in there today in garden section and saw the racks of cold-burned plants. Hope no one buys these.

On the other hand,I have a small greenhouse which opens Thurs. with a variety of tomatoes and peppers, plus flowers, herbs, etc. Wish people who come to a greenhouse would pay the Lowe's prices! :)

tedln
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Bobberman wrote:Agway has a nice variety of seeds. Don't be fooled by the bigger tomato plant at $5 each compare to a half the size 6 pak for $3. The smallr tomatoes seem to catch up with the big tomato in no time and even look stronger! I alwas look for the healthy stems and not the size!
I was in a local nursery in early March looking for specific varieties. Most of their seedlings were 12" tall, but they had a single tray of tiny little Black Cherry plants less than 3" tall for $0.75 each. I bought some of the heirloom, 12" tall plants and on impulse, I bought four of the tiny plants. I didn't expect the tiny plants to perform well and was concerned if they really were Black Cherry because of their size. They have now taken over their space and are equal in size to the larger plants. It seems the size of purchased seedlings doesn't matter a lot if the growing conditions are good.

Ted

tedln
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Many comments in this thread debate the value of raising tomato plants from seed. This past winter was my first to grow from seed and all of the plants I grew were eventually killed during an unexpected frost. It didn't really matter to me because I was able to replace most of my varieties from nurseries. It did cause me to question the value of growing from seed if I can buy most of the same plants from nurseries.

I plan on growing from seed again starting in January for one very simple reason. I enjoy it. It gives me the opportunity to be involved in growing something even when my garden is covered in snow. I detest the reality shows and the other mind numbing garbage available on television and prefer to simply not waste electricity on television. For some reason, my book reading thirst has declined from one per day, to one per week; and now one per month. My books are stacking up.

I now find myself excited about the prospect of a bountiful harvest of fresh vegetables from my garden as are my extended family, my friends, and my neighbors. At the same time, my mind is beginning to formulate a list of tomatoes for which I need to gather seed for next years garden.

Ted

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Gary350
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I always buy small plant trays they usually have 6 or 9 plants to a tray for about $2 to $2.50 per tray.

This year I plan to buy 30 Beef Steak plants and nothing else.

Bobberman
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Home Depot has 4 packs of better boy and early girl for $1.68. They are small about 5 inches high! There big single tomatoes are $5.98 and are only 10 inch high! My plants are doing great with 15 or more varities and several 1000,s plants!

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gixxerific
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tedln wrote:Many comments in this thread debate the value of raising tomato plants from seed. This past winter was my first to grow from seed and all of the plants I grew were eventually killed during an unexpected frost. It didn't really matter to me because I was able to replace most of my varieties from nurseries. It did cause me to question the value of growing from seed if I can buy most of the same plants from nurseries.


Ted
You can't blame the cost of anything on an unexpected frost. You could have planted store bought plants and had the same thing happen. :D

Than again you said you liked doing the seedlings. so it is like the commercial.

Seeds: $2.00
Seedling Mix $4.00
Miscellaneous pots: Free
Enjoyment in doing it yourself: Priceless



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