Pacific Northwest...Tomato Seeds straight into ground?

danieldas · Sat Mar 09, 2013 10:54 am

So I just bought 2 packs of tomato seeds online from amazon. They are cherry variety. I would like to be snooty about the seed suppliers, but realizing that even the best nurseries carry the same seeds as home depot...I'll take my chances for less mark up.

Anyways my plan was to pick spots, ready the soil to ideal conditions and then see what nature does. Worst case I have to buy starts. Best case I have to split some plants apart.

rainbowgardener · Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:04 pm

I always start my tomato seeds indoors under lights, because I like to give them the head start and have those ripe tomatoes in June!

But everywhere I plant with my compost, I have tons of volunteer tomato seedlings pop up, so I know they can do it all on their own.

PunkRotten · Sat Mar 09, 2013 4:49 pm

Go ahead and try it. I suggest planting them in a trench and hill the dirt up around their trunks as they get bigger. I direct seeded tomato seeds before and they grew, but they were not as vigorous as plants that had been up potted a few times.

TZ -OH6 · Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:43 am

Studies have shown that direct planted tomatos are held back compared to transplanted ones. This is because of the early energy put into growing a tap root into cold deeper soil when direct sown. An easy way around it is to simply plant your seeds in a 'nursery' plot and then dig them up and transplant them when they get 8-12 inches tall. That will also let you plant them deep for a more stable and stronger root system. They will also be close togeter in case you hve to protect them from frost.

rainbowgardener · Thu Apr 11, 2013 2:54 pm

Yay!!! Welcome back, TZ! We missed you!

digitS' · Thu Apr 11, 2013 3:42 pm

Wow! From way back in June, TZ!

I remember thinking when this was originally posted about the complaints that Puget Sound gardeners have about a long growing season but not enough warmth to ripen tomatoes.

Since ideal conditions for tomato seed starting couldn't have been reached yet this year, I am curious if Danieldas has seen any sprouts yet. "I ran a tape" (isn't that what the accountants say) on the average daily temperatures since March 9th and it was only 51Â°. There hasn't been a single 70Â° high.

It seems like direct-sowing of seed in the open garden is quite a bit to "ask" of a tomato in the Seattle environment.

Steve