Anyone grow tomatos from seed? Is it difficult?

Of all the seeds I've ever planted, tomatoes are always the easiest. I use organic and

those seeds prefer not to be dried out...I let the tomatoes finish rotting if they've started, then I drop them into a hold in the dirt of a pot and in no time they sprout, then I move them into individual pots.

I do most of this in my house to begin with. I can't tell you the number of times something has smelled the tomato seeds, dug them up and ate them! So now I let them sprout before I ever set them outside.

 
I usually buy plants too, because I don't plant that many. But it is definitely doable

Lots of our gardeners do it. You should probably start them indoors in a sunny window, (assuming you don't have a greenhouse) then set them out when the weather warms up. Down here one would plant them indoors Feb~March and then set them out in April or May. NoCA is probably similar.

And if it doesn't work you can still buy plants in spring.

The nice thing about heirlooms is you can save the seeds from year to year--hybrids don't breed true that way.

 
Tomatoes are super easy to grow from seed. Have

done it many times but now I mostly buy transplants since I like to plant about 8-10 different varieties each year and usually only 1 or 2 of each. Sometimes though I buy a 6 pack of one variety, since they're often cheaper that way than buying just one plant, keep 1 or 2 for myself then share the rest with neighbors who also like to garden. They in turn share transplants from other 6 packs of veggies -- it's a fun and less expensive way to get one's garden going especially for the block I live on where the yards are smallish and our gardening space is rather limited.

I recommend trying them from seed, it's pretty fun watching them come up then reaching the right size to plant out in your garden.

 
So jealous - I have not had a decent tomato crop since moving to Oklahoma

 
We don't have any water here in CA though. I didn't plant last year

because of the drought, but this year think I'll put in a few. Maybe. I have drought guilt over the idea of it that I'm trying to get over.

However, some of the best tasting tomatoes at the FM are dry farmed.

 
Thanks all, sounds like it's not too bad...and I do have a sorta greenhouse.

It's actually the back wall of my sunroom, but it's a curved greenhouse wall of all glass, so bet I could sprout something in there even with my brown thumb.

 
It's because the week we plant them when we've decided it's finally safe for no late freeze

it hits 90 degrees in April & they refuse to set fruit.

Supposedly fall crop is better, but I can never figure out how to nurse the transplants through 110 degree Augusts.

 
Tomatoes really don't need all that much water: Put two plants in and then water them with . . .

unsalted vegetable cooking water, unsalted pasta water, rinse water from hand-washed dishes and such. And don't forget to stick a bowl under the sink to catch any "waiting for hot/cold water to come" wastage. If you are strong, and really dedicated you can stick a 5 gallon bucket under the shower head and save all that warm-up water to water plants with as well. My husband has been getting up and letting our chickens out in the morning and he takes all the chicken water and duck bath water and waters other plants, trees, the compost pile. . .

If you have people over and they are drinking bottled water, don't forget any leftovers in bottles from that too. I usually have a ton of these after I have my whole family over.

 
Dry farmed indeed. In truth, tomatoes really don't need much water and are

actually one of the best veggies to grow in our California drought conditions. What have you got to lose? I say give it a try. smileys/smile.gif

 
Actually, yes.

But, my husband wants to move to Arkansas. Our compromise is to stay here.

 
That could be good because the sprouting plants will reach

for light and get leggy. Unless you need a lot of plants, I would buy the plants personally, because they will be stronger. I get heirloom varieties at our FM when it is time to plant. And when you plant, bury the stem deep for a stronger plant.
There are great places to buy the heirloom varieties online.

 
I do the same thing, Mistral....keep a bucket in the shower to catch the warm-up water

then use it in the garden. The drought has taught us all to conserve water in so many ways.

 
There are tomatoes that will set in high heat--you need to look them up on the net . . .

and you can help the set by going out when it is cool every day and gently shake the plant to get those flowers pollinated.

Also, you can put your plants in half day shade, and this can help with the fruit set.

 
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