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Post by Alan on Apr 19, 2007 23:43:09 GMT -5
Has anyone here ever direct seeded tomatoes? I am wondering because of a few reasons. I would really like to try this with some varieties next year, on a large scale if I get the answer that it is fairly reliable. I have a few questions.
1. What are your techniques?
2. When to plant
3. What are the advantages (earlier crops, no stunting of plants?)
4. Disadvantages
Sorry, I don't mean to make this sound like a homework assignment but I know that the "big time" producers down south use this method and I would like to experiment with maybe a half acre plot of it next spring (or maybe this year for late tomatoes)
-alan
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 20, 2007 0:28:10 GMT -5
Alan, I have seed from a tomato that has been grown by a former co-workers family in Saskatchewan (Zone 4??) since the 1930's or 40's..it is a family heirloom, brought to Canada from Czechoslovakia by a young bride..yet her nephew, who lives here in Zone 5b, doesn't grown it anymore because it won't mature when direct sown in this area.  I grow them every few years, but start them indoors first. It is possible here to start by direct seeding, but it would have to be an early variety to ensure a successful harvest. |
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Post by johno on Apr 20, 2007 5:57:52 GMT -5
I'm sure it's possible, as evidenced by the vast number of volunteer tomatoes I get every year. But when I've done it intentionally, the germination rate was much lower than when I start them indoors. Surely there's a good method that I am unaware of...
One observation, though - the volunteers that sprout around the time I'm setting out transplants catch up to the older plants within a few weeks...
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 20, 2007 8:44:36 GMT -5
I've even set out teeny tiny seedlings that I didn't think would transplant at all, and have them do the same by catching up to their larger seedlingsiblings without a short time. Some plants are just destined to be.  |
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Post by jaliranchr on Apr 22, 2007 10:56:44 GMT -5
Alan, a lot of GWers do the Winter Sowing method and do it successfully with tomatoes. I've never tried it, but I may give it a shot next year just out of curiosity. Here's trudi's page where she describes it all. <a href="http://wintersown.org/">
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Post by bunkie on Apr 22, 2007 14:45:11 GMT -5
that's a really interesting site jaliranchr!
we have friends in Edwall 30 plus miles sw of us who only direct seed everything they grow, and swear by it! they're in a kind of banana belt there. they say their crops grow in an average time as transplants do!
we are too high up here to do that, tho i'm going to study that link jaliranchr posted. says anywhere!
one thing about having volunteer seedlings come up in the spring is thaat the seeds have gone through the chill factor and should make them a stronger seed, if you know what i mean. peace, bunkie.
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