|
|
Post by Alan on May 13, 2007 21:32:55 GMT -5
Has anyone here ever tried this method. I know many of the old timers growing for the canning industry swore by it but didn't plant their seeds untill near the end of april and all of those were determinite varieties. I ask because I am seriously considering it as a main production method for next year, here is my idea.
Till with roto-tiller for loose, easilly manipulated soil.
Make hill with a disc hiller
Plant seed with Earthway seeder into hills
Cover with a row cover or with low-grow tunnels for better germination.
I'm thinking with this method we could get seeds in the ground at the end of March. Plants would be up the second week of april, first set of leves by mid april, off to a good start at the end of april.
-no transplant shock
-stronger plants?
Just some thoughts.
-Alan
|
|
|
|
Post by johno on May 14, 2007 4:46:28 GMT -5
Alan, I haven't exactly done that intentionally, but I can tell you from experience that volunteer tomato plants do just as you suspect under those conditions. The only problem I see is late frost. You would have to keep the row covers/low tunnels on them for awhile...
In your case, If I were you, I would use the tunnels. I think they give more frost protection.
|
|
|
|
Post by flowerpower on May 14, 2007 6:02:05 GMT -5
I end up with alot of volunteer tomatoes each yr. San Marzano plum is one that returns every yr. The volunteers catch right up with the ones I start from seed.
I think that the row covers would help with the soil temp also. It needs to be warm for them to get a good start
|
|
|
|
Post by bluelacedredhead on May 15, 2007 17:13:01 GMT -5
I have a few seeds from a former co-worker whose aunt brought to Canada from Czechoslovakia in the 1930's I believe. The aunt passed on last year in her 90's so it's been in their family for a long time at any rate.
But he surprised me last fall by telling me that he won't grow them anymore. He says that he only grows varieties that will grow well in his Zone 6 climate (right on Lake Ontario so warmer than our place a bit north) by direct seeding. Getting lazy in his advancing years.. Good thing I saved seed from them back in 2002!
|
|
|
|
Post by Alan on May 15, 2007 18:13:04 GMT -5
Wow! Now i'm definetly trying it Blue, if he can do it I definetly can.
|
|
|
|
Post by landarc on May 23, 2007 14:22:04 GMT -5
Alan,
For years as a child, my family planted everything from seed in Northern California and everything worked out fine. There was no growing in liners, seeding indoors or greenhouses etc...the plants did just fine and we ate from the garden.
|
|
|
|
Post by downinmyback on May 23, 2007 16:48:22 GMT -5
I have never done it myself but that was the only way my grandparent did and it seem to work for them. We always would go to the COOP and get a couple of 100 tomato plants. In those days you would get all of your plants soilless and i do not think peat cup had been invented yet.The tomatoes that my grandparents tomato always outgrew our tomato transplants.
|
|
