We turned the calendar to traditionally the first month of spring. But, after checking the 10 day weather forecast, spring may be late this year. Regardless, we have to prepare for the coming growing season and now is the time to start transplants of those warm season, heat loving nightshades. Aren't nightshades poisonous you ask? Yes they are if you eat the leaves, but who doesn't like a tomato slice smothered in mayo between two slices of bread? The nightshade crops we grow are tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes.
So today I started my seeds for transplants of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants with the plan to have the transplants ready to go in the garden in six weeks or so. I planted 7 varieties of tomatoes including "Matt's Wild" cherry tomato, "Celebrity" and "Goliath" slicing tomatoes, 3 other varieties I'm testing for blight resistance and then a large fruited variety to enter into the tomato contest at the PTC Farmers Market. I can already envision the grand champion ribbon I'll win for that big tomato. Gardeners are pretty passionate about their produce!! One advantage seed starter have is the ability to hunt down those grand champion seeds and start their own varieties that few other gardeners will have. So I encourage you to read through the seeds catalogs and try something new this year.
Back to seedling nightshades, these crops like heat so it is especially important to give these seeds plenty of heat to germinate. I actually put 2 heat mats under the racks and drape plastic over the racks to create a warm moist microclimate for the seeds to get started. Once the seeds sprout they do not require supplemental heat but plenty of light to prevent the plants from getting long and lanky.
I plant "Olympus" peppers and "Orient Charm" eggplants. Two varieties that produce well.
If you aren't starting your own transplants, don't be impatient. Although those transplants will start showing up in the local garden centers soon, any cool weather will stunt their growth and a frost will kill them.
So today I started my seeds for transplants of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants with the plan to have the transplants ready to go in the garden in six weeks or so. I planted 7 varieties of tomatoes including "Matt's Wild" cherry tomato, "Celebrity" and "Goliath" slicing tomatoes, 3 other varieties I'm testing for blight resistance and then a large fruited variety to enter into the tomato contest at the PTC Farmers Market. I can already envision the grand champion ribbon I'll win for that big tomato. Gardeners are pretty passionate about their produce!! One advantage seed starter have is the ability to hunt down those grand champion seeds and start their own varieties that few other gardeners will have. So I encourage you to read through the seeds catalogs and try something new this year.
Back to seedling nightshades, these crops like heat so it is especially important to give these seeds plenty of heat to germinate. I actually put 2 heat mats under the racks and drape plastic over the racks to create a warm moist microclimate for the seeds to get started. Once the seeds sprout they do not require supplemental heat but plenty of light to prevent the plants from getting long and lanky.
I plant "Olympus" peppers and "Orient Charm" eggplants. Two varieties that produce well.
If you aren't starting your own transplants, don't be impatient. Although those transplants will start showing up in the local garden centers soon, any cool weather will stunt their growth and a frost will kill them.
RSS Feed