Tomato seedlings are suddenly everywhere! We planted out the whole of this year’s line-up in a couple of days, starting a week ago. The first tray (above) started popping in just 4 days! There are over 60 varieties, including around a dozen cherries. Except for half a dozen hybrids, they’re all heirloom.
Heirloom tomato seed seems to be more quirky than the hybrids, with noticeably different germination speeds and rates from variety to variety, and year to year. Here, we’re waiting on Cherokee Purple from some leftover 2006 seed—one’s up, there in the distance, the rest may come along soon, or not. Meanwhile, right beside, three rows of 2008 CP are up and at ’em, so we’re covered either way.
I haven’t really looked into all this—setting up more efficient storage than my current airtight-bags-and-cool-place method, whether the plastic lined packets from the big seed companies do better than the plain paper ones from many smaller seed houses, presoaking seed for some crops in a kelp solution or whatever, and so forth—because there isn’t much older seed, and most seem to do just fine. So much to try, so little time… Luckily, it always works out!
yummy. those will be wonderful. i need to get started with some heirlooms soon. I have a few seed packs but need to order more from baker creek.
I stumbled onto your blog while googling “trimming back kale seedlings”, because my kale has gone crazy! My tomatoes (just a brandywine) did take longer than expected to germinate, but they’re really tall now. Maybe too tall?
I added this to my blogroll, as a reference and because it’s interesting. Thanks! Also, I give an update on my modest beginning-garden every Wednesday (like today, for example!)
Must be cool watching so many seedlings germinate at once. I’d probably never leave your seedling room.
My Cherokee Purple are also taking quite a while. I’m so excited for tomatoes!
The second picture made me chuckle…all too familiar. Sometimes I wonder if I skipped a row while planting the seeds!