This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

In article ,
says...

This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

I have paid $ 4 for one or two plants that were about half grown. Most
of the time I buy them around 3 or 4 for a dollar that are 4 ot 6 inches
high.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:47:21 -0500, wrote:

This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL

Bury a whole tomato, of your favorite variety just below the soil
surface. When they sprout you can thin them out and plant them a
distance away from each other. YMMV

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:47:21 -0500, wrote:

This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

My wife grows heirloom tomatoes every year. She starts all of the
plants from seeds and she uses warming pads and grow lights.

Some of the tomatoes come out pretty good, but my preference is Roma
or Plum tomatoes and she sticks her nose in the air over such common
fruit.

On 1/1/2017 5:47 PM, wrote:
This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

I'm no expert but have grown from seeds and this year I'm going to grow
heirlooms from local tomato stand. If you use your own seed, make sure
it is not a hybrid as you are not sure what you will get. My friend
Oren was joking about planting a whole tomato. I harvest the seeds from
ripe tomato at end of season by washing and rinsing on a screen,
allowing to dry then store dry in a paper envelope. You could get dozens
of seeds from one tomato. Price of small envelop of seeds is a rip off.

I put the seeds in a plastic food wrap covered tray in a warm spot.
Light not needed to sprout. When sprouted I will transplant a couple
each to pots to grow to starter plants only letting one grow per pot. I
can grow in a window but on warm days will take outside to acclimate to
sun a month before putting in the ground. If warm enough I can leave
out all night. Not difficult but takes a little work.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 23:52:34 -0000, Stormin' Norman wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:47:21 -0500, wrote:

This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

My wife grows heirloom tomatoes every year. She starts all of the
plants from seeds and she uses warming pads and grow lights.

Some of the tomatoes come out pretty good, but my preference is Roma
or Plum tomatoes and she sticks her nose in the air over such common
fruit.

I bought a pack of 100 seeds for trees. Not one will germinate. Next time I get saplings.

--
"My professional and my personal lives have become way too intertwined," the stewardess told her fellow stew.
"Last night my husband nudged me awake, and began to make love.
Without giving it a thought I said, 'Welcome Aboard'."

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:47:21 -0500, wrote:
This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would
like to soon start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL.
We will return/ drive to CT in May '17 . I want to take
those starter plants to CT.

They are easy to start. Buy a small bag of seed starting soil. You
can start the in old 2 liter plastic bottles. Cut off the top 2/3s of
the container. Or a little gravel in the bottom for drainage. Put
some loose charcoal on top of that the add the seed starting soil
moistened. Firm it down, then poke done holes in the dirt with
something like a pencil. Drop one seed in each hole and cover.

Use the top portion of the 2 liter bottle that you cut off as a
terrarium type cover by tapping it on with clear packing tape. You
can tie rope to the top and hang it in a window. As the seedlings
come up rotate the container do light is evenly distributed.

If it gets dry you can add a little water from the top, but the
terrarium to should prevent to much drying out.

The container should travel easy and you can divide the seedlings
from that container.

BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) -
are they beneficial?


My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

--
Maggie

On Sun, 1 Jan 2017 19:28:05 -0500, Frank "frank wrote:

On 1/1/2017 5:47 PM, wrote:
This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

I'm no expert but have grown from seeds and this year I'm going to grow
heirlooms from local tomato stand. If you use your own seed, make sure
it is not a hybrid as you are not sure what you will get. My friend
Oren was joking about planting a whole tomato. I harvest the seeds from
ripe tomato at end of season by washing and rinsing on a screen,
allowing to dry then store dry in a paper envelope. You could get dozens
of seeds from one tomato. Price of small envelop of seeds is a rip off.

I put the seeds in a plastic food wrap covered tray in a warm spot.
Light not needed to sprout. When sprouted I will transplant a couple
each to pots to grow to starter plants only letting one grow per pot. I
can grow in a window but on warm days will take outside to acclimate to
sun a month before putting in the ground. If warm enough I can leave
out all night. Not difficult but takes a little work.

I was kinda serious. I planted 6 or 8 4" inch plants and never had to
buy any more, a garden in PA. Tomatoes that fell on the ground,
eventually sprouted hundreds of plants the next spring. I gave
dozens to neighbors, made sauce, etc. The tomatoes will sprout in a
good soil, before you ever plant.

I had butternut squash here in the desert that sprouted from discarded
seeds. Fed the neighbors, made soup, roasted them, etc.

Ever get a dandelion in your yard (G) Those seeds fly in the wind,
land and sprout :-\

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:47:21 -0500, wrote:

This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

I imagine the first thing you will figure out is northern varieties
are not going to grow that great here.

On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 7:01:39 PM UTC-6, Oren wrote:

I was kinda serious. I planted 6 or 8 4" inch plants and never had to
buy any more, a garden in PA. Tomatoes that fell on the ground,
eventually sprouted hundreds of plants the next spring. I gave
dozens to neighbors, made sauce, etc. The tomatoes will sprout in a
good soil, before you ever plant.


This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

On Sun, 1 Jan 2017 18:17:20 -0800 (PST), ItsJoanNotJoann
wrote:

On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 7:01:39 PM UTC-6, Oren wrote:

I was kinda serious. I planted 6 or 8 4" inch plants and never had to
buy any more, a garden in PA. Tomatoes that fell on the ground,
eventually sprouted hundreds of plants the next spring. I gave
dozens to neighbors, made sauce, etc. The tomatoes will sprout in a
good soil, before you ever plant.


This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

Did you buy sod, sludge or organic fertilizer recently? Tomato seeds
survive a trip through the digestive system.
When they were recycling sludge in DC everyone had cherry tomatoes in
their yard if they were anywhere in that stream.

On Sun, 1 Jan 2017 18:17:20 -0800 (PST), ItsJoanNotJoann
wrote:

On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 7:01:39 PM UTC-6, Oren wrote:

I was kinda serious. I planted 6 or 8 4" inch plants and never had to
buy any more, a garden in PA. Tomatoes that fell on the ground,
eventually sprouted hundreds of plants the next spring. I gave
dozens to neighbors, made sauce, etc. The tomatoes will sprout in a
good soil, before you ever plant.


This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

Here in the desert I see small palm trees growing along the freeway,
small ones that were not likely planted by the city or workers. My
guess is seeds fell off trees being transported for a landscape
project somewhere. The seeds sprouted, grew small palms, had little
or no water but thrived. They just looked out of place along the
road.

People broadcast grass seed on their lawns and they grow. Folks sprout
bean sprouts in a saucer of water just with a damp napkin. Seeds are
hardy.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 21:58:07 -0500, wrote:

This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

Did you buy sod, sludge or organic fertilizer recently? Tomato seeds
survive a trip through the digestive system.
When they were recycling sludge in DC everyone had cherry tomatoes in
their yard if they were anywhere in that stream.

I'm told (heard) fish eggs can survive the digestive tract of birds
and those eggs may end up in another body of water, so the eggs hatch
and fish are born. Doesn't sound far fetched at all. (G)

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 19:19:50 -0800, Oren wrote:
Here in the desert I see small palm trees growing along the freeway,
small ones that were not likely planted by the city or workers. My
guess is seeds fell off trees being transported for a landscape
project somewhere. The seeds sprouted, grew small palms, had little
or no water but thrived. They just looked out of place along the
road.

If folks have queen palms there, they are weeds. (the ones with the
long pod full of big marble sized seeds)
I am about to pay a guy about a grand to take out 10 that grew wild
here and I ignored too long. Now days I go after them with extreme
prejudice.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 19:28:18 -0800, Oren wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 21:58:07 -0500, wrote:

This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

Did you buy sod, sludge or organic fertilizer recently? Tomato seeds
survive a trip through the digestive system.
When they were recycling sludge in DC everyone had cherry tomatoes in
their yard if they were anywhere in that stream.

I'm told (heard) fish eggs can survive the digestive tract of birds
and those eggs may end up in another body of water, so the eggs hatch
and fish are born. Doesn't sound far fetched at all. (G)

That is true too. It is where most of the fresh water fish come from
here. Any little puddle that hangs around a year or so will have fish
in it.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 23:08:00 -0500, wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 19:28:18 -0800, Oren wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 21:58:07 -0500, wrote:

This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

Did you buy sod, sludge or organic fertilizer recently? Tomato seeds
survive a trip through the digestive system.
When they were recycling sludge in DC everyone had cherry tomatoes in
their yard if they were anywhere in that stream.

I'm told (heard) fish eggs can survive the digestive tract of birds
and those eggs may end up in another body of water, so the eggs hatch
and fish are born. Doesn't sound far fetched at all. (G)

That is true too. It is where most of the fresh water fish come from
here. Any little puddle that hangs around a year or so will have fish
in it.

Not many people have ever seen "walking catfish". After a heavy rain
in Broward county once, a parking lot was covered with them. They
actually traverse land and enter other waters. Some say the rain
drops them. (G). I ran over some in a parking lot once. There are
stories of animals picked up and traversed through the air.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_catfish

"...its "walking" skill allows the fish to move to other sources of
water."

Life is strange.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 23:52:34 +0000, Stormin' Norman
wrote:
My wife grows heirloom tomatoes every year. She
starts all of the plants from seeds and she uses
warming pads and grow lights.

We tried a new variety (to us) of cherry tomato this past summer
called Rapunzel. It was crazy hardy, and 2 plants took over my
entire cherry tomato bed. When My 2 sweet 100's died back from
dinner great, those Rapunzel's didn't flinch! No disease, and they
put out cherry tomatoes till the frost killed them.

--
Maggie

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 23:04:42 -0600, Muggles
wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 23:52:34 +0000, Stormin' Norman
wrote:
My wife grows heirloom tomatoes every year. She
starts all of the plants from seeds and she uses
warming pads and grow lights.

We tried a new variety (to us) of cherry tomato this past summer
called Rapunzel. It was crazy hardy, and 2 plants took over my
entire cherry tomato bed. When My 2 sweet 100's died back from
dinner great, those Rapunzel's didn't flinch! No disease, and they
put out cherry tomatoes till the frost killed them.

I should see how they like the Florida sun

On 2017-01-01 3:47 PM, wrote:
This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!



http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Tomatoes-from-Seeds


--

On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 6:52:39 PM UTC-5, Stormin' Norman wrote:
On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:47:21 -0500, wrote:

This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

My wife grows heirloom tomatoes every year. She starts all of the
plants from seeds and she uses warming pads and grow lights.

Some of the tomatoes come out pretty good, but my preference is Roma
or Plum tomatoes and she sticks her nose in the air over such common
fruit.

There are heirloom plum tomatoes. I don't grow from seed, but last
year I grew Polish Linguisa and a few years back I used something
labeled "San Marzano".

Cindy Hamilton

Cindy Hamilton wrote:
On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 6:52:39 PM UTC-5, Stormin' Norman wrote:
On Sun, 01 Jan 2017 17:47:21 -0500, wrote:

This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT
in May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!

My wife grows heirloom tomatoes every year. She starts all of the
plants from seeds and she uses warming pads and grow lights.

Some of the tomatoes come out pretty good, but my preference is Roma
or Plum tomatoes and she sticks her nose in the air over such common
fruit.

There are heirloom plum tomatoes. I don't grow from seed, but last
year I grew Polish Linguisa and a few years back I used something
labeled "San Marzano".

Cindy Hamilton

I tried San Marzanos last dummer , supposed to be a paste type tomato .
I'm going back to Romas .
--
Snag

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 01:31:17 -0500, wrote:
dinner great, those Rapunzel's didn't flinch! No
disease, and they put out cherry tomatoes till the
frost killed them.

I should see how they like the Florida sun

They just don't stop growing, so put them on a trellis like a grape
arbor. I had to cut mine back so I could get down the path to my
other raised beds.

The first stalks that had the cherry tomatoes on them had like 20
tomatoes on it. I've never seen a cherry tomato that produced like
that, and had no disease issues, either. It slowed down blooming in
the hottest part of the summer, but didn't stop producing. If I had
put shade cloth over then, blooming wouldn't have slowed down either.

--
Maggie

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 11:28:43 -0600, Muggles
wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 01:31:17 -0500, wrote:
dinner great, those Rapunzel's didn't flinch! No
disease, and they put out cherry tomatoes till the
frost killed them.

I should see how they like the Florida sun

They just don't stop growing, so put them on a trellis like a grape
arbor. I had to cut mine back so I could get down the path to my
other raised beds.

The first stalks that had the cherry tomatoes on them had like 20
tomatoes on it. I've never seen a cherry tomato that produced like
that, and had no disease issues, either. It slowed down blooming in
the hottest part of the summer, but didn't stop producing. If I had
put shade cloth over then, blooming wouldn't have slowed down either.

I looked at the web site and they do not have a zone number. We are
zone 10 and that is brutal on things that can't handle the heat.

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 15:29:16 -0500, wrote:
I looked at the web site and they do not have a zone
number. We are zone 10 and that is brutal on things
that can't handle the heat.

I don't think it matters. I planted 2 sweet 100s nerve to 2
Rapunzel's. They both grew alike in the spring putting out lots of
fruit, but when the high 90s and 100's hit in summer, the sweet 100s
died back and got a fungal disease. The Rapunzel's just kept growing,
kept ripening fruit, and no disease. When temps dropped back to the
low 90s it started blooming again right about the time I gathered a
couple bowls full of fruit. By the time we are all of that, new
fruit was ripening.

--
Maggie

On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 8:58:41 PM UTC-6, wrote:

On Sun, 1 Jan 2017 18:17:20 -0800 (PST), ItsJoanNotJoann
wrote:

On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 7:01:39 PM UTC-6, Oren wrote:

This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

Did you buy sod, sludge or organic fertilizer recently? Tomato seeds
survive a trip through the digestive system.
When they were recycling sludge in DC everyone had cherry tomatoes in
their yard if they were anywhere in that stream.


No, nothing had been done to the flower bed in a couple of
years. There was mulch already in there and that one tomato
plant grew to well over 6 feet tall. I knew I had done nothing
so it had to be a bird or a squirrel.

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 14:42:40 -0600, Muggles
wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 15:29:16 -0500, wrote:
I looked at the web site and they do not have a zone
number. We are zone 10 and that is brutal on things
that can't handle the heat.

I don't think it matters. I planted 2 sweet 100s nerve to 2
Rapunzel's. They both grew alike in the spring putting out lots of
fruit, but when the high 90s and 100's hit in summer, the sweet 100s
died back and got a fungal disease. The Rapunzel's just kept growing,
kept ripening fruit, and no disease. When temps dropped back to the
low 90s it started blooming again right about the time I gathered a
couple bowls full of fruit. By the time we are all of that, new
fruit was ripening.

I may order a few packs of seeds and give it a shot

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 17:50:37 -0500, wrote:
died back and got a fungal disease. The Rapunzel's
just kept growing,


I may order a few packs of seeds and give it a shot

Cool... I took 2 cuttings after the frost killed it. The tips were
still alive. Last I checked, one of the cuttings was growing.

--
Maggie

wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 14:42:40 -0600, Muggles
wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 15:29:16 -0500, wrote:
I looked at the web site and they do not have a zone
number. We are zone 10 and that is brutal on things
that can't handle the heat.

I don't think it matters. I planted 2 sweet 100s nerve to 2
Rapunzel's. They both grew alike in the spring putting out lots of
fruit, but when the high 90s and 100's hit in summer, the sweet 100s
died back and got a fungal disease. The Rapunzel's just kept growing,
kept ripening fruit, and no disease. When temps dropped back to the
low 90s it started blooming again right about the time I gathered a
couple bowls full of fruit. By the time we are all of that, new
fruit was ripening.

I may order a few packs of seeds and give it a shot

Just one tip , seeds like warm earth . Consider getting a heat mat to help
germination . My seed trays are set up on an old desk top that is put in a
south facing window , and some seeds - peppers especially - like the extra
warmth .
--
Snag

On Mon, 2 Jan 2017 19:48:17 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 14:42:40 -0600, Muggles
wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 15:29:16 -0500, wrote:
I looked at the web site and they do not have a zone
number. We are zone 10 and that is brutal on things
that can't handle the heat.

I don't think it matters. I planted 2 sweet 100s nerve to 2
Rapunzel's. They both grew alike in the spring putting out lots of
fruit, but when the high 90s and 100's hit in summer, the sweet 100s
died back and got a fungal disease. The Rapunzel's just kept growing,
kept ripening fruit, and no disease. When temps dropped back to the
low 90s it started blooming again right about the time I gathered a
couple bowls full of fruit. By the time we are all of that, new
fruit was ripening.

I may order a few packs of seeds and give it a shot

Just one tip , seeds like warm earth . Consider getting a heat mat to help
germination . My seed trays are set up on an old desk top that is put in a
south facing window , and some seeds - peppers especially - like the extra
warmth .

Fields in Miami used black plastic. Keeps the heat, nutrients and
water in the rows. Pic: https://tinyurl.com/jmqn6mh

Good soil from a river bank works great. I have even buried dead carp
in gardens. A fish monger will give you buckets of guts to bury.

On Mon, 2 Jan 2017 19:48:17 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 14:42:40 -0600, Muggles
wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 15:29:16 -0500, wrote:
I looked at the web site and they do not have a zone
number. We are zone 10 and that is brutal on things
that can't handle the heat.

I don't think it matters. I planted 2 sweet 100s nerve to 2
Rapunzel's. They both grew alike in the spring putting out lots of
fruit, but when the high 90s and 100's hit in summer, the sweet 100s
died back and got a fungal disease. The Rapunzel's just kept growing,
kept ripening fruit, and no disease. When temps dropped back to the
low 90s it started blooming again right about the time I gathered a
couple bowls full of fruit. By the time we are all of that, new
fruit was ripening.

I may order a few packs of seeds and give it a shot

Just one tip , seeds like warm earth . Consider getting a heat mat to help
germination . My seed trays are set up on an old desk top that is put in a
south facing window , and some seeds - peppers especially - like the extra
warmth .

It is cruising in the low 80s here during the day. I think they will
be fine.

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 22:34:24 -0500, wrote:

It is cruising in the low 80s here during the day. I think they will
be fine.

A garden / landscape center likely has a variety suited for your zone.
We can find plants that do well in the Mohave desert when others
won't.

On Sun, 1 Jan 2017 18:17:20 -0800 (PST), ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:

This past summer I had a cherry tomato plant sprout at my front
porch steps. Either a bird or squirrel dropped or pooped tomato
seeds there as I've NEVER planted tomatoes. I had l-o-t-s of
cherry tomatoes until frost.

I have heard that tomatoes are one fruit that it is not wise to eat from
when the seeds are provided by providence. Tomatoes and deadly nightshade
can interbreed, and offspring can have a mix of the chemicals found in the
parent plants.

Before posting this, I did a bit of web research, and apparently the danger
is not as great as I thought, partly because what we in NA call "deadly
nightshade" is a related but much less toxic plant than what the Europeans
call "deadly nightshade". Some people may be more sensitive to the toxin,
so probably it would not hurt to be a bit moderate the first time sampling
such tomatoes.

On 01/01/2017 02:47 PM, wrote:
This is my first year as a Florida snow bird. I would like to soon
start tomatoes from seeds, while in FL. We will return/ drive to CT in
May '17 . I want to take those starter plants to CT.
BTW: I have purchased a Grow Light (cheap) - are they
beneficial?

My (deceased) NY Dad always started his Premo tomatoes from seed.
Alas I never learned his methods. I resent paying ~$5 for each
pre-planted, local grown "starter" !!


Hi Joe,

There is an incredible group for such question with
a lot of great guys over at

rec.gardens.edible

-T

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 20:49:52 -0800, Oren wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 22:34:24 -0500, wrote:

It is cruising in the low 80s here during the day. I think they will
be fine.

A garden / landscape center likely has a variety suited for your zone.
We can find plants that do well in the Mohave desert when others
won't.

Lots of stuff grows here ... too well, just not tomatoes in the summer
time. That is why I was curious.

On Tue, 03 Jan 2017 14:03:11 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 20:49:52 -0800, Oren wrote:

On Mon, 02 Jan 2017 22:34:24 -0500, wrote:

It is cruising in the low 80s here during the day. I think they will
be fine.

A garden / landscape center likely has a variety suited for your zone.
We can find plants that do well in the Mohave desert when others
won't.

Lots of stuff grows here ... too well, just not tomatoes in the summer
time. That is why I was curious.

Some steps here with suggestions for varieties that grow well in the
desert...include Early Wonders or Early Girl. Says to plant earlier
in the season February to the end of March. Plant again in August for
a fall crop. partial shade...other steps.

http://www.gardenguides.com/99676-plant-tomatoes-desert.html

Leslie Doyle's site in Las Vegas:

“If it’s hot where you live, our new method combined with our super
heat tolerant tomato variety may very well work for you. Because,
when it comes to growing tomatoes in high summer heat, , , It’s
different, , , way, way different.”

http://sweettomatotestgarden.com/

Check her seeds under the product tab

YMMV