[Jim in NC]

We transplanted about 500 plants yesterday into trays and put them outside under glass. They should be ready to put into the ground in about 6 weeks. Makes me want a mater sandwich! We also planted more tomato seeds and will start 3 to 4 squash varieties, 2 cuke varieties, cantalope, and 2 watermelon types in about 2 weeks. Planting season is coming fast and will be here before we know it. We start the mater plants on our south-facing enclosed side porch. The other veggie plants will be started outside under plastic.

 

[bettyp]

Looking good Jim. We cannot get ous plow yet , way to wet.
Got 7/10 of rain today ,but it is early here yet.

 

[BigDaveinKY]

I never have started many plants from seed since being a youngin'.
Never made sense with only putting out a handful for my bride and myself.
If you're growing plants from seed. Now would be the time to start them in
a greenhouse to have them ready to transplant around the first part of May.
Hard to tell from the weather this year, but it is already starting the second week of March.
Only four weeks from today is 'tater plantin' day.(Good Friday)

 

[Stephenscity]

Good looking plants Jim. Looks like you'll need a lot of bengay after you get them all out!!!

 

[Jim in NC]

Good looking plants Jim. Looks like you'll need a lot of bengay after you get them all out!!!

Never thought I needed it. It don't hurt too much watchin' Mrs. Jim plant them.

 

[William]

Dod you put them in by machine?

Cheers, Will

 

[Jim in NC]

Dod you put them in by machine?

Cheers, Will

Will, we transplant them by hand from the seeding trays to the cell trays. They will grow under the glass, a mini greenhouse, and be planted in the veggie patches in about 5 to 6 weeks. I will water them every 2 to 3 days as needed. It is a way for us to reduce costs. We can grow the varieties we like to suit our schedule without worrying what we will find from feed and seed stores at planting time. Store bought plants in a 4 pack cell tray are about 50 cents each, and ifn one is gonna plant 500 to 600 plants, this pays for us.

 

[Guest]

Got my mouth watering for a big ripe tomatoe. Lotsa work there Jim, guess thats what keeps you in shape and healthy.

 

[Jim in NC]

I don't know about my shape. It may be approaching that of a tomato, but I enjoy "working for my food."

 

[single tree farm]

Great to hear that you've got things this far along! The wife just put out her "kitchen herbs" today... and we thought we were doing big things! :lol:

 

[BruceG34]

I was reading an article on preventing late blight in tomatoes and the #1 way they listed to help prevent it was to grow your own transplants or buy locally grown. I have always grown my own and have few diease problems and never had nematodes.

 

[Jim in NC]

I was reading an article on preventing late blight in tomatoes and the #1 way they listed to help prevent it was to grow your own transplants or buy locally grown. I have always grown my own and have few diease problems and never had nematodes.

I sure wish that was true for me Bruce. I have raised my own for many years, moved them from place to place, and tried different varieties many of which were supposed to be very disease resistant. None of these things have seemed to make much difference. I remember as a kid having maters all season without planting 2 or 3 crops of them. They were indeterminate varieties with low disease resistance. I planted a patch last year that had not been in nothing but grass since I moved here in 1978 and the blight had taken them out by the end of July.

 

[BruceG34]

That late blight is a relatively new thing here in this country. the tradionaly resistant varietys don't help.
Maybee our Irish friends can reccomend something.
They have been dealing with it for centuries