Market Farming

["Peter Mattli, D.D.S." <pmattli AT cfl.rr.com>]

Tom,

This is the drill pretty much as I remember it.

1. Find out when the last frost occurs in your region. Using this date, order the tomato seeds so as to

be in your hands at least two months in advance of this date. Keep them in the refrigerator until time

to germinate (sprout).

2. Two months prior to traditional date of last frost, place the seeds between two (or more) sheets of

damp paper towells maintaining a temperature of 75 - 90 degrees (that might suggest using an electric

pad obtainable from most drug stores). Position a flourescent light source directly over the germinating seeds,

as both a temp of 75-90 degrees and an overhead  proximal light source within 2-4 inches of the seeds

are essential to germination.

3. Keeping the paper towelling damp, inspect the seeds every day or two for signs of germination which

takes the form of a small sprout almost the same color as the paper towelling (which is why I prefer

dark colored highly absorbant blotter paper). I have found the highly absorbant blotter paper only at

Staples Office Supply, items number AOP SBL-42S 000204396 (dark brown) and AOP SBL-43S

000204404 (dark green).  Viable seeds will begin to sprout in 5-7 days, at which time they can be individually

transferred to the "flats" or similar and covered by no more than ¼ inch of potting media (light continues to

be essential at this stage).

4. Even with the light source maintained at less than 4 inches above the developing seeds, a certain amount

of "legginess" occurs as the young plant reaches toward the light. As soon as a second tier of leaves is seen,

the tomato may be transplanted, either into the ground or into small pots. At transplantation, the stem should be

covered by dirt or potting soil up to the first two leaves (tyhe coteledons) in order to induce growth of additional

roots from the now-covered stalk, and to obtain a more robust stalk above ground.

5. By now you should be approaching your mid-May transplanting date, and any plants not yet transplanted

into earth can be moved from pots to the garden site selected. Any plants with more than three tiers of branches

should be be covered with soil up to 80% of the plant proper. This, again, to induce further roots growth and

a robust stalk.   -  Pete

 

Pete Mattli
3805 Scarborough Court
Clermont, FL 34711
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e-mail: pmattli AT cfl.rr.com
phone: 352-536-9586

============================

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Tom at Limerock

To: Market Farming

Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 8:21 PM

Subject: [Market-farming] tomatoes

Hello,

 

I/we have never started our own tomatoes. How long after putting seed to dirt, can we expect to plant?  Guess we are running out of time but want to know if we still have time (our transplanting date is usually around 5/15).

 

Thanks. 

 

Tom

 

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