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  • From: "Pete Mattli" <pmattli AT cfl.rr.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Why Organic Seed
  • Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2005 00:44:52 -0400

Pat & Rivka both opined that it was other than the seed itself.
 
First I need to tell you I no longer live in upstate NY (Willow Creek,
if it's still there).
I live in a retirement community in Clermont, FL
where they don't allow you to grow anything. Except
mebbe a little older each year.
go about three miles outside the back gate where
I  have befriended a gem of a human being who
has a rather large tree nursery. He set me up with
an area in his nursery where my plants get full sunshine
from sun-up to sun-down. He ran a water line out
so I wouldn't have to carry water. And electricity.
 
But this is Florida and it's the hot & muggy, rainy season.
Rains every day and sometimes in between. 
I either bought my tomatoes as plants from Home Depot
and transplanted them, or I grew the seeds under
flourescent light in my bedroom, transplanting the young
plants when
they were about three inches tall. I transplanted them
into 15 gallon plastic pots using two-thirds Miracle Grow
potting soil and one-third vermiculite. Caged them
individually, and installed camoflage netting overhead plus
on all sides to keep the birds away. Early on they picked up
speck, spot, and just generally had a bad attitude. All eight
of them. My one success story was a mother mockingbird
who built a nest in the biggest tomato plant and raised four
young. I relocated the rest of the plants about ten feet away,
and let her have the rest of the neighborhood all to herself.
Wish my tomatoes looked as good as her young-uns.
 
I'm convinced you are both right, and most likely it
wasn't the seeds. I may give it a try again after the
rains stop. That'll be November. 
 
Anything else comes to mind, do let me know. I appreciate
your concerns and suggestions.
 
Pete Mattli
3805 Scarborough Court
Clermont, FL 34711-6982
  ph: 352-536-9586
  <pmattli@cfl,rr.com
=======================
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Meadows" <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 9:41 AM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Why Organic Seed

> On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 22:23:06 -0400, you wrote:
>
>
>>
>>I love growing tomatoes, especially those grown from seed,
>>but you see what I've been up against. Tell me where I can
>>buy organically produced  seeds that stand a chance against
>>the myriad fungus types that seem to dog my every step, and
>>I'll immediately reactivate my
>>membership in the
>>I Love Tomatoes Fan Club
>>of which I was a charter member.
>>
>
> I grow tomatoes from seed every year.  Many of the tomato
> seeds I use are organic (some I save myself).  I never have
> a problem with them. 
>
> I can't believe your problem stems from the seeds:  I think
> it must be from growing conditions - potting soil, degree of
> watering, humidity, etc.
>
> If I had to hazard a guess, I'd guess that it is the potting
> soil (growing media).  Are you using sterile soilless mix?
>
> Pat
>
>
> -- northern Pennsylvania
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