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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] direct seeding

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  • From: "Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] direct seeding
  • Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2005 19:21:24 -0600

Stephen Sadler wrote:
Have some of you tried direct seeding of tomatoes, impatiens, etc.? I read
years ago that direct seeded plants would catch up with, and overtake,
indoor-started plants in terms of size, vigor, and production.

Direct seeding does produce tomato and pepper plants that mature faster. I used to direct seed some at the same time I transplanted seedlings grown under lights when I lived on the Texas Gulf Coast in Zone 9b. The direct-seeded ones set fruit first.

That said, direct seeding is an option only for those with long growing seasons. Mine is 95-105 days. It's all I can do to get the entire tomato crop size up properly before the first freeze, which was Sept. 23 in 2004. About a quarter of the crop ends up being picked green just before the freeze and ripens in the sunroom over the next three months or so.
Doreen Howard





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