Lee,

That's great! Nothing says spring more than warm-season plants arriving in stores.....most of the time.

The buyers for the stores down here lost their minds and they had tomato plants in the outdoor garden center at the Wal-Mart across the river from us in Gainesville by the third week in January. I was horrified to see them that early, and of course, I promptly bought 5 that I potted up into medium sized pots. Every time a new shipment of tomato plants came in, they seemed to sell out pretty quickly. I assume someone at the store was covering them up really well at night, or was bringing them inside the store because we're still having really cold nights, including freezing temps and frosts.

It used to be that I could find the earliest plants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in mid-February, usually just after Valentine's Day and even that was pushing the season a lot. To see them in stores the third week in January is sort of ridiculous, but I am sure there's a segment of the market that likes to buy them early and pot them up and either keep them in a greenhouse or in a sun room or something.

I keep my early tomatoes in the unheated greenhouse or outside during the day and bring them inside the house or garage at night, depending on the temperatures. Those are for an extra-early harvest. Having them helps me behave myself and not rush my home-grown transplants into the ground too early.

Of course, since the stores accelerated the tomato plant selling season and got away with it, they've had pepper plans in the stores since about the third weed in February, which is far too early. Now they've got other warm season plants like cukes and squash, and it leaves me shaking my head.

I worry that folks who are new to gardening will think that just because the stores have warm-season plants in the stores, it must be okay to put them in the ground now, which would be a big mistake.

When you get your plants, let us know which ones you bought, and where, because folks in your part of the state will want to know.

Dawn

I have seen them popping up here and there also. one word of caution. We had a freeze last night and I went by the HomeDepot on 41st and their Tomatoes got bit hard. I wouldnt buy any that have been outside prior to last night.

Southwood has some out also but inside the greenhouse.

Mike

Hey Mike,

Southwoods has had a couple of tables of tomatoes for several days, and they've been inside the greenhouse all of the time from what the manager told me. Grogg's Green Barn on 61st has had a good selection of tomato plants in their greenhouse since Feb 25. The Lowe's at 71st and Mingo has a few Bonnie plants that looked rather large and healthy, and they were staying in their greenhouse.

I'm getting my plants this year from a few places. Luckily, Home Depot will not be one of them. Thanks for the warning.

Lee