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| I am in Zone 9b. Our average last frost date has already passed (March 1-10). I recently found out about a tomato variety I would love to try this year (Opalka), but my local nursery will not have this variety in stock at all. So I have to grow from seed. I have ordered seeds and they should be here this week. But am I too late to start these indoors this year? Would I be better off hanging onto the seeds and waiting till next year to grow them? If it matters, I will be growing these in large containers. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Northern California has a 6 month tomato growing season. You will be fine, even if you can't claim to have the first tomato on the block! :) Carla in Sac |
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| Thank you Carla, this is good news! |
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| You can buy the plants live from Amazon. 4 Opalka plants for $5.99. I just had a friend in Oklahoma buy 4 bloody butcher plants from Amazon and she says all 4 plants look great. Friend said it took 5 days to get them. I paid more than that for just one plant from Laurel and I'm still waiting for them to ship, alto I'm sure they will be great tomatoes too. I did check Laurels site for the Olpaka, but She did not have it listed, but that does not "necessarily" mean she does not have them, as She did not have Giant Belgium Listed, but She did have some. Laurels Heirloom Tomatoes. Good luck Gary |
Here is a link that might be useful: Live Opalka tomato plant
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| Thank you so much Gary! I had no idea I could do this! |
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| It looks like the live plants are all through third party vendors, so I'd be really careful to vet them before ordering. I'm sure Amazon will protect you from fraud, but you'd be set back even further if there were an issue. Case in point, the "famous Italian tomato tree". Unless all the reviewers are wrong and it's a real thing, in which case, sign me up! |
Here is a link that might be useful: tomato tree... or IS IT?
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- Posted by missingtheobvious Blue Ridge 7a (My Page) on Wed, Mar 27, 13 at 21:42
| Since fujiapple lives in California and that state is particularly picky about live plants from outside the state, how difficult will it be for him to find someone on Amazon who can ship live plants to California? (I haven't any idea, but just want to make sure this is considered before he loses any money.) |
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| I did supply the OP with Laurels info too. She is in Calif, Lomita, which is in S Calif. As a general rule, Amazon tries to find a shipper reasonably close to the sale, I believe the Okla order was filled from Ohio. I'm sure Amazon knows what a PITA "The Peoples Republic of Calif" is and will react accordingly, I'm a Native but I hate our "Big Brother Attitude here!!!!! I've known my friend in Okla for many years, and take faith in her advice and would not be posting without doing the proper research first. Gary |
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| Well, bad news today, Amazon is sold out of the Opalkas.. I will call Laurel later today and see if she has any. What I would do is do a search for "Tomato Plants for Sale, Bay are, or your city or a big city nearby. Why do I suggest that? Well I did a search for Tomato Plants "Orange County Calif". I had a dentist appointment Tuesday, and on the way home, I stopped at a local Nursery, (about 10 miles from Home). With Me, I want "Instant Gratification" with my maters, and had I done a better search, they would be in my garden now!!! I'm 70 and don't have the patience, time, or wish to take the chance on something going wrong trying to plant seeds, caring for them, light heat, water, etc, transplanting them a couple times, hardening off etc etc, so I always buy live plants. Hope you find your maters! Gary |
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| OK Lauren does not have any this year, but here are 2 places that do, and they do dhip to Calif. (1) Indiana http://www.gardenharvestsupply.com/ProductCart/pc/-c150.htm (2) Tennessee http://www.tomatobabycompany.com/reds.htm This place says they can get anything U want, and one of their suppliers has Olpaka Santa Cruz http://www.localharvest.org/about.jsp Nice drive to Santa Cruz, along 84 or 92, as I recall. Gary |
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| No worries Gary, I actually ordered the plants from that link on Amazon immediately after you posted it, and they have already shipped! So maybe I got the last few plants. :D Thanks again! |
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| Great, let us know how the plants look and perform, I hope you are as happy with them as my Oklahoma friend is! Gary |
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