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gelatodave

First year growing tomatoes- results

gelatodave
10 years ago

I am excited to share these pictures of my best tomato plants. I know they need to get in the ground now, but it is still cold in northern NJ. Next, year I will definitely start plants later. Only plant I am worried about is the "Golden Nugget." It looks a bit leggy. I will make sure to plant it deep.

Comments (15)

  • gelatodave
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yellow Pear

  • gelatodave
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Golden Nugget

  • gelatodave
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Supersweet 100

  • gelatodave
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Brandywine

  • gelatodave
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Super Snow White

  • missingtheobvious
    10 years ago

    Lovely! You can be proud.

  • Raw_Nature
    10 years ago

    Very nice young grasshopper! What lights did you use? You have a fan of them? When you start them?

    Thanks,
    Joe

  • gelatodave
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks! I used Hydrofarm FLT24 2-Feet/4-Tube T5 light. No fan, but I brushed my hand through them everyday. Started in the 2nd week of March.

  • Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
    10 years ago

    Looks fabulous, Gelato! First time, no less! :-D
    Is it still cold in NJ? I was just telling my friend she picked an awesome month to visit NY.....guess not so much!

    Grace

  • gin_gin
    10 years ago

    They look great! For the one that looks a little leggy, you can just plant it deep. You may have already heard this, but you should tear those peat pots off when you plant out.

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    10 years ago

    I agree, you appear to be a natural. I don't think mine ever looked that good, and I've been at it a while.

  • gelatodave
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Honestly, I couldn't have done it with out this forum. I followed a couple of simple rules, which I am sure you already know by now.

    1. I planted "Botanical Interests" seeds. They were relatively inexpensive and I could't be happier with the results.

    2. As soon as seedlings sprouted I put them under T5s for 18 hrs/day.

    3. Did not over water.

    4. Did not add fertilizer until true leaves emerged.

    5. I didn't use a fan, which I regret, but I found by just slapping the stems everyday helped produce better root growth an vascularization.

    6. I used 4" cow pots, which work great.

    7. I use Fox Farm Ocean Soil

    8. No heat mat

    Now I am torn between using my plants that I grew from seed or using the 4 grafted tomatoes I ordered online which should be here any day now. Anyone have experience with g-tomatoes? Additionally, of the 6 tomato plants I posted. Which ones should I plant in my garden. I only have space for 4...

  • Raw_Nature
    10 years ago

    Fox farm, huh? good but expensive.. A fan does much more than beating them up, getting them stalky, it provides fresh co2, as well as reduce disease.. Also I wouldn't worry about a heat mat, I find them unnecessary, my seeds germinate in 2-3 days at room temp.. Yea, I swear by using big pots for the seedlings... You could probably cut the light down to 14-16 hours.. I plant my seedlings mid may, and the natural daylight is 14 hours, I try to keep them in rhythm, less jet lag and stress..

    I would plant all them plants in the picture, it would be a shame wasting your time caring for them for nothing... Also the golden nugget is not leggy, some genes are just like that... How much was the grafts?

    Keep up the good job,
    Joe

    Ps- just curious, what fertilizer did you use, fox farm?

  • Moorlord
    10 years ago

    This is my first time growing from seed and ive been using the fox farm ocean as well. Im pretty happy with it. I also mixed in extra perylite to help with drainage and ive been giving them small doses of fish emulsion once a week. I didnt think the price was too bad. I bought the 40qt (approximate) bags for around 12 bucks The peat pots have thier issues and i dont think i will use them again but im learning. For lights ive been using t8 daylight bulbs and keep a fan on them. Getting pretty excited about 3 weeks till they go in the ground.

  • t-bird
    10 years ago

    argh! so so jealous!

    Still waiting on mine to "hatch" lol. put them into the paper towels saturday/sunday.

    @:^(

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