Middle South Newbie/Rookie question

Hello all,

Today I received an e-mail from Organic Gardening about July's to-do list for Zone 8.  I'm right in the middle of 7 and 8.  The link below says to "Set out fall tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants late this month."

http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/gardeners-to-do-list-july?page=0,5&cm_mmc=OGNews-_-1337492-_-06262013-_-Gardeners_To_Do_List_for_July_readmore

Do you all think it means transplants?  Is it seedlings?  I would love to have some fall tomatoes...  but I already have a ton of plants that I started in early spring.

I know this is a really basic question, but I really need some help understanding what I can do this month in the Middle South.

Thanks so much all.

Wind

Windmere wrote:Hello all,

Today I received an e-mail from Organic Gardening about July's to-do list for Zone 8.  I'm right in the middle of 7 and 8.  The link below says to "Set out fall tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants late this month."

http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/gardeners-to-do-list-july?page=0,5&cm_mmc=OGNews-_-1337492-_-06262013-_-Gardeners_To_Do_List_for_July_readmore

Do you all think it means transplants?  Is it seedlings?  I would love to have some fall tomatoes...  but I already have a ton of plants that I started in early spring.

I know this is a really basic question, but I really need some help understanding what I can do this month in the Middle South.

Thanks so much all.

Wind

 
Yes, I think it means to set out transplants and not sow seeds.  I think the term seedlings might be interchangeable with transplants.  If they are talking about sowing seeds directly in the ground, they would say sow seeds.  When they say set out I believe they are saying set out transplants (seedlings).  Those three plants (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants) are not normally direct seeded into the garden.  Usually transplants are set out into the garden for these three plants.
 
I hope I have not confused you.  What do other gardeners think about this.

I agree with Yolos, but if you have a good garden of tomatos and peppers now, you may not need more for the fall, especially peppers. Tomatos may need to be replanted if blight is destroying your current plants. And in the South, blight is a way of life. I do try to preserve some of my tomatos in some shade during the hottest part of the summer. I will say that I had a really good Sept till frost harvest the year I planted freebie plants early in July. A good way to do this is to allow a few suckers to grow about 5", cut them off and root in water now. Takes about 2-3 weeks. Or bring a branch of a determanent down to the ground and cover part with soil. It will root and create a late blooming plant. I would prefer rooting in water so I could avoid soil borne blight.

Kay

Hi Windmere,

Here is a good site that may be helpful to you

http://www.thevegetablegarden.info/resources/planting-schedules/zones-7-8-planting-schedule

Yolos, Kay and Bob,

Thanks very much for your responses.  I have to say... I felt a bit dumb asking such a question.  However, I am so new to all of this...  I am hoping to do everything a least somewhat correctly.

Yolos, you did not confuse me.  What you wrote makes perfect sense.  Thanks for clearing up what the term "setting out" means.

Kay, I really like your idea of preserving some tomatoes in the shade.  It just so happens that I have a few extra.  I will "set out" those plants in the shadier parts of the garden.  I am trying to keep my tomatoes separate from each other (usually no more than two close to each other).  I am hoping that if blight does rear its ugly head, I might be able to shied some by having them be so far apart.

Bob, the planting schedule link is extremely helpful.  It's easy to understand.  I appreciate it!

Thanks so much you guys.  

Wind