Am I crazy, or just suffering from cabin fever?

jerzyjen on 1/18/2011, 3:24 pm

I started tomato seedlings this weekend. That sounds a little crazy to me. I figure seeds are cheap and its worth a shot. I want to see if I can get tomatos earlier by setting up a mini greenhouse over the bed. First week in May is the usual planting time around here in south jersey. I'm thinking I want to see if they will survive outside alot earlier than that.

This is my 2011 experiment. Anyone think i have a remote shot at sucess?

CarolynPhillips on 1/18/2011, 3:31 pm

It can be done===but have an electric heater handy for emergency heat.
I have done it. But my toms were huge by the time they were 4 months old
You're gonna need a tall 6ft greenhouse

jerzyjen on 1/18/2011, 3:58 pm

Good to know there's hope. I use a PVC structure in my box as a "cage" (ill post photos someday) so my thought was to get that set up, add thick clear plastic and pray really hard for a warm early spring. If the plastic doesn't get warm enough, I have a well lit shed that I can get to 80 degrees with a space heater. We have been letting "garden kitty" (a stray that decided to move into my backyard) spend her evenings through this winter in there and its plenty warm. I will be sure to have some cash set aside to buy seedlings at the appropriate time in case of failure.

SQFTBIX on 1/19/2011, 10:03 am

You are not crazy - but I think you may be starting the seedlings a little early. Be that as it may, in order to stay enthused, a person has to experiment with the garden. I will be using a new set of garden walls of water where you fill them with water and they supposedly keep the plants warm at night. That and the plastic watering trays are my two experiments this year.
I am currently experimenting with growing salad lettuce in a container I found in a toner cartridge package at work. I know that sound wierd but they are filled with air and stand up on their own. Who knows but it keeps me engaged in the process.

Selandra on 1/19/2011, 10:14 am

I did that last Am I crazy, or just suffering from cabin fever? 274447

.... I made lots of seedling mulch Sad

CABIN FEVER lots o

Lavender Debs on 1/19/2011, 10:50 am

I've tried that and had healthy tomato plants in the PNW. I did not get more tomatoes from the early plants, in fact some of them produced great vines but less fruit.....but that is here where the sun frowns upon tomatoes. I would love it if you not only kept track of how soon you can start but if you also started "on time" and if there is a difference in the amount of fruit.

Love how you are scratching the gardening itch. I have been lucky enough to have lots of sick teachers to work for so I have not had access to the garden during daylight hours. I would go out at night but I don't want to mimic slugs.

Deborah.... about to be late for school

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