Starting Tomatoes: An Inside Job

 So, with all this talk about seeds, picking seeds, thinking seeds, dreaming seeds... There are some that I have already on hand and started indoors a few weeks ago.  I went to my local seed store, Halifax Seed and bought a delightful pack of organic Organic Beefsteak Tomatoes.  They are an indeterminate variety, so I look forward to seeing just what they produce!

Newly transplanted tomatoes,
from cell packs.

I didn't take a picture of when I planted them in the cell pack trays with a plastic dome, but I basically just used an organic potting mix that I picked up the same day as my seeds.  I do have a grow light and heat mat downstairs, but I opted to use the natural sunlight for these seeds.  On top of Sophie's (our resident Boxer) kennel is one of the sunniest places in the house, so I have been keeping them there and they seem to be doing well.

After the seeds sprouted and were a few inches tall, I transplanted them to some 1.5" peat pots.  Now, when I planted them, I planted a few seeds per cell.  When you transplant tomatoes you are supposed to just transplant the best one, not all of them ( or so they say, whoever they are?).  I just can't bring myself to throw out a cute little seedling that holds so much potential, so I just carefully separated (most) of them and gave them their very own peat pots to grow in.  I had to leave a few together, we shall see what happens to them down the road.

I have since taken more progress pictures and I'm happy to say that they seem to be doing well.

Exactly two weeks after getting their new peat pots.

When I transplanted them, I planted them so that a lot of their stem was under the earth.  I'll do this again when they move.  From my experience and reading, tomatoes do better when they have a lot of stem in the ground, where more roots will emerge.  These tomatoes will also be planted deeper when they finally get into the outside soil, a long with a lot of other wonderful and strange things. I can't wait for that post.  Some of you will find it common knowledge, but others... you might find it just plain STRANGE what some people put in their tomato holes, let me tell you!!

Sophie chillin' with her 'baby' (pig).

Since I mentioned Sophie, here is a picture of her, for visualization. Tonight she is being a lazy bones. She is quite the character, so look forward to many posts about her antics and adventures with her human brothers and brother and sister cats, whom I will introduce soon!  We aren't even on the homestead yet and we have a small herd..ha ha.

Oh!  I almost forgot to tell you.  Remember my three tabs of seed websites open, that I have had open for..oh... almost a week?  Some little person unplugged my laptop, which subsequently died... so I'm back to square one.  I think it is a good thing... plus, I'm still thinking!

Tootles!