# Starting Veggies from Seed



## debodun (Apr 23, 2020)

I though it might be funt to start tomatoes and peppers from veggies I got at the store. I started them about 6 weeks ago. The tomatoes are robust. Almost all the seeds germinated and the plants are 6 - 7 inches tall now. The peppers had a low germination - only about 1 in 4 seeds germinated and they are only around an inch tall now. They are both in the same potting soil and in east-facing windows. Are peppers normally this slow?


----------



## gennie (Apr 23, 2020)

It should do fine.  I have a 2nd generation cherry tomato plant that is full of green fruit.  Original plant was marked "Hybrid" so I wasn't sure the seeds would hatch but they did

 I bought the first plant when it was mature and full of fruit.  Several weeks go by and I notice baby plants in pot from a dropped tomato that the birds had half eaten.  I  repotted them and will be harvesting that  fruit in a matter of days.  

Started cukes from seeds that I bought but they are doing well too.  I like my cukes young as I eat them unpeeled and the markets never have them for sale that way.

There is something very satisfying about planting a seed, caring for it and having the plant mature and produce even if it is just patio plants.  



.


----------



## Aneeda72 (Apr 23, 2020)

Planting squash seeds as soon as warm enough.


----------



## Ruthanne (Apr 23, 2020)

Are you going to plant them outdoors--probably so, huh?  I was wondering if I can grow any veggie  indoors solely as I live in an apt.  I have a sunny south facing window I could use but no balcony.


----------



## Don M. (Apr 23, 2020)

I grow cantaloupe, cucumbers, green beans and grape tomatoes in my garden every year.  Near the end of each season, I save a few seeds from each, wash and dry them, then store them through the Winter.  I've had good luck planting them each Spring, and only buy a packet or two of radishes and broccoli to "round" out the garden.

I start the tomatoes in early April.....have a half dozen paper cups with potting soil already started, and the shoots are starting to appear.  I generally wait until about 10th of May before I put them in the garden....in case of a late April frost.  

I was able to get out this past week and till the garden, and we're going to get a fair amount of rain in coming days, so hopefully Mid-May will dry out enough to get this years crop started.


----------



## Keesha (Apr 23, 2020)

That’s really cool Deb and yes peppers are very slow especially compared with tomatoes which grow fairly fast.


----------



## Aneeda72 (Apr 23, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> Are you going to plant them outdoors--probably so, huh?  I was wondering if I can grow any veggie  indoors solely as I live in an apt.  I have a sunny south facing window I could use but no balcony.


Tomatoes.  You can go on line and read how.  Tomatoes don’t need bees, a lot of crops don’t, it’s a challenge but you can do it.


----------



## Ruthanne (Apr 23, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> Tomatoes.  You can go on line and read how.  Tomatoes don’t need bees, a lot of crops don’t, it’s a challenge but you can do it.


Thank you Aneeda.


----------



## Ladybj (Apr 23, 2020)

debodun said:


> I though it might be funt to start tomatoes and peppers from veggies I got at the store. I started them about 6 weeks ago. The tomatoes are robust. Almost all the seeds germinated and the plants are 6 - 7 inches tall now. The peppers had a low germination - only about 1 in 4 seeds germinated and they are only around an inch tall now. They are both in the same potting soil and in east-facing windows. Are peppers normally this slow?
> 
> View attachment 100652View attachment 100653


I am been wanting to do the same thing.  I will start soon.  I want tomatoes, peppers, etc.  I may have to hire someone to help me plant a vegetable garden in my backyard.  That has been my goal for a while.


----------



## Aneeda72 (Apr 23, 2020)

Ladybj said:


> I am been wanting to do the same thing.  I will start soon.  I want tomatoes, peppers, etc.  I may have to hire someone to help me plant a vegetable garden in my backyard.  That has been my goal for a while.


If you attend a church, you might find gardeners that will help for free.  Otherwise a local garden club, or as a last resort teenagers lol.


----------



## Ladybj (Apr 23, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> If you attend a church, you might find gardeners that will help for free.  Otherwise a local garden club, or as a last resort teenagers lol.


Great suggestions... thank you.


----------



## mike4lorie (Apr 24, 2020)

Yup, got my tomatoes and onions, and cukes and peppers started in their little greenhouses ( plastic containers with lids that salad, or greens, tomatoes come in) Still want to get some acorn squash on the go... II keep the lids close till the plants pop out of the dirt, and then I open them. I put them outside in the sun during the days... bring them in at night...


----------



## Em in Ohio (Apr 24, 2020)

I planted all my peas outdoors way too soon and assume they have rotted.  I have saved tomato and green pepper seeds - probably too late to start them now, but I'll try.  I do know that some peppers can be grown indoors - what I just learned is that they don't die off annually!  Guess I'll stick some seeds indoors today - probably nothing to lose.   The last real outdoor garden that I planted was 6 years ago - squash grew 3 and a half feet long - so many that I couldn't give them away fast enough.  In these trying times, I think growing your own veggies is probably very wise!


----------



## Judycat (Apr 24, 2020)

Looks good. When the weather gets warmer and less windy, put them outside on the porch. Maybe divide them so they have room to grow.


----------



## debodun (Apr 24, 2020)

Judycat said:


> divide them so they have room to grow.



Did that for the tomatoes earlier this week. They did seem crowded, but when I planted the seeds I didn't expect that many to germinate. 

When the weather warms up, I will plant the most healthy looking ones to individual pots and move them outdoors. Here in upstate NY, it's been unseasonably cool so far, windy and damp. Here we have to start things like veggies indoors in February to extend the growing season.


----------



## Judycat (Apr 24, 2020)

I have some late tomatoes (Brandywine) sprouted too. Yeah tomatoes sprout like weeds.


----------



## StarSong (Apr 24, 2020)

We only plant veggies that give a bountiful yield because water is precious in So Cal, and produce tends to be inexpensive here.  So tomatoes, basil and zucchini.  My husband is the gardener and he prefers starting with pony packs of little plants (I think he just enjoys browsing the nursery each spring.)  

Every year there are several pop-up tomato plants from previous years' droppings.  Our little surprise plants - we graciouslywelcome them to the gardening fold.  ♥


----------



## gennie (Apr 24, 2020)

mike4lorie said:


> Yup, got my tomatoes and onions, and cukes and peppers started in their little greenhouses ( plastic containers with lids that salad, or greens, tomatoes come in) Still want to get some acorn squash on the go... II keep the lids close till the plants pop out of the dirt, and then I open them. I put them outside in the sun during the days... bring them in at night...


Onions?  Tell me more about how and what kind.  I have chives but would love to grow some scallions.    Mine all container gardening but weather here is great for gardening.


----------



## debodun (Apr 24, 2020)

I have wild chives in my lawn. I always know when I go over them with the lawn mower. LOL


----------



## johndoe (Apr 24, 2020)

I started mine 2 weeks ago and they are doing fine. I started 4 but I only want 2. Last year out of the 2 I started, one tipped over and broke in half as I planted in a strong wind. This year I started 2 extra just in case.


----------



## debodun (Apr 25, 2020)

The transplanted tomatoes are doing well.


----------



## gennie (Apr 25, 2020)

I just read about propagating scallions from the part we normally trim and throw away. 

Plant it root side down, cover with about an inch of soil leaving a portion of green showing and tend as any other plant.  I'm giving that a try.


----------



## debodun (Apr 25, 2020)

I started an avocado from a pit when I was working. I kept it in the lab courtyard window. It got to be ceiling high and I had to keep trimming it back. Sadly, I had to leave it there when I retired. Someone promised thay would care for it, but you kow how these thing end up.


----------



## Kaila (Apr 25, 2020)

Yes,  @debodun 
I do think Pepper seedlings are slower than tomatoes, and than many other veggies.
They also like it warm.

Do you already know about the need to "harden them off" slowly, to help them adapt, before putting them out, and planting outdoors, in northern locations?


----------



## debodun (Apr 25, 2020)

Thanks for the tip, Kaila.


----------



## debodun (Apr 25, 2020)

A woman I delived meals to had tomatoes growing by her back porch last summer. I don't think she picked any - the plants were loaded with fruit. I asked her if I could have a few and she refused. After the frost, all the plants were dead with frozen fruit still on them. What a waste.


----------



## Kaila (Apr 25, 2020)

Tomato plants like the breeze shelter,  and the warmth, of being near a house wall.
especially if it faces the South.
If you happen to have a location like that for them.

In addition to gradually adapting them to the outdoors chill, and wind and varying temps,

the seedlings (both tomato and pepper) would also benefit, if you want to, by some sort of home-made "collar" or "house"
such as a large yogurt container with bottom cut off, or milk jug with bottom, and top cut off.....

It gives them a bit of warmth and wind protection, and also prevents cutworms and other ground crawlers from nibbling at them while they have young, tender and tasty 'trunks.'


----------



## Aneeda72 (Apr 28, 2020)

I put some straight neck squash seeds in the ground today, as well as cucumbers.  Four strawberry, two pepper, an acorn, spaghetti squash, and a watermelon plant.  I also have four tomato plants to put in but the next section of the planter has to be done first.

Making progress. The old guy behind us mowed his lawn and we met him for the first time.  Said he didn’t mind if our dogs barked.  Which means he minds because he brought it up .  But they don’t bark any more than any of the other dogs.  They are in the house at night.


----------



## Em in Ohio (Apr 28, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> I planted all my peas outdoors way too soon and assume they have rotted.  I have saved tomato and green pepper seeds - probably too late to start them now, but I'll try.  I do know that some peppers can be grown indoors - what I just learned is that they don't die off annually!  Guess I'll stick some seeds indoors today - probably nothing to lose.   The last real outdoor garden that I planted was 6 years ago - squash grew 3 and a half feet long - so many that I couldn't give them away fast enough.  In these trying times, I think growing your own veggies is probably very wise!


Update:  The peas survived multiple freeze and thaw sessions!  I'm so tickled to see the 2 inch sprouts!  The green pepper and tomato seeds have yet to show any signs of life, but I haven't given up on them.  Of all the things that may reopen after the shutdown - I'd like garden nurseries to be first!


----------

