Rototiller Experience

[pattiann]

This year I am so far behind!!! My double oven in my 55 year old house died the day after Christmas and I had to figure out what to do. What might have been a small project turned into redoing one entire corner of the kitchen, down to the studs because it turned out there was mold on the sheetrock! Found bare wires that went only heaven knows where, 4, yes FOUR layers of flooring had to be pulled up.
I never got the trim painted when my friend who was dealing with cancer took a turn for the worse. He was an only child and his parents were only children (odd for those days), so his only family was Church family. Hospice was absolutely wonderful, especially in the last 2 weeks of his life. His father had died alone and wasn't found for quite a while and he always had a fear of being alone... we all made sure that didn't happen.

Anyhow, I finally got the garden tilled, compost from last year added in, the old straw from last year went into the soil but the cinder block had sunk so far down that that had to be pulled out to start a new raised bed this year altogether. I never got any seeds started. Last January, I had cute little seedlings and by March, they were in the garage under lights getting hardened off. I don't like the idea of having to purchase non heirloom plants to have a garden this year.. and I guess I got myself good and spoiled over the years with all the different varieties of tomatoes and peppers. The rototiller chewed up the soil and fluffed it up really nicely and the birds were there soon after looking for chopped worms for their babies. I have several nests around the yard, as usual. I think I need a worm farm, LOL.

If there is anyone in the south Jersey area who would be willing to share their extra seedlings, please get in touch with me? I still have to rebuild the beds and get more soil, but otherwise I am good to go. I will take any type of tomato or pepper if you would be so gracious as to pass on your little babies. I promise to take good care of them (including eggplant, zucchini, anything)... till they get gobbled up by my growing family. All of a sudden I have a couple of extra sons in the house (my 21 yo son's best buds whose families are in turmoil -- our home has always been the go to place since the boys all met in first grade)... and they will help in the garden but their favorite thing to do is EAT... Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that they love their veggies, but this year I doubt there will be anything to put up or freeze with the extra mouths to feed.
Publicly thanking my friend from high school some 40 years ago (what happened to the years??), Gary Moore, for coming over with his rototiller to get the beds ready for planting!

I probably should have started this thread somewhere else, but my MS doc put me on some serious pain meds this year and I'm really not thinking too straight. If the mods want to move this thread, please just let me know where so I can find it?

Looking forward to hearing from anyone with seedlings to spare, thanks!
PattiAnn

[RebelRidin]

I'm not that close but I wondered if there was a good vendor near you...

If you are near Lumberton this vendor indicates they have 28 varieties of tomatoes. A six pack is $2 a flat of 48 for $14.

"*****Amish Paste, Beefmaster, Beefsteak, Better Boy, Big Beef, Big Boy, Brandywine, Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, Early Girl Bush, Granny Smith, Jet Star, Juliet, Mortgage Lifter, Patio, Ramapo, Roma Plum, Rutgers, San Marzano Plum, Santa, Super Bush, Supersonic, Super Steak,
Sweet Baby Girl, Sweet Million Cherry, Sunray Yellow, Tumbling Tom Red, Yellow Pear"

Probably better than any big box store... Lots of other things too. That ad just posted yesterday and they indicate they are open everyday right now. Hope you find some plants soon.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/grd/3734615709.html

[pattiann]

Originally Posted by RebelRidin

I'm not that close but I wondered if there was a good vendor near you...

If you are near Lumberton this vendor indicates they have 28 varieties of tomatoes. A six pack is $2 a flat of 48 for $14.

"*****Amish Paste, Beefmaster, Beefsteak, Better Boy, Big Beef, Big Boy, Brandywine, Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, Early Girl Bush, Granny Smith, Jet Star, Juliet, Mortgage Lifter, Patio, Ramapo, Roma Plum, Rutgers, San Marzano Plum, Santa, Super Bush, Supersonic, Super Steak,
Sweet Baby Girl, Sweet Million Cherry, Sunray Yellow, Tumbling Tom Red, Yellow Pear"

Probably better than any big box store... Lots of other things too. That ad just posted yesterday and they indicate they are open everyday right now. Hope you find some plants soon.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/grd/3734615709.html

George, thank you so much for the info on Dare's. I had a great experience there... and probably bought more than my garden can hold! I was amazed at the tremendous varieties of heirlooms both tomato and peppers! My son will be excited, I found his favorite hottest peppers there. Nice ride, and the traffic wasn't bad in the early afternoon. Thanks again!

[RebelRidin]

Originally Posted by pattiann

George, thank you so much for the info on Dare's. I had a great experience there... and probably bought more than my garden can hold! I was amazed at the tremendous varieties of heirlooms both tomato and peppers! My son will be excited, I found his favorite hottest peppers there. Nice ride, and the traffic wasn't bad in the early afternoon. Thanks again!

You are very welcome. I am glad it turned out well for you.

I hope you have a great season!

[pattiann]

Thanks, George. Lumberton is about a half hour away. Hoping I won't have to travel quite that far...but I have to have my yellows and better boys, beefmaster, rutgers and brandywines. If they allow mixing, that might be worth the trip, appreciate the info, thanks! Do you know if they have peppers as well? Several years ago I took a trip to Berlin Mart for some maters, my son had had a medical crisis so we were in hospital often and had to purchase then too. They were so so, but better than big box stores for sure!! I would expect the mart at Lumberton would be better as well.

[RebelRidin]

They show single tomato plants also of all those plus a few others for $1.29.

Yes they have pepper plants... I had great production with Big Bertha and Italian roasters and would recommend both of those...

PEPPER PLANTS $1.99/pack of 6 plants or $1.29 for a single plant, choose from 21 varieties:

*****SWEET-Banana, Big Bertha, California Wonder, Chocolate Bell, Cubanelle, Giant Marconi, Golden Bell, Gypsy Fryers, Purple Bell, Red Bell

*****HOT-Anaheim Chili, Cayenne, Cherry Hot, Chili Red, Cowhorn, Habanero, Hungarian Hot Wax, Jalapeno, Italian Roaster, Portugal Hot, Thai Hot

[pattiann]

Wow... I missed that on their site, was too focused on the address, lol This would be worth the trip, and my son has been after me for getting some super hot peppers this year, so that will make him happy! Great site, thanks again, I'll be like a kid in a candy store <grin>