My personal attachment to my germinators

kpatrick925 · June 24, 2011

Ok, so this year I started most (80%) from seed. This is my first year growing anything from seed. Of course I started way too many because what if one didn't germinate???? Well, pretty much everything grew and what I have found is that I now have a personal attachment to everyone of those little guys!!! I have limited space but have managed to pack 20 tomato plants of 14 varieties in containers, 22 various pepper plants, some squash, artichokes, pumpkins, and cucumbers some in ground and some in containers. I have given 15 or so tomato plants to good homes, also some squash, pumpkins and cucs. I still have 20 or so tomato plants in little 4 inch starter pots and can't seem to give them away but have no space to grow them. LOL. I did not realize how much more attached I would become to those I started myself!! My family definetly thinks I have lost my mind but of course want to know when they can come get their share.

Oh well, If this is insane I think I like it!!

BigBrownDogHouse · June 24, 2011

It is amazing how you can really become attached to those little guys. You give them a lot of TLC.

Pass them along and be ready for all the great stuff you hear about them later this summer. Folks will be bragging to you how well they did and how much they enjoyed the fruit. You'll find yourself sitting back with a big ole smile on your face proud of what your little ones accomplished.

Talon1189 · June 24, 2011

I am the same way.....I grew 7 extra tomato plants from seeds and gave them to a friend that has a "brown thumb" to grow. I found myself worrying about him over watering the plants that I spent time to bring into this world. I gave him a mix of soil and even some tomato fertilizer to help make things more idiot proof for him

Everything is growing good for him so far. Good luck with your garden

>>>>>>>>>Talon

tam91 · June 24, 2011

I couldn't stand to sacrifice the last few that I had, after I infested all my friends with plants. So they went out by the road with a "free" sign - and found a happy home.

I do know one of my giveaways died a "death by dog". Oops.

jgaleota · June 24, 2011

Been there, done that!

kath · June 24, 2011

It's hard not to feel "attached" and not to worry a bit about how they're doing after they've left your care. After major give-aways this year, 10 tomato plants remained. I just couldn't compost them, so as I harvested a few early potato plants, in went 2 tomatoes; harvested some cabbage, in went 4 more; and so it went until all found a home amongst the other veggies in our garden. I think we're hopeless.

jgaleota · June 24, 2011

Must be. When more than one seed germinated in my original pots, I painstakingly removed the extra seedlings and potted them up. I just couldn't stand to rip them out. Then, I had to leave them in my son's care FOR A WHOLE WEEK. Eeeeeek! He did a very good job though. I guess it is just the same with any babies, human, animal or plant!

kpatrick925 · June 24, 2011

Whew, atleast I'm not alone!! I'm in good company!!

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement!! I've always loved gardening but this is a whole new level that I am really enjoying!! And can't wait for my pay off in a few months.

Aphid · June 26, 2011

I had the same issue with tomatoes ,,, I germinated 75 seeds,,, I only had room for 14 plants.

every single seed germinated !... I sold quite a few plants from my driveway ,,, gave some to neighbors, co-workers and family..

now I am expected to have plants every year for sale/giveaway..lol

I don't mind and it's great to have backups ,,, I used a couple this year already

kpatrick925 · June 27, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aphid

I had the same issue with tomatoes ,,, I germinated 75 seeds,,, I only had room for 14 plants.

every single seed germinated !... I sold quite a few plants from my driveway ,,, gave some to neighbors, co-workers and family..

now I am expected to have plants every year for sale/giveaway..lol

I don't mind and it's great to have backups ,,, I used a couple this year already

I planted so many my back yard looks like a jungle and my dogs keep looking at me like "are you going to leave any room for us?" LOL, I love it though. To be able to eat the things you grow is amazing to me. Everything taste so much better. I will probably expand next year again and incorporate more veggies. Since tomatoes are my fav they use up the majority of my resources but with some careful preplanning I am going to try some stuff that my sister wants.

nicky · June 27, 2011

I made 2 mistakes... Too many seeds planted... And the I read how easy it is to root suckers. Figured that I had to try that... And I can't let anything go to waste, so I doubled my already too large tomato plant population within a week. ARGH!!! Now how will I resist rooting the suckers from the new plants???

BigBrownDogHouse · July 5, 2011

I went on vacation about 10 days ago and had a few stragglers left behind in my screenroom. Even though I had a great person watching the house, I knew they wouldn't make it too much longer in their little cups.

I didn't have the heart to just toss them so I found my last little square area of dirt out on the side and planted them. A few were even growing pretty lop-sided in their pots so I didn't expect much. I didn't even know if my buddy, who was doing the watering, would see them to water them.

I got home a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised to see three of the five really shot up. Two about a foot tall and the other one really bushy. The remaining two are still pretty small but were buried deep. I might have lucked out and be getting some very late season fruit from these guys.

With the great weather and my buddy evidently seeing them and watering them, saving these little ones really paid off. They look like a great little addition to my garden and I am so happy I just didn't toss them. Just couldn't do that!

June 24, 2011	#1
kpatrick925 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: San Lorenzo, CA Posts: 112	My personal attachment to my germinators Ok, so this year I started most (80%) from seed. This is my first year growing anything from seed. Of course I started way too many because what if one didn't germinate???? Well, pretty much everything grew and what I have found is that I now have a personal attachment to everyone of those little guys!!! I have limited space but have managed to pack 20 tomato plants of 14 varieties in containers, 22 various pepper plants, some squash, artichokes, pumpkins, and cucumbers some in ground and some in containers. I have given 15 or so tomato plants to good homes, also some squash, pumpkins and cucs. I still have 20 or so tomato plants in little 4 inch starter pots and can't seem to give them away but have no space to grow them. LOL. I did not realize how much more attached I would become to those I started myself!! My family definetly thinks I have lost my mind but of course want to know when they can come get their share. Oh well, If this is insane I think I like it!!

June 24, 2011	#3
Talon1189 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Farmington, Michigan. Zone 5b/6a Posts: 421	I am the same way.....I grew 7 extra tomato plants from seeds and gave them to a friend that has a "brown thumb" to grow. I found myself worrying about him over watering the plants that I spent time to bring into this world. I gave him a mix of soil and even some tomato fertilizer to help make things more idiot proof for him Everything is growing good for him so far. Good luck with your garden >>>>>>>>>Talon __________________ Always looking for a better way to grow tomatoes ..........

June 24, 2011	#4
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	I couldn't stand to sacrifice the last few that I had, after I infested all my friends with plants. So they went out by the road with a "free" sign - and found a happy home. I do know one of my giveaways died a "death by dog". Oops. __________________ Tracy

June 24, 2011	#8
kpatrick925 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: San Lorenzo, CA Posts: 112	Not Alone, Yay!! Whew, atleast I'm not alone!! I'm in good company!! Thanks for all the replies and encouragement!! I've always loved gardening but this is a whole new level that I am really enjoying!! And can't wait for my pay off in a few months.

June 24, 2011	#2
BigBrownDogHouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northern Illinois ZONE 5a...wait now 5b Posts: 906	It is amazing how you can really become attached to those little guys. You give them a lot of TLC. Pass them along and be ready for all the great stuff you hear about them later this summer. Folks will be bragging to you how well they did and how much they enjoyed the fruit. You'll find yourself sitting back with a big ole smile on your face proud of what your little ones accomplished.

June 24, 2011	#5
jgaleota Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 133	Been there, done that!

June 24, 2011	#6
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	It's hard not to feel "attached" and not to worry a bit about how they're doing after they've left your care. After major give-aways this year, 10 tomato plants remained. I just couldn't compost them, so as I harvested a few early potato plants, in went 2 tomatoes; harvested some cabbage, in went 4 more; and so it went until all found a home amongst the other veggies in our garden. I think we're hopeless.

June 26, 2011	#9
Aphid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nashville TN zone 6-B Posts: 133	I had the same issue with tomatoes ,,, I germinated 75 seeds,,, I only had room for 14 plants. every single seed germinated !... I sold quite a few plants from my driveway ,,, gave some to neighbors, co-workers and family.. now I am expected to have plants every year for sale/giveaway..lol I don't mind and it's great to have backups ,,, I used a couple this year already

June 27, 2011	#11
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	I made 2 mistakes... Too many seeds planted... And the I read how easy it is to root suckers. Figured that I had to try that... And I can't let anything go to waste, so I doubled my already too large tomato plant population within a week. ARGH!!! Now how will I resist rooting the suckers from the new plants???

July 5, 2011	#12
BigBrownDogHouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northern Illinois ZONE 5a...wait now 5b Posts: 906	I went on vacation about 10 days ago and had a few stragglers left behind in my screenroom. Even though I had a great person watching the house, I knew they wouldn't make it too much longer in their little cups. I didn't have the heart to just toss them so I found my last little square area of dirt out on the side and planted them. A few were even growing pretty lop-sided in their pots so I didn't expect much. I didn't even know if my buddy, who was doing the watering, would see them to water them. I got home a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised to see three of the five really shot up. Two about a foot tall and the other one really bushy. The remaining two are still pretty small but were buried deep. I might have lucked out and be getting some very late season fruit from these guys. With the great weather and my buddy evidently seeing them and watering them, saving these little ones really paid off. They look like a great little addition to my garden and I am so happy I just didn't toss them. Just couldn't do that!