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Old May 23, 2017   #1
shule1
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Default Direct-seeding next year

Next year I'm planning to direct-seed everything, except okra (because okra takes ages to germinate and mature when direct-seeded here), maybe peppers, strawberries and maybe a few odds and ends. I've been looking at my reseeded and direct-seeded plants, and they seem to have considerable advantages over my transplants (in cold-hardiness, drought-hardiness, appearance, etc.). Plus, they don't have the time-delay that comes with transplanting. True, germination rates may not be as good for all varieties, but I have lots of seeds.

I know people say tomatoes that are direct-seeded take a lot more time to get fruit, but I'm not sure if that's as true as most people think. When people say x days from transplant and y days from seed, they might be considering that y was also transplanted (and are just calculating the days from being seeded in small containers) on to after they're transplanted and have fruit, which shouldn't be the same as days from seed if direct-seeded (whether or not it would be longer/shorter).

I'll probably direct-seed a lot of stuff in April, next year (or before if I use milk jugs). Direct-seeded plants don't seem to care about cold as much in my gareden (so, that's why I wouldn't wait until the last frost was over).

Anyway, I need something to cut down on things vying for my attention, and I think this will help. I'll probably grow less tomato varieties next year. I might stick with early indeterminates and a few other choice varieties. As for this year, I've still got 101! Granted, all but three varieties (five plants) have a late start, due to a later frost-free season this year, fatigue, and my having started the seeds two weeks or so later than last year. Hopefully I'll find lots more choice varieties.

As for now, I'm direct-seeding a bunch of watermelon. A number of the transplants died.

About the advantages for direct-seeded plants, it seems that tomatoes transplanted very early are capable of obtaining some of those advantages, too, eventually.

Last edited by shule1; May 24, 2017 at 03:36 PM.
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