obsessive compulsive tomato disorder- OCTD

[brokenbar]

We travel A LOT...I am now an "authority" on every outdoor market from Marrakesh to Tokyo to Odessa to Lima to Beijing and all points around, in between and everywhere else. My Husband says I travel simply because "I can peruse the marketplaces for varieties of peppers and tomatoes I think I must have seeds from" rather than enjoying the culture, cuisine and experience of a new place"(HYSTERICAL)...I told him to shut his pie hole...So I am guilty of OCTD, The Travel Strain..as well as the common form of the disease... There is no 12 step program in the world that can save me...

[namwah]

Thank you for this board-I'm not crazy and you make feel normal. I can relate to so many of the comments.

[Father'sDaughter]

Nobody warned us that it is highly contagious. And it's amazing how it can spread so rapidly with no direct human contact!

[pershing]

Lets see, last year I bought 3 plants at the nursery. This year I'm starting 60 plants (30 varieties) from seed. Took over half the kitchen and built a seed germinating station. Ordered from over 5 seed catalogs and joined this forum. Seems like normal escalation to me 😁

- P

[ReginaAnn]

Originally Posted by pershing

Lets see, last year I bought 3 plants at the nursery. This year I'm starting 60 plants (30 varieties) from seed. Took over half the kitchen and built a seed germinating station. Ordered from over 5 seed catalogs and joined this forum. Seems like normal escalation to me 😁

- P

You're right on schedule!

[peppero]

Originally Posted by pershing

Lets see, last year I bought 3 plants at the nursery. This year I'm starting 60 plants (30 varieties) from seed. Took over half the kitchen and built a seed germinating station. Ordered from over 5 seed catalogs and joined this forum. Seems like normal escalation to me 😁

- P

ABSOLUTELY!

JON

[peppero]

Originally Posted by brokenbar

We travel A LOT...I am now an "authority" on every outdoor market from Marrakesh to Tokyo to Odessa to Lima to Beijing and all points around, in between and everywhere else. My Husband says I travel simply because "I can peruse the marketplaces for varieties of peppers and tomatoes I think I must have seeds from" rather than enjoying the culture, cuisine and experience of a new place"(HYSTERICAL)...I told him to shut his pie hole...So I am guilty of OCTD, The Travel Strain..as well as the common form of the disease... There is no 12 step program in the world that can save me...

Nor twenty.

jon

[NarnianGarden]

This addiction advances rapidly ..

[Sharpcheddar]

Originally Posted by pershing

Lets see, last year I bought 3 plants at the nursery. This year I'm starting 60 plants (30 varieties) from seed. Took over half the kitchen and built a seed germinating station. Ordered from over 5 seed catalogs and joined this forum. Seems like normal escalation to me 😁

- P

Sounds normal to me!

Bought a house last year and thought, hmm, I should try gardening. Bought some plants from Lowes and joined here. This year I had a list made up from last year about what seeds to buy and a spreadsheet ready to go for this year. Started my seeds yesterday!

OCTD is a real affliction!

[bower]

I've been avoiding this thread because, of course, I'm in remission.. or maybe I never had this disorder at all.
It was no trouble at all for me to wait the extra month instead of starting too early.
It was a snap to pick out just a few varieties from Gary's big swap and set the others aside for another year.
I don't make F1 tomato crosses with varieties I like because it allows me to cram twice the genetics into my greenhouse in any season. No way.

In compassion for the rest of you, let me share a little advice. Simple rules, easy to follow, and OCTD no more, never was, say what?.

1. The number of varieties you start should not be more than the number of spaces you have to grow them in, by very many.
2. If you have any seeds left over that failed to germinate in the past, plan on growing those varieties... let them take up germination space and chances are you will end up with a few empties and stay under limit.
3. There's no point in being anxious that the variety you so desired will not germinate without using all your seeds, unless they previously failed. Ten is enough seeds for any variety you have one space for, and if they fail, well, you're under limit.
4. If you plant three seeds and get six plants, it's not your fault. This is not a symptom of OCTD, it's a fluke of nature.
5. If you plant ten seeds and get ten plants, it's not your fault either. The words "Oh well" may apply. It also has nothing to do with the number of times you lift the lid, mist, check, head count, or otherwise fuss. Out of your control, not your problem.

This is how I manage to have only 130 seedlings or so for my 30 spaces. Simple rules.... and self control.

[ChristinaJo]

Originally Posted by pershing

Lets see, last year I bought 3 plants at the nursery. This year I'm starting 60 plants (30 varieties) from seed. Took over half the kitchen and built a seed germinating station. Ordered from over 5 seed catalogs and joined this forum. Seems like normal escalation to me 😁

- P

Yes, You in the "club". lol And fortunately you live 45 minutes from me, so I can pick you up if there's a local "meeting"!

[pershing]

Well let me know if you want some of my extras since Im sure I cant fit them all lol....... -P

[greenthumbomaha]

I fall asleep over my laptop reading this board until 2am .. and here I am again at 5am

[crmauch]

I have it bad:

I counted today, and I have 77 tomato plants in planted out between the beginning and end of June.

Garden 1 (32 plants):
TomGarden1.JPG

Garden 2 (13 plants):
TomGarden2.JPG

Garden 3 (7 plants):
TomGarden3.JPG

Garden 4, just planted and not completely mulched (18 plants):
TomGarden4.JPG

Mostly Dwarf plants in post on my patio (6 dwarfs, 1 Zluta Kytice):
TomGardenPatio.JPG

Earlier this spring I gave away extra plants, and I still have plants I didn't get planted, they're going out at the end of my driveway for free today.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by crmauch

I have it bad:





Earlier this spring I gave away extra plants, and I still have plants I didn't get planted, they're going out at the end of my driveway for free today.

I still see lots of grass that could be converted to more garden space....!