Did I Waste MY Money???

ContainerTed · April 22, 2016

Here's why I buy a few mature plants each year to get early tomatoes. I have three of these Big Boy's and one Celebrity and they each have at least two fruits already set. The ones I started from seed are just getting to the point where I can begin moving the best ones to the main garden. So, I was told on another site that I wasted my money?? I don't think so. The plants were $2.50 each. Right now, that might buy you three of the cardboard gas colored fakes in the grocery store.

Anyhow, I'll be slurping that little devil shortly.

I'm already getting anxious about it.

PureHarvest · April 22, 2016

Cmon Ted, you know dang well you didn't waste your money.
Those people are just ticked they didn't do what you did.
Jealousy plain and simple.
I started 7 plants 1st week in February. They have been in 5 gallon bags for about a month now and my biggest fruit is like a flattened cue ball size. The. There are a dozen or so from pea to shooter marble size.
They have been outside for 2-3 weeks, and have come into the garage on about a dozen night due to wind, frost, or rain.
Sort of a pain but not really in the big scheme when I can eat a vine ripe sometime in May when the rest of the folks in my zone are looking at plants 10" tall that they recently set out or are just then setting out.
My hope is to get my main crop planted into my bags on Monday or Tuesday. All depends on how much pain I'm in. Just had hernia surgery today and it feels like somebody shot me in the gut with buckshot. And to think they said some people just get by with a couple of Tylenol. Yikes, not me.

twillis2252 · April 22, 2016

Last year I purchased a few cucumber seedlings from Lowes thinking they would give me a head start on starting from seed.

I planted both plants and seeds the same day and the seedlings only beat the seeds by a couple days in producing cukes. I attributed it to the soil temperature and the stress placed on the seedling introducing it to a new environment.

May work different for tomatoes. Keep us informed.

ContainerTed · April 22, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by twillis2252

Last year I purchased a few cucumber seedlings from Lowes thinking they would give me a head start on starting from seed.

I planted both plants and seeds the same day and the seedlings only beat the seeds by a couple days in producing cukes. I attributed it to the soil temperature and the stress placed on the seedling introducing it to a new environment.

May work different for tomatoes. Keep us informed.

Well, I do this every year because I can get the plants so cheap. Otherwise, I'd start my own around New Years. I was happy to get the Big Boy plants this time. If you have to grow a hybrid beefsteak, it stays near the top of my list.

The plants you find at Lowes are from Bonnie Plants and they are reputed to use growth inhibitors/regulators. It takes plants a while to shake those chemicals off.

Take care

Barbee · April 23, 2016

Report back and tell us if it was a waste of money when you bite into that BLT!

April 23, 2016	#5
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Report back and tell us if it was a waste of money when you bite into that BLT! __________________ *Barbee*

April 22, 2016	#2
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Cmon Ted, you know dang well you didn't waste your money. Those people are just ticked they didn't do what you did. Jealousy plain and simple. I started 7 plants 1st week in February. They have been in 5 gallon bags for about a month now and my biggest fruit is like a flattened cue ball size. The. There are a dozen or so from pea to shooter marble size. They have been outside for 2-3 weeks, and have come into the garage on about a dozen night due to wind, frost, or rain. Sort of a pain but not really in the big scheme when I can eat a vine ripe sometime in May when the rest of the folks in my zone are looking at plants 10" tall that they recently set out or are just then setting out. My hope is to get my main crop planted into my bags on Monday or Tuesday. All depends on how much pain I'm in. Just had hernia surgery today and it feels like somebody shot me in the gut with buckshot. And to think they said some people just get by with a couple of Tylenol. Yikes, not me.

April 22, 2016	#3
twillis2252 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: SC & NC Posts: 258	Last year I purchased a few cucumber seedlings from Lowes thinking they would give me a head start on starting from seed. I planted both plants and seeds the same day and the seedlings only beat the seeds by a couple days in producing cukes. I attributed it to the soil temperature and the stress placed on the seedling introducing it to a new environment. May work different for tomatoes. Keep us informed.