First time with tomatoes from seed

Wvuarmyeng · March 2, 2015

i would like to maybe start some this year from seed. How soon do I need to start them I'm located in southwest pa.

I am also looking for a for tomatoes for sketty sauce. Not sure how many I want to plant yet

Any help would be great thanks!

Worth1 · March 3, 2015

People in your growing zone are starting seeds right now I think.
The reason I replied is so this would get back to the top so folks might help you that are from your area.
As it has been around 18 hours since you first asked the question.

Worth

FarmerShawn · March 3, 2015

Find out your expected last frost date, back up six weeks, and start tomatoes around that time. I'm in northern Vermont, and expect I'm safe after Memorial Day, so I start planting in mid April, or two weeks earlier for my greenhouse plants.

PA_Julia · March 3, 2015

I did some quick research on your area of the state and more specifically Connellsville.
You appear to be a bit higher in altitude than I am in Allentown. After studying the USDA Growing zone map for the state I believe you are in zone 5B to 6A.

You should be starting your seeds around the third week in March for plant out approx the middle of May.

And there you go.

barefootgardener · March 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wvuarmyeng

i would like to maybe start some this year from seed. How soon do I need to start them I'm located in southwest pa.

I am also looking for a for tomatoes for sketty sauce. Not sure how many I want to plant yet

Any help would be great thanks!

Hi, and welcome to Tville! I would be more than happy to send you a few varieties of tomato seeds that would be good for sauce making . If your interested click on my Tville name and send me a private message with your name and address. They would show up in plenty of time to get started in your area in a few weeks. I dont want nothing in return.

Ginny

Starlight · March 4, 2015

I have some Roma seeds I could send you. I don't know my tomatoes good enough to know what is good for sketty sauce or not other than the Roma's. You can pm with your addy too and I'll send you some.

If you look around the threads, you will find a lot of good advice on how to start them. I think maybe if your just starting using the solo cup method might be the best.

nnavarra61 · March 4, 2015

Got my first spout yesterday & I'm just outside of Philly, around here I've been told to start so I have 8-10 weeks and in the ground the week before Mothers Day (my mom loved a home grown tomato). This is my first start from seed in many years so we'll see. For GRAVY San Marzano's are great, but you need a bunch, trying Amish paste this year, have been told they are bigger & meatier than Roma's but heck Roma's are a good staple too.

nnavarra61 · March 4, 2015

PS check your post every day these people are extremely knowledgeable & helpful

paulgrow · March 4, 2015

Agree with Julia, mid March

Wvuarmyeng · March 4, 2015

thanks! now i just need more hours in the day to read up on stuff

Misfit · March 4, 2015

I'm in Towson Md.... I started my Tom. seeds yesterday. hoping for an early May plant out. If they get leggy, I'll just plant them deeper.

Best of luck!

-Jimmy

:::edit::: all homegrown toms (imho) , are great in sketty sauce; mix it up

Wvuarmyeng · March 22, 2015

finally got mine started today. now i just need to figure out what peppers i want to grow. mine did horrible last year and i had so many two years ago i was taking them by the walmart bag or two each week to work to give away. i like a sweet pepper with lots of flavor i stuff them with a cheese mix or do the normal stuffed pepper.

bughunter99 · March 22, 2015

Make sure those tomato babies are getting great light. Know that at this time of year a window is probably still not enough. Get them outside on warm days but on the first day outside, shade only so they can toughen up and not too windy.

When it is transplanting time, either to a bigger container or outside, plant them really deep...all the way up to the lower leaves. This helps them grow very strong because they will sprout roots all along the step that you put underground. More Roots means more sources for nutrients means stronger growth.

When you get your pepper seeds, put the planter on a heating pad to speed things up. Not too hot though. Use the low setting. If you don;t have a heating pad, warmest spot in the house, such as on top of the refrigerator. Note that some pepper seeds can take a few weeks to sprout, longer if they are cold, so don't give up. Some of mine are finally coming up after three weeks. Get them in asap because they take awhile.

I'm in zone five and for sweet peppers have had good success with Odessa, Belgium Red, Sweet Chocolate and Lipstick. Corbacci is fun and fast and productive but rather a pain to seed because of its shape. Peppers want warm soil. Don't plant them in the ground until things have warmed up considerably. Night time temperatures matter for peppers.

Stacy

RomanX · March 23, 2015

It's my first year, too. I was told that (if I had no heating pad) putting the seed tray on top of the rerrigerator - for germination - would ensure a steady temp of ~70 (the refrigerator itself would generate the temp)

I havewn't put a thermometer up there to see if this was true or not.

I also was told that if I used an electric blanket (unfolded, of course...and UNDER the seed flat), then it could be used to provide bottom heat.

Since I believe in "Betrter safe than sorry" and support wearing a belt AND using suspenders at the same time.......I used a thermostatically -controlled heat mat!!

March 2, 2015	#1
Wvuarmyeng Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: connellsville, pa Posts: 22	First time with tomatoes from seed i would like to maybe start some this year from seed. How soon do I need to start them I'm located in southwest pa. I am also looking for a for tomatoes for sketty sauce. Not sure how many I want to plant yet Any help would be great thanks!

March 3, 2015	#3
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	Find out your expected last frost date, back up six weeks, and start tomatoes around that time. I'm in northern Vermont, and expect I'm safe after Memorial Day, so I start planting in mid April, or two weeks earlier for my greenhouse plants. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

March 3, 2015	#4
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	I did some quick research on your area of the state and more specifically Connellsville. You appear to be a bit higher in altitude than I am in Allentown. After studying the USDA Growing zone map for the state I believe you are in zone 5B to 6A. You should be starting your seeds around the third week in March for plant out approx the middle of May. And there you go. __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013

March 4, 2015	#9
paulgrow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Allen Park, MI Posts: 178	Agree with Julia, mid March __________________ A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins. ~Author Unknown~

March 4, 2015	#11
Misfit Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Baltimore Posts: 165	I'm in Towson Md.... I started my Tom. seeds yesterday. hoping for an early May plant out. If they get leggy, I'll just plant them deeper. Best of luck! -Jimmy :::edit::: all homegrown toms (imho) , are great in sketty sauce; mix it up Last edited by Misfit; March 4, 2015 at 10:31 PM.

March 3, 2015	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	People in your growing zone are starting seeds right now I think. The reason I replied is so this would get back to the top so folks might help you that are from your area. As it has been around 18 hours since you first asked the question. Worth

March 4, 2015	#6
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	I have some Roma seeds I could send you. I don't know my tomatoes good enough to know what is good for sketty sauce or not other than the Roma's. You can pm with your addy too and I'll send you some. If you look around the threads, you will find a lot of good advice on how to start them. I think maybe if your just starting using the solo cup method might be the best.

March 4, 2015	#7
nnavarra61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Willow Grove, Pa. Posts: 29	Got my first spout yesterday & I'm just outside of Philly, around here I've been told to start so I have 8-10 weeks and in the ground the week before Mothers Day (my mom loved a home grown tomato). This is my first start from seed in many years so we'll see. For GRAVY San Marzano's are great, but you need a bunch, trying Amish paste this year, have been told they are bigger & meatier than Roma's but heck Roma's are a good staple too.

March 22, 2015	#12
Wvuarmyeng Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: connellsville, pa Posts: 22	finally got mine started today. now i just need to figure out what peppers i want to grow. mine did horrible last year and i had so many two years ago i was taking them by the walmart bag or two each week to work to give away. i like a sweet pepper with lots of flavor i stuff them with a cheese mix or do the normal stuffed pepper.

March 22, 2015	#13
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	Make sure those tomato babies are getting great light. Know that at this time of year a window is probably still not enough. Get them outside on warm days but on the first day outside, shade only so they can toughen up and not too windy. When it is transplanting time, either to a bigger container or outside, plant them really deep...all the way up to the lower leaves. This helps them grow very strong because they will sprout roots all along the step that you put underground. More Roots means more sources for nutrients means stronger growth. When you get your pepper seeds, put the planter on a heating pad to speed things up. Not too hot though. Use the low setting. If you don;t have a heating pad, warmest spot in the house, such as on top of the refrigerator. Note that some pepper seeds can take a few weeks to sprout, longer if they are cold, so don't give up. Some of mine are finally coming up after three weeks. Get them in asap because they take awhile. I'm in zone five and for sweet peppers have had good success with Odessa, Belgium Red, Sweet Chocolate and Lipstick. Corbacci is fun and fast and productive but rather a pain to seed because of its shape. Peppers want warm soil. Don't plant them in the ground until things have warmed up considerably. Night time temperatures matter for peppers. Stacy

March 23, 2015	#14
RomanX Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 119	It's my first year, too. I was told that (if I had no heating pad) putting the seed tray on top of the rerrigerator - for germination - would ensure a steady temp of ~70 (the refrigerator itself would generate the temp) I havewn't put a thermometer up there to see if this was true or not. I also was told that if I used an electric blanket (unfolded, of course...and UNDER the seed flat), then it could be used to provide bottom heat. Since I believe in "Betrter safe than sorry" and support wearing a belt AND using suspenders at the same time.......I used a thermostatically -controlled heat mat!!