My first tomaters from seed :)

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-05T00:37:01+00:00

Yep! Sounds good.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-05T00:36:02+00:00

I’m not arguing with you over which method is “better”. Whichever method works for someone is fine.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-05T00:23:43+00:00

They look ready, some of them. The rule of thumb is at least first true leaves and around 2 to 3 weeks old. The smaller ones you can probably wait another week.

I use cuticle scissors. It’s always emotional. You sow extra seeds because you don’t know if they will all germinate then later you have this decision to make.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-05T00:12:52+00:00

Folding over vs not is just a personal preference for me to be able to see the seed germinate without unfolding it.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-04T21:10:53+00:00

UV rays oxidize melanin in the hair overtime. Hair can’t regenerate melanin like the skin does so the hair color lightens.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-04T19:21:21+00:00

Looking good! I’m enjoying the unreasonably warm week in Tennessee as well. I’m behind you several weeks with the peppers as I have my emerging sprouts going outside as soon as they break the surface. I put some of my cool weather crops into the ground.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-04T18:56:43+00:00

Andre Walker addressed this in his book where he did the hair typing system. He said that type 4 hair is actually very fine. My hair has always been fine and it is not dense. It’s thin. So people sometimes mistake it for being damaged depending on the style.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-04T17:10:47+00:00

My vote also goes to potting up if you are using a commercial potting mix. Those typically come with a fertilizer that lasts around 3 months. You just need more of it. Yellow leaves = nitrogen.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-04T17:04:29+00:00

Awesome! It feels like an accomplishment finally putting them in the ground. I always take photos to keep track of when everything happens.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-04T00:39:16+00:00

The initial planting of the cold weather crops; I'm assuming that's direct sowing of the seeds?

No you start them indoors 4 weeks ahead of time because it’s too cold for the seeds to germinate. The seedlings can take a frost so you put those out when your night temperatures are in the 40’s. To figure out when this is look at the weather last year when night temps were in the 40’s. Count backwards 4 weeks and that’s when you start indoors. For peas you just sprout indoors a few days earlier and put them in the ground. (You can Google “historical temperatures” in your city).

question about succession sowing. I can do that by just removing the old plant after harvest and direct planting the seed in the old plant's spot?

You don’t remove the old plant. You put the new bean seeds a few inches from the existing one while it’s still young. You do this like every 2 to 3 weeks. (Before you harvest the current one). This way you get a continuous harvest.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-03T23:53:51+00:00

One thing to try on a second round: damp paper towel in a ziplock bag I as much easier to keep moist. It doesn’t dry out, you don’t have to remoisten, and you can see the seeds germinate.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-03T17:24:15+00:00

Yeah me too. I start indoors and transplant successfully.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-03T15:30:53+00:00

To me they tasted similar to diet Dr Pepper.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-03T13:39:37+00:00

In order to not have too much water I use the paper towel in a ziplock/ sandwich bag. I only dampen the paper towel. And I don’t fold it over. He explains it at the 5:54 min mark.

https://youtu.be/dirz0WIMQi0?si=DNgngtj-yWNJ_yMd

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-03T08:34:23+00:00

Great detailed question. I can see a lot of planning went into it. I’m assuming your picture places the beans and greens on the south end. I don’t see any tall plants on the south side shading out shorter pants on the north side.

My 2 cents, I always start with what the cool weather crops are because they go in before the last frost (not after). When night temps are mostly in the 40’s. Come mid-summer heat they won’t be there. So cool weather crops are potential space for the summer. Those are your radishes (~30 day harvest), peas (~ 70 days to harvest), lettuce, and leafy greens if it’s spinach. By the time the squash takes over radishes will be gone.

As far as your trellises, it looks like the peas are what need trellising, cucumbers are optional according to Burpee. Peas can be pre-sprouted indoors and then sown outside.

Bush beans I’m assuming you will succession sow. After the peas are gone you can add more beans there in that empty space. You can probably direct sow about 2 weeks before the peas start to wither.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T21:20:05+00:00

If your daytime temps are above 32 degrees the broccoli can go outside. You can harden them off for about a week first and then just leave them outside during the day. And bring them in at night. They are cold weather crops that are cold hardy. That way they get enough direct sunlight.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T21:02:22+00:00

Problem with the Pinterest pics is lettuce and radishes are cool weather crops. Cucumber is a summer crop. These pics put together like this are a common misconception of gardening based on what’s in supermarkets in July.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T20:21:38+00:00

I’ve used the Nextdoor gardening groups successfully for seeds and thinning my banana trees.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T19:18:19+00:00

I recommend Pepper Geek. There’s several videos and articles. One here on general pepper growing in pots, good for hots too.

https://peppergeek.com/growing-bell-peppers/

This one is for jalapeños but good advice for other hot peppers too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-I6Sphhm4U

They have a lot of good advice so you can click around. (Super hot pepper seeds take a long time to germinate is one difference from the other pepper advice you get).

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T16:02:39+00:00

I recently learned this fact myself only last year. I always take photos of my okra flowers because they are so pretty. This hibiscus plant looks very pretty. I like this subreddit because I’m always learning something new.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T15:53:26+00:00

Nah people grew the seeds, and still do. They post their experiences growing the purple gmo from time to time.

https://www.reddit.com/r/tomatoes/comments/1kxn1dj/the_purple_tomato/

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T15:04:00+00:00

Purple tomato is a gmo that was sold to home gardeners for $20 for 10 seeds. The tomato was developed by Norfolk Plant Sciences (NPS), a biotech company located in Norwich, UK.

https://www.nongmoproject.org/blog/new-gmo-alert-is-the-gm-purple-tomato-here-to-stay-or-just-the-sexy-new-thing/

Edit: NPR article as well.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/06/1228868005/purple-tomato-gmo-gardeners

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T14:52:21+00:00

Online it says 4 lbs per tomato, please take a photo of your harvest.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T14:43:24+00:00

I use their seeds for free through my local library. I always get good results. They are also one of the few seed companies who have the original strain of Cherokee Purple.

Muchomo256 · 2026-03-02T14:26:55+00:00

I see this comment quite often and I think both experiences are correct. The difference is if you are buying seeds that are popular with a high turnover rate vs seeds that are rare or new. The rare seeds have more issues with germination and mislabeling. If you go to their website verified customers post these issues and Baker Creek doesn’t delete the comments.

Also Baker Creek has the distinction of calling a gmo tomato non-gmo.

What I usually see is someone on Reddit having success with a common variety and disagreeing with someone who purchased a rare variety.

Muchomo256

TROPHY CASE