COLD TOLERANT Tomato Seeds Planted: Hot House Cage

It starts out with the slow growing plants but as the addiction starts taking hold, mad planting begins.

I just planted tomato seeds. It is a bit early here for that. But I have a strategy. These are cold tolerant tomatoes. They are the same ones I put in toward the end of last year. They did well in the cold but I was too late in planting them. A hard frost got them.

My idea... Grow the cold tolerant ones and build a hot-house tomato cage around them. If all goes well, TOMATOES in May.

To see what a hot-house tomato cage is check out my Knol on it.
How to Build a Hot-House Tomate Cage: A Slide Show

I planted:

Polar Baby
Oregan Spring V
Silver Fir Tree
Glacier
Sub Artic Max

Silver Fir is a Russian variety. I figure the cold spring might work.

Progress on the Seedlings: Snapdragons are Up

I planted my slow growing herbs and other plants. I also planted snapdragons that don't grow slowly but I want them to be large come planting time. Everything was planted on 1/21. Only the snapdragons are up. The chive garlic is just showing.

Snapdragons 1 week old

You might notice I over plant my cells. I really over planted the snapdragons. They are hardy. I will divide them, redivide them, and divide them again. This method save me space.  Below is my grow closet.

My Grow Closet

The Beginning of the 2011 Gardening Season

Every season has a beginning. I figured the first big snow is a great starting point. Perhaps poetic. Definitely something to look at and appreciate.

What I like is the previous years garden gave shape to the fallen snow.

Tomato Cages and A Grape Vine

White Pine and (left) Perennial Bed

Cucumber Wall and Blackberry Brambles

White Pine, Birches and an Apple Tree

The Upper Garden and Compost House

Grow Light On, Seeds In, The 2011 Garden Season Has Started

I cleaned out my grow closet. The lights work. Everything was dusted. I have two flats planted. I recommend getting your slow growers in now.

I planted rosemary, oregano, garlic chives, and lavender. They tend to take a long time to grow. I do over-plant me seed cells. I typically break them up and put them into cups. I will then break them up again a second time, out of the cups, if needed. It is the most effecient way for me to use my space.

I also planted snapdragons and coleus. The coleus take a long time to germinate and grow. I want them up and about come frost free time. The snapdragons grow like weeds. I must put 20 plus seeds in a cell. I will divide and divide them till ground planting time. They are very hardy plants and damage to the roots does little to stop them from growing.

Buy Tomato Seeds Adapted to Your Climate

I am as guilty as the next person. I love the heirloom tomatoes and for some reason, have a fascination for Russian heirlooms. The problem is, my zone stays hot longer and the temperatures are hotter then a lot of the Russian zones. I have had many Russian heirlooms just burn out come late July, early August.

It is important to match the heirloom seed to its growing conditions. Cold weather tomatoes will burn out. Planted late enough the might thrive till the September and you will be rewarded. Plan and plant accordingly to the needs of the variety.

That being said, I did buy 1 (only 1) Russian heirloom. Trying to figure out where it is from, is quite difficult. The rest of my seeds are for hot hot summer days.