GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Frank · 05-01-2007, 05:21 PM posted to rec.gardens

wrote:
My girlfriend and I love gardening, but have only ever planted tomatos
and peppers from starts you buy at the hardware store, or even walmart,
in the fall. We're trying to go cheaper this year, and I have a henry
fields catalog here with tomato and pepper seeds.

Here's where it starts to sound kinda hokey. Could we save money by
trying to start our own tomato and pepper plants inside? I can get a
48" flourescent two-bulb fixture and two grow bulbs for around $30. I
know, it's not a greenhouse. Another issue, we're planning on putting
them in dixie cups to start them, is that an issue?

We're only planning on growing about a dozen tomato plants and maybe a
dozen bell pepper plants, but we have many friends and family who also
garden that we'd share our starts with.

How large can these starts get in the house under a growlight?

You can grow seedlings on a window sill indoors. I start mine in moist
potting soil on top of the water heater in the basement and transfer to
peat pots when they sprout. Plenty of seeds will be available in
stores shortly so there is no need to mail order. Tomato and pepper
seeds are only good for a few years so unless you have a lot of plants,
plant about 2 seeds for each expected seedling the first year and about
4 for each the 2nd year. As weather warms, I harden plants on deck and
take in if danger of frost. Usually I repot in bigger pots before
setting out in grow pots on deck for summer.
Frank