I am interested in growing the best tomatoes, cucumbers and hot peppers.

Can someone please give me recommendations as to variety and methods?

I have no idea where to begin. I never planted anything before.

I live in PA near Philly. Is it to late to begin with seeds?

Where can I get quality seeds or plants?

Thanks!!

It is too late to start from seed, buy plants from a local nursery.
Choose disease resistant varieties where possible. Tomatoes and
cucumbers vary greatly in size of the fruit and size of the plant. Give
them as much direct sunlight as possible. You should prepare the soil by
loosening it to at least one foot deep, preferably two. Work in some
compost and slow release fertilizer. You can probably find better
directions on soil preparation if you do a google search.

Charles wrote:

I am interested in growing the best tomatoes, cucumbers and hot peppers.

Can someone please give me recommendations as to variety and methods?

I have no idea where to begin. I never planted anything before.

I live in PA near Philly. Is it to late to begin with seeds?

Where can I get quality seeds or plants?

Thanks!!

Charles wrote:
I am interested in growing the best tomatoes, cucumbers and hot peppers.

Can someone please give me recommendations as to variety and methods?

I have no idea where to begin. I never planted anything before.

I live in PA near Philly. Is it to late to begin with seeds?

Where can I get quality seeds or plants?

Thanks!!


It's too late to start tomatoes or peppers from seeds this year, but not
too late for cucumbers.

Buy tomato and pepper plants just about anywhere. Wal-mart, Home Depot,
and your local nurseries should all have them. I recommend "Early Girl"
and "Better Boy" tomatoes. Plant a few of each. And maybe one
interesting heirloom like "Brandywine", but don't expect a lot of fruit
from the Brandywine.

I can't help you much with the pepper varieties because I don't know
what you like, although "Gypsy" is a good sweet banana pepper and
"Mitla" is a very good early hybrid jalapeno pepper (but it's almost
impossible to find.)

Bob

"Charles" wrote in message
m...
I am interested in growing the best tomatoes, cucumbers and hot peppers.

Can someone please give me recommendations as to variety and methods?

I have no idea where to begin. I never planted anything before.

I live in PA near Philly. Is it to late to begin with seeds?

Where can I get quality seeds or plants?

Thanks!!

We're past the frost free time in our area. It is too late to plant seeds
but you can buy plants at any garden center. Just jump in, find a sunny
spot and plant.
Frank

For tomatoe's, I highly recommend Merced (they're very heat tolerant),
Celebrity, and Big Boy I've had good luck with all of these varieties.

If you want to grow bell peppers, the biggest and best variety is Big
Bertha. I'm also trying California Wonder this year to see how it does.

I put plenty of coffee grounds and eggshells around the base of each plant
about once a week, and give them a good shot of Miracle Grow every 2 to 3
weeks. My mater plants are very tall and have maters on them...will be ripe
in another week or so Peppers are growing fast too...I believe in the
benefits of Miracle Gro

Hope this helps
Angie

On 5/19/04 8:21 AM, in article
, "Charles"
wrote:

I am interested in growing the best tomatoes, cucumbers and hot peppers.

Can someone please give me recommendations as to variety and methods?

I have no idea where to begin. I never planted anything before.

I live in PA near Philly. Is it to late to begin with seeds?

Where can I get quality seeds or plants?

Thanks!!
HI Charles,
Wow, there are so many variables in growing the 'best' of any kind of
vegetable. Just what is the best? Is it taste? Is it size? Is it colour?
I have read many of the various suggestions and think you have received
many different ideas. These are mine.
Someone suggested using Miracle Grow. Miracle grow is a chemical
fertilizer and although it may work for tomatoes it doesn't feed the worms.
Feed the worms and your vegetables will love you.
I compost everything in sight from grass, leaves etc. to any vegetable
from our kitchen. If I put this 'stuff' in the garbage it takes fuel (which
causes pollution) to get it to a land fill. And just how may land fills can
we afford?
And you thought gardening was easy. It is, but there are many things
that have to be considered.
To me, and many others, the sustainable way is to compost! That's the
ticket to healthy worms and better soil quality. It could be that the plants
grow more slowly than by using chemical fertilizers but the taste, the taste
of the tomato grown with compost is worth the wait!
If you are just starting then check out the compost pile in the back
yard. I hope there is one there. If there is, dig down until you find black
soil...or brown. Take all that soil and dig it into where you are to grow
your plants. It may not look like much but take all you can find. It is rich
in plant nutrients.
Should you not have a back yard find someone that has a compost bin or
pile and ask them if you can have the composted stuff there. (Some people
don't know what they have and will give it away free and glad to get rid of
it). Don't take any that is grass clippings from a herbicide sprayed lawn.
Find another that has no sprayed chemicals on their lawn.
Feeding the worms is number one (chemical fertilizers don't feed the
worms). No chemicals, that kill, is number two.
I could tell you other things about how to plant your tomatoes etc. but
this post is long already...sorry about that. But you did ask and I haven't
even told you everything. But it is a start. Good luck.
Gary
Fort Langley, BC
Canada
PS: Buy the plants suggested by others from wherever. There are lots of good
varieties of each. Pick one or two then you will know which you prefer in
the future. The large tomatoes take longer to ripen (at least they do here
in BC, Canada). If this is the case where you live then it might be a good
idea to have some large type tomatoes and maybe a small variety, cherry for
example. You can eat the ripe cherry tomatoes while you are waiting for the
larger ones to mature. That's what I do.

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