Start Seedlings of TOMATOES,PEPPERS and EGGPLANTS soon in TX

I'm so happy to announce that it is almost time to start seedlings indoors of Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplants here in Texas.
Here are the best DECEMBER dates to start those seedlings in base of the "Gardening by the moon" calendar:

8th-10th
11th-12th
13th-15th
18th-19th

I will start mine one the first date: December 8th to the 10th.
So exciting !!

some from last year

I am so envious! Going to be in the single digits *F tonight - winter is just settling in. No tomato plants here for several more months :-(

Thanks for the heads up, drthor! I appreciate it!

Yeah, thanks for the heads up. It's so hard to think of spring planting when I'm covering everything in the garden with flannel sheets! I'll start some tomato seeds soon.

Hi DrThor....

How big of a container will you start your seeds.??..

I'm was thinking that I would start my seeds in a much bigger container this time around. I've used the small yogurt size containers before...but I'm considering more like a gallon sized this time. Is this wise..??..

I'm trying to avoid the transplanting to larger containers from a smaller one while waiting for late March / early April to plant outdoors.

I start my seedlings in a 4" pot. I save all my little pots from my annuals planting. I love to use this size pot because I can plant them right away outside when they are ready, and I also don't waste time to transplant them from one size pot to the other.
I think a one gallon pot will be too large ... but never tried.
I found the best soil starter from http://www.texashydroponics.com/shop/product.php?productid=2930&cat=102&page=1 . It is here in Dallas, a little far from you but worth the trip.
I found out that in this media the seedlings grow fantastic. No problem of fungus or drying out.
I just discovered TX Hydrophonic and since then I have been so succesfull with all my seedlings.

Anyway. I start my seed in a 4" pot. Pre-water the soil, I make a little hole, insert 2 seeds, cover.
Cover the pot with thin plastic sheet from the kitchen and secure it with an elastic. In a couple of days the seed will germinate and I remove the plastic cover.
Good luck

Hey DrThor ..... thanks for the soil starter suggestion and link... I'll have to figure out how to get down that way.

RE: The 4" pot --

So if you start your seeds in a 4" pot in Dec -- when do you plan on putting them in the ground..??.. I'm figuring late March at the earliest for our area. Won't your plants get root bound..??.

I try to plant my tomatoes out as early as I can.
Normally between March 1st to the 15th (depending when the "moon" says to plant them).
I am also prepared to protect them if we have a late frost.
I don't have a green house. I just start my seeds in my laundry room. It takes a while for them to grow ...
no root bound

That's strange, I have found if I try to put them out early I have more disease issues. Its so interesting to learn how other people garden. Some how we all get it right (usually)

I have just bought this year a special light from TX Hydrophonics, here in Dallas (they also have stores all over TX)
http://www.texashydroponics.com/shop/product.php?productid=2986&cat=286&page=1
It is a fantastic light.
I was not able to grow seedling before this light. It always seemed that the seedling were suffering ... but not anymore.
I normally keep th elight on between 14 to 16 hours a day.
I know it is expensive, but before I was never good at this. To me it is fantastic.
Good luck

DrThor, I liked the list of ingredients, so did an internet search this afternoon and then made a 60-mile round trip to north side of Ft. Worth to www.coolhousehydro.com and am now the proud owner (LOL) of a bag of the Roots Organics soil by Aurora that you told us about!! Very nice and helpful people and I plan on going there for one of their Saturday seminars, too, just to learn more about organic nutrients, etc.

Thanks for mentioning the Roots Organics soil.

I am so happy that you are enjoying the Root Organics soil. Isn't amazing what the ingredients are?
I figure it out that if I have to spend so much time and effort growing stuff I better do it right !!
I have read in other post how somebody is very good with other soil ... but I had no luck !
By the way I have started 36 tomatoes pots on Friday night, the 10th and about half of them have already sprout !
I am so excited.
By the way I have used almost all the "Root Organic" fertilizers this year and I just love them.

Just remember you WILL NOT NEED to use any fertilizer on your Root Organic seed mix. It is already full of amazing good stuff.

DrThor, where do you get your seed? Anywhere in the D/FW area? I'm all set up to plant but have almost no tomato seed !!! Got started on this a little late. I'm thinking of calling Wilhite Seed in Weatherford (Poolville) today to see how promptly they could ship or if I could go pick up a small order. I grew up on what was called a "truck farm" in NM raising all kinds of vegetables and melons to sell and my father (deceased) ordered seed from Wilhite 60+ years ago, so it would be a sentimental journey for me to see their operation.

One additional question: How long will tomato and vegetable seed remain viable? In other words, if I have to purchase 100 seeds, will they still germinate next year if stored in the freezer?

Gosh! There must be something wrong with me! Here it is Christmas, in the past one of my favorite times of the year, and all I seem to be doing is dreaming of next garden season! I'll be starting a number of tomato seed this coming weekend....

Dogs_N_Petunias, I bought from Willhite's for the first time last year and was very pleased with the germination rates (100% for me). I dont' think they have their 2011 catalog up yet and I think I remember that they don't start shipping until Jan. But I may have them confused with another seed company or maybe that was just their watermelon seeds. Let us know if you find out they are shipping now as I am holding off my order with them until Jan. (perhaps needlessly).

"Gosh! There must be something wrong with me! Here it is Christmas, in the past one of my favorite times of the year, and all I seem to be doing is dreaming of next garden season! I'll be starting a number of tomato seed this coming weekend..."
Congratulations your an addict welcome to our world. LOL

I don't even start my first batch of seeds until the middle of Jan. but I'm having trouble concentrating on the Holidays when I have to order seeds. lol

I always buy more seeds than I need ... I store them in a basket in my pantry.
I really don't know how long seeds will stay. If I seed packet is older I normally put 3 seeds in a hole.
IN the DFW area my favorite nursery is North Haven Garden (www.nhg.com). I really owe to them my education on vegetable garden.
But I usually buy online because I am shopping for certain varieties.
The best tomatoes in my garden in teh past two years have been:
SWEET 100
SUN GOLD
CELEBRITY
SAPHO (amazing)
BHN 444
GOLD NUDGET
BLACK KRIM
YELLOW PEAR
SEET MILLIONS

Normally I buy the majority of my seeds from http://www.gourmetseed.com/category/gourmet_seed.vegetable_seed/
I was born in Italy and this company export seeds straight from Italy. So they have lots more stuff.
Also, the seed packages are huge.

Good luck !

Ooooo! I just ordered BHN 444 for the first time! I'll have to look for sapho.....

Yes, I am addicted! LOL, not a problem addiction in by view!

SAPHO is fantastic. NHG was the only nursery in town selling it last year for $4.99 for 1/4 gallon !!
It was advertised to be able to set fruit in the heat of our summer !! and it DID !! Amazing small 2" tomatoes and very tasty.
I forgot where I bought the seeds ... expensive ... I remember 10 seeds for $ 4.99 .... but a MUST in my garden from now on !!
In the picture is Sapho.

I think Johnny's has the seeds. I'll have look....

Yes, you are right. Here are the Sapho seeds: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7565-sapho-f1.aspx
I have planted 3 this year. One seed in each hole and they all germinate 100%.

I just posted on the forum : GARDENING BY THE MOON

GARDENING BY THE MOON: January 2011

1st Plant Carrots, Turnips, Onions, Beets, Irish Potatoes And Other Root Crops, In The South. Lettuce, Cabbage, Collards, And Other Leafy Vegetables Will Do Well. Start Seedbeds. Good Day For Transplanting.

2nd-3rd Seeds Planted Now Will Grow Poorly And Yield Little.

4th-5th Good Days For Planting Aboveground Crops Such As Sweet Corn, Beans And Peppers, In Southern Florida, Texas And California.

6th-8th A Good Time To Kill Plant Pests Or Do Plowing. Poor For Planting.

9th-10th Fine For Planting Any Aboveground Crop, Where The Climate Permits. Extra Good For Peppers, Tomatoes, Peas, And Other Vine Crops.

11th-12th Barren Days. Do No Planting.

13th-14th Fine For Planting Beans, Peppers, Cucumbers, Melons And Other Aboveground Crops, Where Climate Is Suitable.

15th-16th Poor Days For Planting. Seeds Tend To Rot In The Ground.

17th-18th Best Planting Days For Aboveground Crops, Especially Peas, Beans, Cucumbers And Squash, Where Climate Is Suitable. Plant Seedbeds And Flower Gardens.

19th-23rd A Barren Time. Best For Killing Weeds, Briars, Poison Ivy, And Other Plant Pests. Clear Woodlots And Fencerows.

24th-25th Favorable Days For Planting Root Crops. Fine For Sowing Grains, Hay, And Forage Crops. Plant Flowers.

26th-28th Plant Carrots, Turnips, Onions, Beets, Irish Potatoes And Other Root Crops, In The South. Lettuce, Cabbage, Collards, And Other Leafy Vegetables Will Do Well. Start Seedbeds. Good Days For Transplanting.

29th-30th Seeds Planted Now Will Grow Poorly And Yield Little.

31st Good Planting Day For Root Crops Where Climate Permits.

Interesting post, especially the Moon calendar approach! I'm a lover of the Fox Fire series where many of the folks interviewed plant their gardens by such signs and swear by them. I'm a seed collector and saver so I'm never without seeds to start the spring garden season. Seeds packaged for the current season will do nicely stored at room temps; once opened I reseal with tape and place them in a glass mason jar in the fridge - not the freezer. You can check with web for tables listing the viability of properly stored seeds. I'm always on the lookout for end of season bargains at local nurseries and I order from seed suppliers: Johnny's Select Seeds and Bakers Creek are 2 favorites. On-line ordering is easy but I do order and keep the catalogs for reference, especially Johnny's because of the germination charts and cultural information.

I start seeds in a spare room where I've equipped a 5 shelf "metro rack" with 2, 4 foot shop light fixtures each shelf with 4 full spectrum daylight bulbs (replaced each season) on timers with seedling heat mat/thermostat under the seedling flats. I'm able to start community pots up to cell packs with ease. I also have a small fan to circulate air which help strengthen seedling's stems and disperse heat from the lights!

Happy New Year & Happy Gardening to All!

Ms. Tommie

As usual, I'm behind the times! LOL This month has been horrible for us. I plan on starting tomatoes in January. I'll also start my bell peppers and jalapenos.

I'm off later this week, starting on Wednesday, so I think I'll take a trip down to Russell Grain to see what kind of mater seeds they have. I saved my seeds from my peppers and will grow those again (they're heirlooms).

DNP~Where did you find the soil on the N side of FW?

Thanks for the info! I've been using the stuff from Ladybug and I really like their soil for transplants. I've used it for my winter sowing projects and it's done well. How much was the bag of soil you purchased and did it only come in one size?

Is this up near Fossil Creek area? My husband used to work up there!