Ditto! Love it with fish as well.

Me too.I love the flavor of fresh Dill.

So went to the big major Nursery in this part of Long Island which is called Hicks Nursery. I used to buy all my tomato seedlings there each spring but this year I have my own of course.

Still I did look at all the tomatoes. I remember getting them last year and being truly pleased with my selections. This year I guess they must have pretty much the same things but I thought I had much better selection at home. Which I do.

Bought Dill seeds, bought onion plants and bought eggplants. Also various fertilizer. I need to fertilize my roses and blueberries and then I also have Dr Earth Tomato and Veggie Fertilizer because it was on sale today and I will be needing it for my veggies (especially the tomatoes) as they grow.

So interruption in the writing while I went out and planted my onion plants. These are Rum Red Bunching Onions which I thought might be sorta similar to those Crimson Forest Bunching onion seeds that I had. I think they will do well. At least I hope so.

Then I also planted an entire packet of Dill seeds so I am hoping third time is the charm and that my dill did not come up first two times but now with fresh seeds I think that it will. I wanted to get those seeds sown today. I put them in cellpacks like I start all my veggies and herbs.

On my eggplants that is one thing I did not start myself so had to buy. I have Little Fingers, Parks Whoppers and one simply called White. I brought them inside and they are here under lights with the rest of my veggies as I think it is too cold for eggplants outside overnight as yet.

I agree....way too cold for peppers & eggplants.....peas love it, though...picked more asparagus yesterday....I also have seeds for red bunching onions...will plant them in a few weeks.....

Getting near the end of my Tomato seedling planting. Not too many still left to do. But then I need to plant everything else. My melons, cukes, summer squashes, eggplants and Basil. Not warm enough yet for some of them to go out.

Well, did get a lot done today even some fertilizing. I have lots more fertilizing left to do.

A row of planted tomatoes in front of my porch. Pictures taken the day of planting on April 18th.



Closeup looking down the little tomato plant just peaking thru.

So it begins.. I know our ground Temps are too chilly for tomatoes.. will just sulk until it warms here

My soil is very cold still......peas are growing slowly.....

Onewish1 said:So it begins.. I know our ground Temps are too chilly for tomatoes.. will just sulk until it warms here

Yes, ground temps are a big thing. That is why my compost is simply piled on top of the ground. The compost is warmer than and holds heat better than the surrounding soil. I just plant directly in the compost.

I don't usually plant this early. Certainly not when I buy plants. But as I found out my home grown seedlings were started too early and getting lanky so really needed to get in the ground.

The leaves hold the warm air we had as Rita planted many of her tomatoes, and with the many layers of leaves (and the warmer soil) I'd bet she won't have a problem.

My lone tomato is planted in the warmest spot in the rose garden and I keep covering it at night to keep it safe.

pirl said:The leaves hold the warm air we had as Rita planted many of her tomatoes, and with the many layers of leaves (and the warmer soil) I'd bet she won't have a problem.

My lone tomato is planted in the warmest spot in the rose garden and I keep covering it at night to keep it safe.

You are colder overnight out there than I am here.

But I Have been doing this for years with my tomato plants. It works for me so I continue doing it.

Many, many years ago when I planted in bare soil like most folks do and then later mulched I never planted until around May8th or so.

pirl said:The leaves hold the warm air we had as Rita planted many of her tomatoes, and with the many layers of leaves (and the warmer soil) I'd bet she won't have a problem.
.

Here is a picture I took today of these seedlings that I put out beginning of last week. I had them buried in the leaf mulch. You really couldn't see them unless you stood over them. In fact each morning I often found them covered when the wind had blown leaves over them. Not unusual for me to be uncovering seedlings each morning till they grow up.

closeup



You can see they are over the leaf mulch so already had grown nicely.

Planted my cucumber seedlings today. Here is one of the trellis sections I have set up for cukes as I grown mine up netting always. Saves space and keeps them off the ground and away from slugs.



closeup of seedlings


So I use the oppose method compared to my tomatoes. For the cucumbers I take off all the mulch were I will be planting and leave bare ground. The seedling do not get mulched until they get big enough to be climbing up the trellis. This is too keep slugs from eating my baby cukes!!

I know it's extra work but when I had a ton of skinny tomatoe seedlings.. I made the newspaper pots .. taller than a normal 6 pack.. think i used a beer bottle to make the roll.. and masking tape to hold them together.. bury the plants deeper before going in the ground .. the soil at the old house would take forever to warm in spring.. it was the only way I could keep them happy..

Onewish1 said:I know it's extra work but when I had a ton of skinny tomatoe seedlings.. I made the newspaper pots .. taller than a normal 6 pack.. think i used a beer bottle to make the roll.. and masking tape to hold them together.. bury the plants deeper before going in the ground .. the soil at the old house would take forever to warm in spring.. it was the only way I could keep them happy..

That is a good method and should make for sturdy plants.

All the cukes, melons and squashes I had grown from seed are planted out. Today I planted the melons, the cukes were already planted and today put out the last 6 pack of home grown summer squashes.

So I set up more squash and melons and cukes. Used up whatever seeds I had. So now I have another tray under lights of melon, cukes and summer squashes.

Wish I could plant out my Basil but Basil hates the cold so inside it stays. I do take it out on warmer days but in it comes at night.

I planted two of my basil plants on 4/19 just to test how they'd do. So far, so good.

I'll buy a few basil plants when I buy my tomatoes......will be going to WFF to get them....some really great & different varieties there.....My neighbor down the road also sells plants, so I'll buy a few from him......

pirl said:I planted two of my basil plants on 4/19 just to test how they'd do. So far, so good.

I have been afraid to plant my basil and it really is big enough to get planted.