Tomato Seed Starting Questions?

Spring Is Almost Here!

seeds sprouting

Guess how I know... because I'm physhic? Nooo... because I've been getting alot of emails with questions about getting your tomato seeds started. You're also asking if there is anything that can be done to prevent disease? After several similar emails I thought there must be alot of people who might like a quick note with some great pro-active tips on getting your tomato garden off to a healthy start.

There is nothing more aggravating than watching the leaves on your beautiful tomato plants wilt and die. I can't tell you how many gardeners (especially on the Eastcoast) I talked to that had a really hard time with Blight last summer (me included). So I decided this year to take some extra steps to help ensure a healthier crop by giving them The O'l Sulfur One Two Punch.

I always start my seeds in 4" pots with a moisture retaining soil mixture but this year I mixed about 1tsp of Tiger-Sul or organic sulfur into the soil (that's the first punch). Sulfur is great for heading off alot of tomato diseases including Blight.

Once my plants are about 6 inches tall and have been "hardened off" (this means slowly acclimated to out door life) and they are ready to go into the garden or containers, For punch number two I'll mix another scoop of sulfur (about 1/4 cup this time), one scoop of bone meal (optional), some manure compost and work it into the soil where my tomato plant will grow. Bone meal is a slow releasing fertilizer and I want all the fertilizing I can get without burning my plants so I'll also alternate Miracle Grow one week and then an Epson Salt spray the next week (Epson Salts mixed with water in a squirt bottle).

With the O'l One Two Sulfur punch they are receiving all I should have to worry about now is the dreaded Horn Worm. But I've got something for him too:)