Where to buy heirloom tomato plants? (Franklin: co-op, house, organic) - Nashville - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

46Barb · 03-15-2008, 07:34 AM

Someone told me to buy Cherokee black (purple) and German pink tomato plants.

Does anyone know who would carry these heirloom tomato plants? I don't want to start them from seed.

alleycat · 03-15-2008, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 46Barb

Someone told me to buy Cherokee black (purple) and German pink tomato plants.

Does anyone know who would carry these heirloom tomato plants? I don't want to start them from seed.

Most of the heirlooms I've seen are only available as seed. You might be surprised how easy it is to start tomatoes from seed.

bran_smith · 03-15-2008, 08:02 AM

i rather start from a seed, bc then you know what is in it. I did beef steak tomatoes last year from seeds, and i had soo many tomatoes ididnt know what to do with them..
get the seeds and plant them about mid to the last of may, and if they do anything like mine you will have tomatoes by mid last june...

Rainna · 03-15-2008, 07:49 PM

I started my tomatos plants from seed last year and was really pleased with the results. I didn't like the cherokee black, but everyones taste is different. You can buy heirloom plants on ebay or type in heirloom tomato plants in your search engine and there are several sites where they are sold. They are expensive though.

46Barb · 03-16-2008, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bran_smith

i rather start from a seed, bc then you know what is in it. I did beef steak tomatoes last year from seeds, and i had soo many tomatoes ididnt know what to do with them..
get the seeds and plant them about mid to the last of may, and if they do anything like mine you will have tomatoes by mid last june...

Did you just put the seeds in the ground in late May? I thought seeds had to be started indoors first. Thanks

Beretta · 03-16-2008, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 46Barb

Did you just put the seeds in the ground in late May? I thought seeds had to be started indoors first. Thanks

For tomatoes I start the seeds in little containers and put them on a tray in a warm, sunny spot in my house and water everyday, or as needed. By the way, I usually do about double the plants that I actually need in case some don't come up. It is easy to give away the tomato plants that I don't need.

bran_smith · 03-16-2008, 03:52 PM

no, i did them in flowing pots..I live in a apt right now and they were out side on my patio and they still did great..

alleycat · 03-16-2008, 04:18 PM

The only thing hard about starting tomato plants from seeds is if you start them inside you have to harden them off before setting them out. You shouldn't just take a tender tomato plant from inside and sit it out in full sun.

Here's an easy way to start tomatoes from seeds. Get a large diameter pot (doesn't have to be too deep), sow the seeds with a light covering of soil, set the pot outside and keep it watered enough that the soil doesn't dry out. If you're doing it now, keep an eye on the weather and bring the pot inside if it's going to get near freezing. Then when the plants get up to about six inches (and not earlier than April 15th here in Nashville), set them out. Plant them about an inch deeper than the soil line in the pot and wrap a small piece of aluminum foil lightly around the lower part of the plants to protect them against cutworms when they're young. Then . . . in 65 days, or 75 day, or whenever (the time varies by variety of plant), enjoy the harvest.

Rainna · 03-16-2008, 08:23 PM

I have some of mine in peat pots now. I will start some more in May in pots on the deck, and some more in June. I have tomatos in the garden until frost. When we are due for a frost in the fall I'll pick as many as I have room for, wrap them in newspaper and put them in a cool dark place. I keep a check on them and use them as they ripen and I have tomatoes till around the first of Feb. I had to give away some because they ripen to fast for us to eat them all. Tomatos are so easy to start from seed.

marymare · 03-16-2008, 08:59 PM

I just received an email today informing me of an organic farm's heirloom sales. Eaton's Creek Organics will be selling organic heirloom tomato, pepper, and basil plants on April 8 and April 12 in Franklin at the co-op and also the Turnip Truck in East Nashville on the morning of the 12. It's best to order ahead, send an email to ecorganics@bellsouth.net and request the order form and they will send you the details.

I picked up some Cherokee Purple from them last year and the plants were great.