Germinating Tomatoes from seed Sprouting Planting Tomato seeds Peppers under lights

[W4V3MAKER]

Nice set up you got there.

[Radwoem]

I've had great success with the Jiffy Greenhouse, like the one you have in the cabinet. I started rutgers, brandy boys, porterhouse beefsteak, and am waiting on the pink brandywines. I keep my actual greenhouse at 70degrees and I don't use heatmats (although, they are not a bad idea at all and do greatly help in germination).

[paulgem123]

Nice job. I'm going to start mine today.

[emsapowell]

Nice! That's about what I have in mind to grow in my living room..lol Just gotta find a cheap thrift store cabinet!

[ShotgunAndAShovel]

@emsapowell You could also build one. Get a sheet of that cheap particle board stuff and some pine boards. Paint it really well to prevent water damage and you're good-to-go!

[usc5299]

how many hours in the day do you keep that light on your plants?

[BubbleBeet]

@usc5299 about 17 hrs on, 7 hrs off. i manually turn the lights off before bedtime and on in the morning. I could use an electric timer but i like checking on the plants so havent installed one yet. the heatpad under the tray always stays on to keep the roots warm.

[nottinmatterz2day]

is that a special light or just a CFL?

[BubbleBeet]

@nottinmatterz2day hi, they are 32 watt regular compact fluorescent's from Home Depot. And the other light is a regular 4 foot shoplight with 4' fluorescent tubes.

[BookOfManual]

your tomatoes are as awesome as the background music--,)

[19Photographer76]

Well done, they look terrific! That looked like real soil they were planted in. Did you just water or did you also feed during that 31 day period?

[BubbleBeet]

@19Photographer76 thanks! yes i used garden soil straight from my outside beds. I fed them a few times with half strength fish emulsion fertilizer (1/2 tbsp per gal). The first feeding was around 2 weeks and then once more during the 3rd week.

[field16]

I love that cabinet! Your plants look super healthy and they must have loved that cabinet, too. (They might have wanted to stay in there.) My only concern would be a possible fire hazard from the heat of the bulb near wood. Probably just a remote chance. Wishing you great success getting these plants to set fruit for you.

[BubbleBeet]

@field16 thanks! this is the first year ive seriously tried growing tomatoes, im excited to find out how the Brandywines and other homegrown tomatoes taste. Next year i'll try the cherokee purple, in your video u said its one of your favorites. The cabinet bulbs r low watt compact fluoros and feel warm to the touch, just enough to keep the inside 65-75 degrees during winter. probably not a fire hazard but i'll keep an eye on it next season.

[field16]

@BubbleBeet Yeah, you should be excited. Homegrown tomatoes with the right varieties are the best. Fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes are one of the great rewards of gardening. I'm looking forward to a harvest, too.

I plan to save seeds for the Cherokee Purple this year, which are currently thriving in the garden now. If you remind me this winter after the growing season is over, I'll send you some seed.