West Seattle Blog...

WSB Forum » WSB Reader Recommendations

(20 posts)

Looking for Tomato Plants

Started 3 years ago by sage
Latest reply from rykrite

sage
Member Profile

Hi- I'm looking for a good source of live tomato plants, preferably somewhere with a good variety of organic and/or heirloom starts. Any recommendations on a place where you've had success? I know I've seen some tomatoes at the farmers market and at West Seattle Nursery, but don't have a good sense of the quality.

In case you're wondering, I had in fact planned ahead way more than this, but my mail-ordered plants did not make it home in very good shape. Mail order recommendations would work too!

Thanks!

Posted 3 years ago #
cathyw
Member Profile

I too am interested in a good source for tomato plants.

In addition, there was some discussion last year about problems West Seattle gardeners were having with their tomato blossoms setting up into fruit. I had lots of blossoms last year that withered on the vines and had a very poor crop. Some people said it was because of a cold spring. Others said it was a lack of bees available to pollinate the flowers. I at first attributed it to a defect in the plants I bought (I won't say where because it's probably not true).

Would like to hear the experience of others as well as where they are buying plants this year. Homegrown tomatoes are the best!

Posted 3 years ago #
austin
Member Profile

I also had problems with my tomatoes last year just like you describe Cathy, decent number of blossoms but they didn't fruit out. I blamed it on planting late, a cool spring and the month and a half long and very inconsistent summer. This year I'm thinking about setting up a small hoop house for them.

Last year my plants were from the furry faces foundation plant sale, some of the last tomatoes they had. This year I've started half my tomatoes from seed and the other half I picked up at the olympia farmers market. Oly isn't super convenient to west seattle but if you're down there between thursday and sunday there are a number of people selling a lot of very nice looking veggies and herbs.

Posted 3 years ago #
celeste17
Member Profile

I bought my tomato plants from Tony's market on 35th. Last year I planted two plants and got lots of tomatoes but had to pick them green and put them in a paper bag to ripen due to the lack of summer. I have my plants ready to go this year but haven't put them in the ground yet as its been to cold. I am also going to try one of those topsy turvy plant things that grows the tomatoes upside down to see how that works.

Posted 3 years ago #
sage
Member Profile

oow, I didn't know Tony's sold tomato plants -- it's very close to home for me. Do they stock organic/heirloom varieties, or just the usual Home Depot types not totally appropriate for the Northwest?

Posted 3 years ago #
Sue
Member Profile

Last year was the first year I grew tomatoes, and I grow them in containers on my deck. The Early Girl and Sweet Million I got from WS Nursery, and I had a Siberian Heirloom something-or-other from the farmers market. (The Siberian Heirloom were supposed to be able to bloom down to 38 degrees, and were definitely had the latest crop of the 3.) All 3 did very well. I did use a tomato bloom spray that another nursery suggested to me (not in our area), so I don't know if it helped my success, or they would've done fine without it. I probably started them in June last year, or at least very late May, so I didn't have them out in extreme cold. While I've started the rest of my garden, I've yet to buy/plant any tomatoes yet and will probably wait at least a few weeks before I do, given how cool it's been and the inconsistent sun.

Posted 3 years ago #
jwws
Member Profile

I've purchased my tomato plants from Swanson's for a number of years - since I'm a container gardener I usually limit to cherry and grape varieties but have purchased heirloom varieties at Swanson's before. I was there on Tuesday and they had a large selection of tomatoes and all are healthy - hurry though as their selection goes quickly! Keep the starts inside for at least a few more weeks - I harden them up by bringing them out during sunny days and in at night before planting.

Posted 3 years ago #
Keith
Member Profile

There were two vendors selling tomato plants at the WS Farmer's Market on Sunday. One of them was from Vashon and I believe all of her stuff was organic - she mentioned that she will be a regular at the market.

Posted 3 years ago #
KatherineL
Member Profile

I had trouble getting tomatoes to ripen last year, too. It was just too cold for too long. I've given up on full size tomatoes; I only grow the grape or currant size. They ripen quicker. Last year the only tomato that ripened was a grape tomato called Jolly Elf. Unfortunately it's a hybrid. I'd really rather grow heirlooms. I'm trying an heirloom Italian grape again this year in hopes that the weather will be better.

As for lack of pollination, if you shake the branches that have blossoms now and then, they'll pollinate themselves. I've done that for two years now and had a huge crop start. They just don't ripen if the sun doesn't come out.

Posted 3 years ago #
MargL
Member Profile

I've always bought my tomato starts at McLendons. They're having a huge Anniversary sale tomorrow, but it's a mad house even today. Aside from the crappy weather I've always had good luck with the McLendons starts.

Posted 3 years ago #
furryfaces
Member Profile

Come to Furry Faces Foundation's 9th Annual Plant Sale on May 16th and 17th! We will have a fabulous selection of 100% organic tomato plants lovingly grown by Karen, The Backyard Gardner. Plus, many other of her veggies and of course, our perennials and annuals. Hope to see you there: address is 3809 46th Ave SW; time 10 am - 4 pm, both days. Cheers,f3

Posted 3 years ago #
Bayou
Member Profile

I'm really hoping to find some heirlooms this weekend so if anyone finds the loot, please post! I'll also have to check out the Furry Faces sale.

I believe that "Juneuary" is to blame for the late ripening last year. I, too, had the best luck with the smaller cherry/grape varieties. And I still have a creative variety of canned green tomatoes and salsas in my cabinets.

Posted 3 years ago #
CatP
Member Profile

The vendor at the WS Farmers Market is Langley Fine Gardens; the owners Matt and Leda are fabulous and really know their stuff. Last weekend they had the cherry/grape size in red, green, yellow, white and black! And lots of great slicers and canning tomatoes. Their quality is top-notch--they sell through other venues as well (I've seen their plants in front of PCC before. No idea if they are there this year.)

Posted 3 years ago #
sage
Member Profile

A lot of great info here! So far, I ended up purchasing 4 plants from Village Green Perennial Nursery. Not a tremendous variety of types available, but they had a few heirloom and their starts looked to be in perfect shape. Definitely my favorite nursery around here for so many reasons...

Posted 3 years ago #
LisaM
Member Profile

what do you all ammend your soil with? What do you feed your tomatoes?
Thanks, I'm a newbie...

Posted 3 years ago #
AlkiRagdoll
Member Profile

While we are talking tomatoe plants, I was in Eastern Washington this weekend and bought a couple of tomato plants -- and the person that sold them to me said to plant them 3-4 inches in the ground -- basically covering up much of the existing small stalk. Anyone ever heard of that before?

Posted 3 years ago #
MargL
Member Profile

Yes - I'm doing that with all my spindly seedlings - planting them deep. In fact I know of folks that do that with more mature plants, digging a long hole and laying them down sideways so just the top sticks out. The plant will grow roots all along the main stem underground and it makes for a better root system.

Posted 3 years ago #
aimymichelle
Member Profile

carpinitos in kent has some.

Posted 3 years ago #
WSMom
Member Profile

I purchased several heirloom variety tomato plants at the Bellingham Farmers Market on Saturday. The organic farmer I bought them from told me she also is at the Ballard Farmers Market on Sunday. Also, West Seattle Nursery will have more starts coming in today and tomorrow (they were pretty cleaned out on Sunday).

My neighbor has been growing tomatoes in Seattle for over 60 years and she gave me some advice yesterday I thought I'd pass along. She never plants her tomatoes outside until June, any earlier than that and you risk shocking the plant with our too cold nighttime temperatures. She does go to the effort of transplanting the tomato start from the 4 inch pot into a larger container as soon as she purchases the plant. She uses composted soil from her garden in the container and adds a small amount of epson salt to the bottom. She always buys her vege starts at McClendon's and is happy with the quality of their products.

Posted 3 years ago #
rykrite
Member Profile

Last year was my first year growing tomatoes, and I was successful beyond my wildest dreams. We had Brandywine, Green Zebra, Black something-or-another, yellow pear, and others, and we had more than we could eat. We planted on May 11 last year, and did approximately the same this year. I have to admit that tonight my plants look a little cold...so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the best! Last year our harvest was immense.

This year I plucked off the lowest leaves and planted the stems deeper to make a hardier plant; I don't know yet if it worked! Last year, and this year, we got all our plants from the West Seattle Farmer's Market; a combination of the Langley Fine Gardens and Billy from Tonasket. This year we have 7 varieties and I'd like a couple more.

We amended our soil with vermicompost (worm poop from our worm bin), regular compost, and an organic slow-release fertilizer from West Seattle Nursery.

Posted 3 years ago #