Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

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Labradors
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Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#1

Post: # 28624Unread post Labradors
Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:01 pm

I'm anxious to grow some winter tomatoes this year, and wondering when others usually start theirs. I'm thinking that they would germinate really well now, and get a head start, but then they'd need to survive, either under the grow lights or on a sunny windowsill.

I'd love to know hear your experience.

Linda

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wykvlvr
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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#2

Post: # 28626Unread post wykvlvr
Wed Aug 19, 2020 7:39 pm

This is my first year to grow micros and most of mine are outside right now. My first ones were planted 27 April and my last ones on 26 May. I planted 9 different varieties and started 2 new varieties about every 2 weeks... The ones outside are loaded with tomatoes but none are ripe yet which is true of almost all my tomatoes...

My five Mirco Tom were planted on 26 May and grown inside under the grow light. One gave me a ripe tomato by the first week of august and a second and third were not far behind. Sadly 2 while full of tomatoes have not produced a ripe one yet. So I would plan on at least 12 weeks before you want new tomatoes. Honestly if you planted today and your plants give you tomatoes in the same time frame as my Micro Tom(who actually were ridiculously early) you would not have fresh tomatoes until around November 11th!

I have to admit I planted some micro seeds a week ago but they weren't really planned for fall/winter tomatoes but rather I was/am really anxious to see how these F2 turn out. But looking at that date I better start thinking about where my for eating micros should go...
Wyoming
Zone 5
Elevation : 6,063 ft
Climate : semi-arid
Avg annual rainfall = 16 inches

farmersteve
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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#3

Post: # 28650Unread post farmersteve
Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:02 am

Technically you could start them now. I live near Seattle and the rain usually wipes out my tomatoes around the first week of October so I like to have my indoor microdwarf plants going strong by then, fruiting by Thanksgiving and the holidays.

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#4

Post: # 28703Unread post HL2601
Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:19 pm

I agree that you can plant now if you want. I generally have generations going all year long. Normally I start some 11/1, 1/1, 4/1. Not sure why I chose those dates originally ,except they work for my schedule. I am also furthering some breeding lines though, so I am pretty anxious to discover next generations. For the first time I must admit I have 5 babies I started 7/15 sitting nicely outside in one small pot. I just couldn't resist. As other large vines get diseased etc, the promise of new micros just breeds hope.

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#5

Post: # 28778Unread post Labradors
Fri Aug 21, 2020 1:43 pm

I just ordered this small grow light to keep in the living room to grow some micro tomatoes and maybe some spinach



I was concerned about my basement grow lights because it's rather cool down there, but now I can hopefully raise a few tomatoes in the warmer temps upstairs over the winter.

Thanks for your comments folks! I might plan to get some ripe fruit by December. Hopefully my garden tomatoes will keep me going until then.

Linda

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#6

Post: # 28900Unread post wykvlvr
Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:16 am

Oh I like that light and stand. I added it to my list on Amazon. Grin I am going to need more lights as I want to grow more plants this winter...

I have one LED light about that size that I used this year. The tray under it can easily hold five 6 inch pots. That is where my Micro Toms have been living.
Wyoming
Zone 5
Elevation : 6,063 ft
Climate : semi-arid
Avg annual rainfall = 16 inches

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#7

Post: # 28906Unread post Labradors
Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:02 am

Oh that is most interesting wykvlvr! Now I can calculate how many pots to cram under the new light! I've washed some pots now, in readiness......

Happy to help lead you astray with another grow-light purchase :).

Linda

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#8

Post: # 28908Unread post wykvlvr
Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:39 am

Grin I added that information just in case you found it helpful... I could possibly jam in more if the pots were smaller or didn't get wider at the top. IE something like a tiny grow bag I could probably fit more in. Hmmm off to look at small grow bags...
Wyoming
Zone 5
Elevation : 6,063 ft
Climate : semi-arid
Avg annual rainfall = 16 inches

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#9

Post: # 28909Unread post Labradors
Sun Aug 23, 2020 10:18 am

I'm thinking that we could start the micro's off in little, 3" pots, and grow some spinach or arugula too, until the tomatoes need to be potted up into larger pots. I use square pots so that there is no space wasted ;).

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#10

Post: # 28910Unread post wykvlvr
Sun Aug 23, 2020 10:32 am

you can, I know one person who uses 4 inch azalea pots for most if not all of the growing season for his. Smaller pots = smaller plants and fewer tomatoes but none of these really need huge pots. My pots are round but I think I need some square ones...
Wyoming
Zone 5
Elevation : 6,063 ft
Climate : semi-arid
Avg annual rainfall = 16 inches

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#11

Post: # 28916Unread post Labradors
Sun Aug 23, 2020 11:45 am

I have some micros that will do ok in one-gallon or smaller containers, but it's a thought to grow more plants in smaller containers. They can spread out a bit when they can survive on a sunny windowsill.

I invested in some 3" square pots for tomato/pepper/eggplant seedlings (and I grow 2-4 in each pot for a month). They were quite pricey, and difficult to find! It is satisfying to have square pots that fit in the trays. The larger size for (potting up) is easy to find when I buy plants from nurseries or stores so I have a stash of them. Friends and neighbours get their seedlings in saved waxed creamer cartons (unless I can be sure that they will return my precious pots!) :).

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#12

Post: # 28986Unread post farmersteve
Mon Aug 24, 2020 10:06 am

I grow my micros on a Costco wire rack which I suspend four shop lights under each shelf. For each level I have 2 4000k and 2 6500k lights. The 4000k lights are cheap led shop lights I got at a local hardware store and the 6500k lights I got cheap from Amazon. I grow them in 1 gallon pots although I might go to a bigger pot this year. I put a seed starting mat under them to keep them warm and put reflectix on 3 sides to reflect as much heat and bounce the light off. I get a nice continuous crop all winter, enough for salads and occasional pasta dish. Next step up would be a full on grow room but I really don't want to go there.

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#13

Post: # 28992Unread post Labradors
Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:17 am

Sounds great Farmer Steve. I agree that it's a bit of a quandry as to how much indoor growing is too much. I'm always relieved when I can get all the spring seedlings outside!

We sprang for a fancy 3-tier grow light stand which is permanently in the basement now, but my friend has a simple Costco wire rack with shop lights and it seems much easier for her to raise and lower her lights and I think she can also raise them higher than I can.

Linda

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#14

Post: # 28994Unread post farmersteve
Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:10 pm

Labradors wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:17 am Sounds great Farmer Steve. I agree that it's a bit of a quandry as to how much indoor growing is too much. I'm always relieved when I can get all the spring seedlings outside!

We sprang for a fancy 3-tier grow light stand which is permanently in the basement now, but my friend has a simple Costco wire rack with shop lights and it seems much easier for her to raise and lower her lights and I think she can also raise them higher than I can.

Linda
I have my shelves at different heights for different purposes and can adjust, although not very easily. I do adjust the lights on little chains I have attached by hooks I put on the ends of them. Makes it easy to get the lights right above the foliage level

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#15

Post: # 29035Unread post wykvlvr
Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:28 am

[mention]Labradors[/mention]
Thought I would let you know for planning that I just had my first ripe tomato off of my Baby Micro Dwarf plants at 120 days after planting their seeds. That is probably a lot more realistic then my Micro Toms at about 60 days from seed planting...
Wyoming
Zone 5
Elevation : 6,063 ft
Climate : semi-arid
Avg annual rainfall = 16 inches

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#16

Post: # 29042Unread post Labradors
Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:03 am

[mention]wykvlvr[/mention] 60 days sounds very fast. I grew the compact Russian Cherry (in a 3 gallon pot) a few times and had ripe fruit at 100 days. I had hoped the micro's might be earlier, but I guess not.....

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#17

Post: # 29051Unread post wykvlvr
Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:35 am

Was your Russian Cherry counted from seed? If so I need to try that one...
I should mention that Baby was outside and our weather has been scorching during the day and chilly at night ie 90s dropping to 50s... that could very well have affected how long it took. Also grin was your cherry tomato only 4 inches tall?
Wyoming
Zone 5
Elevation : 6,063 ft
Climate : semi-arid
Avg annual rainfall = 16 inches

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#18

Post: # 29054Unread post Labradors
Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:43 am

Yes. It fruited 100 days from seed. I grew it in my 50 degree basement for 8 weeks, and then put it outside on sunny days until the weather was warm enough for it to stay outside. Apparently, it can grow in a one-gallon container, but I used a bigger pot and it grew to 25". You'd think it would have taken longer than a true micro!

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#19

Post: # 29056Unread post wykvlvr
Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:05 am

Many original micros were selected for small, taste and days to maturity were not as important. Newer ones like those being released this fall have emphasized taste and early, as well as small. Expect to see a small explosion of new varieties over the next 5-10years as more folks are getting involved in breeding micros that suit their needs. The Micro Tomato Diversity Project has some very interesting lines being worked on.
Wyoming
Zone 5
Elevation : 6,063 ft
Climate : semi-arid
Avg annual rainfall = 16 inches

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Re: Northerners. When do you start your winter micros?

#20

Post: # 29058Unread post Labradors
Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:14 am

That sounds great! I have grown a few micro varieties over the years, and have often been disappointed with the bitter taste. The best I found was Red Robin, which is actually quite a decent-tasting, productive micro.

Where can we find out more about the Micro Tomato Diversity Project?

Linda

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