Walmart plants

[slugworth]

The local walmart has a limited supply of tomato plants but I bought 1 that had 2 seedlings in the same container.
Way too early for outdoors this zone,but I wanted to grow indoors under lights until the proper time.
Husky red cherry.I separated the twins as soon as I got home.
I predict in a couple of weeks their plants will look like the wicked witches feet under the house when the ruby slippers were removed.
Nighttime temps are going to be in the 30's and low 40's F
Walmart gets a new batch every 3 weeks or so and they don't care about the plants,some vendor just rents the space.
Prices were $1 more than last year.

[Tormahto]

The local walmart has a limited supply of tomato plants but I bought 1 that had 2 seedlings in the same container.
Way too early for outdoors this zone,but I wanted to grow indoors under lights until the proper time.
Husky red cherry.I separated the twins as soon as I got home.
I predict in a couple of weeks their plants will look like the wicked witches feet under the house when the ruby slippers were removed.
Nighttime temps are going to be in the 30's and low 40's F
Walmart gets a new batch every 3 weeks or so and they don't care about the plants,some vendor just rents the space.
Prices were $1 more than last year.

Good find.

When I go to WalMart, the only plant that I'm looking for is SunGold. About every other year there will be the multiples in a pot, typically two. One year I found 4 in a pot, planted them on the property border with the neighbor, and told them to pick all they want.

[slugworth]

I never see sungold at walmart.
I have to buy at alternate side of the road sites.
In the past that one is the 1st to get ripe here.

[slugworth]

The husky red cherry is normally a container plant but I plant them in the ground.
The plants survived a direct hit from the 2020 hurricane and were still alive til the frost got them.
in-ground they grow about 3 feet tall.

[rxkeith]

the last plant i bought at walmart was a rosemary plant purchased about ten years ago.
i still have it. it is in a ten gallon size pot that i bring outside during the summer, and then lug
back upstairs during the winter. it is cooler on the second floor, and less prone to drying out from
the wood stove heating the house. i have taken a number of cuttings from it, and given them away.
it gives me something to do during the long winter months.


keith

[slugworth]

A woman shopper I talked to also starts plants from seed but was having trouble with sluggish progress.
68 degree F room no warming trays, so I suggested trying those.
She didn't buy anything so was probably looking for a particular variety.

[Tormahto]

the last plant i bought at walmart was a rosemary plant purchased about ten years ago.
i still have it. it is in a ten gallon size pot that i bring outside during the summer, and then lug
back upstairs during the winter. it is cooler on the second floor, and less prone to drying out from
the wood stove heating the house. i have taken a number of cuttings from it, and given them away.
it gives me something to do during the long winter months.


keith

I'll have to remember this post.

[Tormahto]

A woman shopper I talked to also starts plants from seed but was having trouble with sluggish progress.
68 degree F room no warming trays, so I suggested trying those.
She didn't buy anything so was probably looking for a particular variety.

The difference between 68 degrees F (7 days or more to germinate) and 72 degrees (about 3-4 days), is huge for starting tomato seeds. At either temp, it would be best to start them on top of the fridge, which is likely a degree or more warmer than some others places.That's my experience. I didn't keep track of percentages of seeds germinating, but it is probably lower at the lower temp.

Did you ask her if she used potting soil rather than a seed starting mix?

[slugworth]

It was brisk outside so the conversation was brief.
Soil temp in trays will always be cooler that the room temp due to water evaporation.
So with room temp 68 the soil is probably closer to 60 F.
Touch it with your finger and see.
My room is 60F so I use warming trays to keep the soil 77F (digital thermometer)

[slugworth]

Looking at them today, I estimate they lost about 10% of the tomato plants to the cold weather.