Every year, in preparation for the Mid-Atlantic Swap in Burtonsville, I start flats of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants from seed. And every year I tell myself not to overdo it. Not to make myself so much work. Or extra expense. Or aggravation. But, I’m lousy at talking myself out of things, it appears.
See, I love variety. And sharing plants with others—awakening a desire to try something different than the norm, an heirloom or just an unusual variety from another country. And people at The Swap look forward to all of it, so how can I let them down? And then there are my garden club friends whom I love to give plants to!
So, all tomatoes are now potted up (next come peppers) for hardening off and the temperature won’t cooperate. After days of higher than normal temperatures, no storms or wind, temperatures have dropped below the tolerance level (50 degrees) for both day and nighttime highs. So, it’s a waiting game to get everything ready in time for people a zone warmer whose frost free date is earlier and who don’t have to wait to plant. Lucky.
This year’s tomatoes are:
