I'm back...

After a long time away from this blog and my enthusiam for gardening, I am slowing waking up to the potential of a tomato seed again.
I have been super busy with work, and a few personal matters had consumed me for the last while. I am ready to indulge in the soil now.

First things first. The list of tomatoes seeds that I have at my fingertips.

Ananas Noir
Omar's Lebanese
Green Zebra
Carbon
Orange Russian
Mortgage Lifter
Gold Medal
Black Krim
Pineapple
Black From Tula
Neves Azorean Red
Siberian
Kelloggs Breakfast
Hillbilly
Principe Borghese
Mr Bruno
Long Shelf Life
Jaune Flamme
Cherokee Purple
Black Plum
Black Pear
Black Cherry
Pruden's Purple
Zigan
Box Car Willie
Cannabec Rose
Vah-tan
Vova Yellow
Stupice
Palmira's Italian Heirloom
Rhoades Heirloom
Rutgers
Purpe Price
Reisentraube
Orange Jubilee
Russian Persimon
Clear Pink Early
Rouge D'Irak
Russe
Unikalny
Dar
Dubrava
Khirh
Jagodka
Van Hert Ohio
Russian Size
Giant Italian Paste
Silvery Fir Tree
Moscow Suburb
Memory of Vavilov
Kremlin Chiming Clock
Talalichinski
Blue
Jack White
Mers de Nom
Hoskins-Barger

and soon to receive:

Caspian Pink
Thessaloniki
MoneyMaker
Paul Robeson
Break o' Day
German Red Strawberry
Arkansas Traveller

I am trying to narrow down what I will grow this year, and I am having a hard time doing so. Such a hard time, in fact, that the last seven are ones I ordered the other day. And I recently asked a fellow gardener if she had any Eva's Purple Ball (cause I need another variety like I need another cat!)

In general, you want to start your tomato seeds 8 weeks from your last frost date. If you plan to follow the Moon phases, then plant just after the nearest new moon. This year I plan to start quite early, some this weekend and some just after Feb. 24th (new moon). Absolutely perfect timing for me. My last frost date is usually end of May, beginning of June. Technically I should be waiting till late March/early April to start but I have shop lights for indoors and outdoor grow tunnels and mini greenhouses so the plants should still thrive for an extra few weeks before planting out permanently. I want to start them early this year to get some really good large plants for my annual sales and to hopefully improve the chances of getting some of the late long season growing tomatoes.

I am really hoping this summer will be much better that last year. With all the additional compost I have at my disposal at least my raised beds will be full of great soil. Now if only the sun and the temperatures cooperate.