I started the first plants for the 2011 veggie garden tonight on the kitchen island. It is still a little early but I like to give the onions and a couple early tomatoes a good head start. These early starts will be nursed along under my grow light and then placed out in the coldframe as soon as it is possible. Here are the varieties I started:
Three small flats of Amish Bottle onions. These are rather rare onions that produce a long shallot like bulb. They produced well last year and are good in storage too. Seed for them can be found at Heritage Harvest Seeds. I am also going to try some Ailsa Craig onions this season but have yet to order them.
I also start two extra early tomatoes. I have tried them in the past and they do give an early crop so it is worth the extra effort. This season there will be a True Black Brandywine & a Siletz tomato for early ones.
I started the first plants for the 2011 veggie garden tonight on the kitchen island. It is still a little early but I like to give the onions and a couple early tomatoes a good head start. These early starts will be nursed along under my grow light and then placed out in the coldframe as soon as it is possible. Here are the varieties I started: 
Three small flats of Amish Bottle onions. These are rather rare onions that produce a long shallot like bulb. They produced well last year and are good in storage too. Seed for them can be found at Heritage Harvest Seeds. I am also going to try some Ailsa Craig onions this season but have yet to order them.
I also start two extra early tomatoes. I have tried them in the past and they do give an early crop so it is worth the extra effort. This season there will be a True Black Brandywine & a Siletz tomato for early ones.
Looking forward to updates on your two Mr. Earlies! I started my super early tomatoes this weekend as well.
ReplyDeleteNice update. I love starting seeds. I have a few weeks before I can do anything since I'm in zone 4.
ReplyDeleteNice... Let's hope for good things to happen. You're going to have happy times with some seedlings later. ^_^
ReplyDeleteNice! I just planted my first seedlings on friday. Anyway, best of luck.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I'm so jealous. I can't wiat to start my seeds! Waiting until March.
ReplyDeleteYay! Does your wife complain about the smell of dirt (she says mold) in the kitchen? hehe. I'm trying my tomatoes early as well.
ReplyDeleteWow, those are incredibly early tomatoes if you're starting them at the same time you're starting onions! I am waiting a good 20 or so days before starting leeks and artichokes. Zone 4b for me. ...I'm still confused as to how you are in Canada, well north of me here in Upstate NY, but have a zone of 6a?! Do you use a different zone grading system there?
ReplyDeleteI also started a batch of seeds today. I can't wait to see how you seeds do!
ReplyDeleteI was going to start some herb seeds yesterday...but, I'm too darn lazy :) It must be this extra cold weather we are having. I think that it is -1 right now.
ReplyDeleteI am not growing any onions from seed this year. Last year they were a complete failure and I won't have the time to mess with them this year.
I started some onions too, but have yet to post about them. Hopefully soon. Someday I'd like to start an early tomato, but I don't have good lights for one. I suppose I could put it in the window, but I don't have a good one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kick in the butt! :) I need to start some onions (and some leeks!) too for the mid-winter cold frame planting.. It's so cold today, that maybe I'll take some time to do that sooner than later..
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks for the tip about Heritage Seeds.. I'll check them out..
Niki
Hi Dan,
ReplyDeleteI was looking through your blog and it's great! I really enjoy the tips you give.
Thanks for sharing with us
Stacy
Your an inspiration! Here I am still dreaming while I flip through the seed cataloge, and there you are doing! Best of luck to your little seeds!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know my blog moved! You can now find the Dandelion Wrangler at www.FlorabyLaura.ca Stop by anytime!
Even though it is still only January, I have started my onion seed and a few chillis already. I just can't wait. I am looking forward to sowing the seeds you sent me.
ReplyDeleteWhere I live (Australia) is Tomato season!! My tomatoes are doing well and it is so fun to watch them grow. To be honest, I didn't plant them. They just appeared in my garden one morning. I even have a tomato plant popped up in my compost bin. I'm taking advantage of them. Good luck with your tomatoes, I hope you'll have lots of harvest this year!!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't resist starting some seeds early. I need some green this time of year. Can't wait to see your seedlings grow.
ReplyDeleteYou're getting me excited! I think I'll start my scallions and some asian greens this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'm also in freezing S.Ontario but couldn't wait either. I started tomatoes, sweet peas and a couple other random hopefuls. They sit by a windowsill and are supplemented with a little artificial light as well.
ReplyDelete@Kay depending on where in Ontario and where in New York, it's possible we're not that much further north, if at all. Not to mention, Canada has very slightly different zoning system, but micro pockets can be created if you're really close to certain bodies of water. (The Great Lakes do this)
Beautiful photos. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out! I've just put the first tomato seeds in too...
ReplyDeleteWay across on the other side of the globe, in Sydney Australia, I am just harvesting the last of my black tomatoes. Great to find your blog and read all the past posts.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck with the onions and tomatoes. It seems that Ailsa Craig is very popular this year. It will be another 3 months before we can start sowing onions here.
ReplyDeleteStarted my seeds about a week after you did. Got 3 kinds of lettuce, cabbages, cukes, and 4 types of tomatoes going. Got a lot to do between now and first plantings.
ReplyDelete