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Explore DiscussionsFeatured Home DiscussionsFeatured Garden Discussions
Winter Sowing
mamimo_gw

wsing withdrawals *sob*

18 years ago

I need to complain a little. DH sort of understands, but he doesn't really get why I'm so upset that I didn't get to ws.

A few years ago, I stumbled onto this marvellous and addictive wsing. It was heady fun! Then last Dec, we moved westward and lost 5 hardiness zones. I said goodbye to my yard full of past ws'ed babies and gave away my treasure trove of seeds. It was heartbreaking but the past few months was a busy blur of packing and unpacking, so I didn't dwell too much on it. Finally we're almost unpacked and settled at our new place. Then it hit me. I miss my garden, but what I miss the most was wsing. There is no milk jug full of baby sprouts to look forward to this spring, and I'm going to miss my delicious ws'ed cherokee purples and sungolds in summer *sob*

I'll relearn gardening -- Z5 vs Z10, clay vs sandy soil, lasagna beds vs container, etc... But I'm determined to grow my own toms again, even in this cool and damp place *shake my fist at the fog*. But I needed to whine a little and by the way, is there any fellow ws-er in bay area? C'mon give me some hope! And does anyone know what toms are close in flavor to cherokee purples and sungolds AND will thrive here? Please don't say I'm hoping for too much.

Comments (9)

  • 18 years ago

    Is there a reason you can't sow now? I'm not sure what your temps are like now where you are, but I know I often do summer sowing as well. I'm sure someone in your same zone will chime in on what varieties do well in that area, but as far as sowing - I say go for it!! You'll feel so much better!! :)

  • 18 years ago

    Hi mamimo,

    Do you live in zone 10 or zone 5 now? Your post sounds like zone 5, but your signature says zone 10.

    I live in zone 5 in Wisconsin, which is probably a very different zone 5 than CA. :) However, I have successfully grown Paul Robeson and Cherokee Purples here. I have also grown Gold Medal toms, which might be similar to your sun golds. The gold medals are my favorite yellow-orange tomato and probably favorite slicing tom.

    I have ordered these as transplants from Seed Savers (www.seedsavers.org). This is not the same as ws, obviously, but it helped with the growing season here in WI. :) There are a number of threads in the WS forum that discuss WS toms in zones 5 and 4. Many people are successful with WS in these zones. I am going to try ws Black Krim and some super sweet cherry toms this year. However, as a back up, I will still order my transplants from Seed Savers or local co-op. At the box stores, in my experience, the "heirloom varieties" do not do as well, produce as well, or taste as good as the organic heirloom varieties I get from Seed Savers or my co-op.

    Hang in there! If you are in zone 5, you still have lots of ws opportunities and fun that can start even now. :)

    warm regards,
    NoraBelle

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  • 18 years ago

    Could you fake it and use your fridge? Some times the best way to learn is to experiment. Were do tomatoes originate from anyway? Maybe they'll be perinnials for you! -B

  • 18 years ago

    I checked for your average low temps and don't find them dramatically different than my own coastal zone - 42°Dec, 41°Jan, 45°Feb, 45°Mar, Average Winter lows San Francisco. That's low enough to winter sow.

    I've been buying tomatoes at an organic farm a little inland from here (yep, fog too), but Golden Gate Gardening does suggest Early Girl and Stupice for good results in your area. The article also mentions to stay away from tomato San Francisco Fog, doesn't live up to it's name or hype.

    You'll get the hang of gardening there in no time, and begin to love it!

  • 18 years ago

    I'm with you, girlfriend! We moved and my new yard is literally ROCK. Any planting I want to do will have to be in containers or raised beds, and right now, I don't have the energy for it. Plus its only temporary.

    I gave a big shoebox STUFFED with seeds to Trudi for her WinterSown.org SASEs

    I still hyperventilated at all the seeds catalogs when they came in! LOL

    Patricia

  • 18 years ago

    mamino, I live in N CA, 100 mi N of Sacramento and I have been wsing and loving it. I lived down in the San Jose area and we got frost there. If it gets cold enough to need a sweater at night, you can ws.

  • 18 years ago

    Thank you so much for your encouraging words!!! Sorry for my confusing post. I meant to say that we gained 5 zones, since we moved from 5 to 10.

    Yes I do need a sweater at night, you mean I can still ws? WAHOO! Current daily highs are in mid 60's, lows in mid 40's. Though some days with the fog and wind, it's hard to believe it's 60's. And it's hard to imagine ws without snow/ice but I guess these limits were self-imposed. And you're right, I'll feel much better just getting back into gardening and wsing again. No point just bawling over my old yard and feeling sorry. Thanks, thanks, thanks!

  • 18 years ago

    Mamaimo.. I HATE moving. I have moved THREE times in the past four years. I left my beautiful garden in Seattle and moved to Minn,MN. What a zone change. I went from Zone 8 to zone 3! Someone from the GardenJunk forum was a lifesaver and sent me here to WSing. I was able to enjoy gardening again. But soon we were on the move again. We moved to the Houston Tx area! OH MY! Sub-tropical! I didn't have a clue!
    Now we are in Wisconsin. Zone 5
    This I can handle. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Zone 6
    I am chalking all this up to a wonderful .. ok.. sometimes not so wonderful.. life experience.
    Good luck with your new adventure in gardening!
    Betsy

  • 18 years ago

    Mamaimo,go to the cottage garden forum and search steveingjen.steven lives in the bay area and his gardens are absolutely gorgeous.You won't be whining long.You live near annies annuals and perennials.I sooo envy you.Now,email steven.I am sure he will be tickled pink and don't fall over when you see his gardens..lol.Forget the containers-you will have a garden of eden in no time.
    moonphase

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