I had no idea what GM was, so I looked it up and in case there is someone else who doesn't know, it is 'genetically modified'.
I'm just guessing, but I'm thinking you may need to contact your county extension agent for some of the answers. These guys are a wealth of information. I've never heard of growing veggies inside a house, unless it was a greenhouse. Sorry I wasn't able to be of any help, but I wish you well!
Vicki

Let me take a shot at some of these...

There are several places you can purchase non GMO seeds on the web. Fedco Seeds is one that I like and have used in the past.

The best way to keep worms out of vegetable that don't require pollination, like broccoli and cabbage, is with a physical barrier, a row cover, which prevents the butterfly from laying eggs on your vegetables. Although IMHO row covers are best, they do require more work and most people opt for one of the many products which contain Bacillus Thuringiensis, a biological control which is fatal to chewing caterpillars and worms but harmless to other insects.

As to when to plant what, it depends on where you live in this big state. I've included a link to the UGA garden calendar.

The three tomatoes you have in containers, I would not try to save over the winter. They cannot stand any frost and people who have overwintered them in frost free areas often report that they do poorly the next year. You'll be better served starting or purchasing new plants every season. If they are flowering now, you might get a tomato or two off of them before cold weather settles in.

I'm not a seed saver but there is plenty of info out there available to you. Try Seed Savers Exchange.

I think it's to late for your Cherokee Purple seeds. Maybe you could talk your friend out of a few more and try them again next year.

Good Luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Georgia Gardening

Thanks to both of you for answering.

Lrvjim - is there a big difference in a sunroom and a greenhouse if I can control the temp and airflow in the sunroom? I'm near Athens, grew up here and I can remember some really mild fall weather, and I can remember some cold fall weather. I didn't know about row covers - thanks so much! When do I put the row covers on? I have broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower started by seed - but you meant planting the seeds directly into the ground? I was thinking about trying that and now that I know about row covers, it seems more likely that I'll have better luck. The broccoli says 60-90 days, the cabbage says 70-75, not sure about the cauliflower.

Can I use row covers for root crops too?

Thanks!

The only place I know of that guarentees 100% researched background into selling non-genetically modified seeds is Freedom Seeds.
Many seed companies say they do not KNOWINGLY sell genetically modified seeds, however it's sometimes hard to know if their seed sources don't divuldge this.
Botanical Interest is pretty good, Fedco will tell you in the catalog if things are from a company which sells GM seeds but Freedom Seeds carefully researches to make sure the seed source is not GM nor is it owned by a company who sells GM seeds.
I also like Baker Creek seeds and Wild Garden Seeds http://www.wildgardenseed.com/

GGG

Here is a link that might be useful: Freedom Seeds

Here is a link to discussions on GardenWeb about the benefits and drawbacks to using row covers. When I have used them it's always with transplants and I put the cover on when I set out the plants. That said, I have grown a lot more without them (they can be a pain) than I have with them, but I still feel they are the best way to keep worms off of your cole crops.

I did not mean to imply that you should direct seed your broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. I always transplant those in my backyard victory garden.

Sunroom and greenhouse? They can be very similar, and very different. Depends on what purpose you have in mind for each of them.

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you and good luck with your fall garden. I've started some collards and kale, (I do direct seed those in the fall, transplant if you want to grow in the spring) might do some turnips in a couple of weeks, and some lettuce after that, and some spinach after that, and before you know it will be thinking about tomatoes again.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Row Cover Discussions

Wow, what a great forum this is! Thanks for all the information! I'll start a new thread with my next question. Update on the tomatoes - they are growing too fast. I have them in the sunroom, the A/C is turned off so it's really warm, even with the ceiling fans going. They all have one pair of leaves (1st leaves) and I'm afraid the stems will get too long because there's only sun on three sides (one major difference in a greenhouse) :). Oh well, my Mom says that won't produce anyway because "fall is already in the air" whatever that means...

Thanks to all!

First, the only GM vegetable available is Bt corn (Syngenta) and it is not available to home gardeners. You also don't have to worry about herbs. GM is still pretty limited to commercial field crops like corn,soybeans...
Second there is no absolute safety on this earth. Bt is safer than sitting in front of your computer and a lot safer than using a cell phone. Risks need to be assessed and chances weighed. One of the greatest risks for this generation is driving a car.

"First, the only GM vegetable available is Bt corn (Syngenta)" ???? This is absolutely not true.

Genetically modified is not automatically bad or good.
Because of GM we have food crops that yield a lot more and can fight diseases and help fight hunger problem in the world.

Take corn and wheat, as an example.

The companies that produce these are also promoting mono-cropping which has the potential for massive failure of crops. The same companies promote their seeds because they are most often genetically modified to not be killed by herbicide drenches.

Genetic modification is a tough one - similar to the current organics debate.

It's the cumulative effects everything combine which to me is personally undesirable so I choose not to do knowing business with these companies. It's a choice people make, and a market is being created for home gardeners who wish to purchase non-GMO seeds. This thread simply provides the means in which to find them if someone so desires.

Humans have been thinking and trying to cope with the nature to survive. Along the way they have developed bigger brains. They have learned how to cultivate, domesticate animals and plants. So the fight is going on.
along the way we make mistakes and let the killer bees out of their hives. But in the long run and cumulatively our science is going to help us(human specy) to live better and longer lives.
We have medical science and pharmaceutical industry that overall doing a bgreat service to us despite some medications with side effects. To me having a side efect is better than dying.

Make no mistake about it, that we humans are not crazy to destroy ourselves. We have bigger brains and make better decicions cumulatively in the long run. There have alway been forces (religious mostly) That have opposed science and stil are. There are also those who advocate "Naturals", "organics". Let us remind ourselves that, we humans are also hands of nature. So whatever we do and produce is also "Natural" We are no different in that respect from honey bees. So the corn syrup, splenda,.. that we make is as natural as honey.

The debate will go on but at the end of day science, which is a product of our collective wisdom and intelligence, shall be victorious.

Cyrus

Sounds like you have good advice already but let me add a few items. I have decided to go all organic and non-gmo also after reading and hearing from Jeffrey Smith and Seeds of Deception. I had trouble getting tomatoes to grow from seed my first year. I planted a cover crop in the back of the garden to enrich soil there before trying to plant a crop there the next year. I found several volunteer tomato plants growing in the cover crop from where I had thrown compost material. This was in October. I brought those plants inside and potted them up in a sunny window. I added a 4' florescent light also. As the plants grew I kept taking cuttings off of them and planting them. By the time April 15 rolled around I had 9 tomato plants 4' tall ready to go out to the garden. Getting them transplanted to the garden was a trick but I was successful. I trimmed several bottom leaves off and planted 1' to 2' of stem sideways in the ground so they would grow a more vigorous root system. Those plants are now 5' tall and have flower buds all over them. I hope to have tomatoes by the end of May. This was just an experiment but it has had a wonderful ending. I would recommend reading Eliot Coleman's 4 Season Harvest for more info on experimenting. I live 30 miles west of Atlanta so you s/b able to do this also in Athens. One more thing. Look up David Suzuki. He is a very brilliant scientist. I tend to believe what he has to say about GMO's. "If a politician, scientist, biotech engineer etc., tells you that GMO's are safe, they are either lying or they are very stupid." From a fellow seeker of the old ways to garden.