Growing tomatoes here is a lot different from growing them in Sacramento :-)) It is much later to warm up here (both air temperatures and soil) in spring and we just don't get that summer heat. So the best tomato choices are those that produce in a very short growing season (minimum days to harvest) and that doesn't always guarantee they'll ripen before colder fall temps hit. Personally, I prefer to grow mine in large containers on my sunny patio, so the soil heats up rapidly and they receive reflected heat from the concrete pavers to assist in ripening.

Most local garden centers won't have starts in stock until later this month or even early May - it's simply much too cold to maintain them unless in a heated greenhouse and far too early to plant out. Generally the recommendation is not before Mother's Day, but I'd wait until later, especially this season, which seems off to a cold, late start. You want nighttime temperatures to remain above 50F.

So there's time to start from seed if you wish - Territorial Seeds carries a good selection and is local - or wait until a bit later to look for starts. Heirlooms are popular so many GC's will carry a selection, but they don't always perform well, depending on days until harvest. You can even find them for sale at places like Fred Meyer or Haggens/Top Foods or try Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville or Emery's in Lynnwood.

I use tunnels (TunLCover) which can be bought direct from the manufacturer or Gurney's carries them, I used their early bird special of buy $50 get $25 off in February to buy some more this year. The tunnels are double walled plastic with metal ribs that push into the soil at intervals. They are 18" tall and wide, 20' long.

I start tomato and pepper seeds in mid February, this year I actually started some in late January as I don't always get good germination and have to resow some. When they are 3-4" tall I transplant to one to a 2 1/4" pot. They grow to the top of my lights, which are 4' fluorescent fixtures tied to the bottoms of first and second shelves of a 3 tier metal shelving unit (the lights stick out a few inches at each end). At that point they are 12" tall. Then I harden them off on an east-facing covered porch for several days, and plant out under the tunnels.

The really neat thing about the tunnels is they also can be used to dry out the soil for planting as they keep the rain off, so I put them out for a couple of weeks before I want to plant. I used to wait until April 15 but found a 30-year weather report and there is only a couple of degrees difference between then and April 1. I will start planting out this year about April 7, I just have to have some dry time to actually dig holes as I plant, and I put fertilizer and compost into the planting hole. I bury the plant up to the bottom leaves so it will only stick up 6 or so inches, then the tunnel boosts the temperature during the day and also at night. I've had frosts and snow on the tunnels with no harm to the seedlings. Since the tunnels keep rain off I need to water sometimes, and I also use Iron Phosphate snail bait under them as slugs like the plastic.

The tunnels tremendously boost the growth and are also great for squash and cucumber seedlings, which I start 6 weeks before setting out- with the tunnels I can start them in April, without I would start them about May 1.

This way I can reliably grow tomatoes in the 72-85 DTM range but above that I may not get fruit until too late to really get a good crop. Of course here with the cold night temps all summer the DTM may be more like 115-125 days. That's why getting those mid to long season tomatoes out in April really makes a difference in getting ripe fruit. l also grow some early tomatoes like Juliet, Oregon Spring, Siberian Pink, and Verna's Orange Oxheart so I start getting tomatoes earlier.

The soil is just too cool here for peppers and eggplants, so I do plant them in pots to keep the roots warmer.

I have grown black krim with great success in Seattle. I plant them every year. Sungold is also a tried and true fav. The others that you list are also readily available at many nurseries as starter plants. If you can't find them closer, then Sky nursery in Seattle will have them at reasonable prices. You might also consider a trip to Swanson's, because some of the people who work there are very knowledgable about heirloom/any tomatoes for the PNW.

It's just the season starts later here.

Here is my trick. I buy starter plants as early as they appear in the nurseries. I pot them up in 1 gallon (or larger) black plastic pots and throw them on the porch during the day-- the porch is cement stucco and gets good sun, so it heats up quickly. If it gets too cold, I bring them in at night. I don't even think about planting in the ground until late May or so. And there is just no hurry on that. Those black plastic pots keep them warmer than the ground until then.

The down side is not many tomatoes, if any, until July 4th. The up side is fresh tomatoes until Thanksgiving--usually.

I have good luck with squash, cukes and peppers. My favorite, however, aside from tomatoes, is beans. Have fun!!

Hillbilly grew well for me as well in Seattle (Hey, I'm from hillbilly country).

But I haven't planted these in several years. I have limited space, and the yield didn't compare with other choices. Basically, I got great big ones, late in the season, and they tasted great, but the number of fruits didn't warrent the space required.

Thanks so much for all the good advice!!! I think I'm going to try growing them in large pots this year and grow a couple in the soil with the plastic tunnel and see how it goes. I saw that a neighbor a yard down looks to be an avid gardner so I bet she'll have some advice too. I just love this site and really appreciate all the good comments. Umsue I was so happy to hear about your luck with the krims and hillbilly....The krims and cherokees are my favorite in flavor. The hillbilly's are so tasty too and the colors are so gorgeous on a platter with some fresh basil and mozzarella. I love cucumbers too, have you ever tried the lemon variety? We used to buy them at a farmer's market when I was little and they've always been a garden favorite. Hemnancy I'm going to go check out the tents this next weekend. Sound like they might be good for the more delicate herbs too! Have you ever used those large upright plastic type insulators that you fill with water to protect the larger plants? Gardengal we just passed Sunnyside today when we went to the new house a different way than we normally do! I'm checking it out this week! I'm off to check out territorial seeds right now :) I have another question for those of you who compost but I'll save it for later :) Again,I really appreciate the comments and thanks so much :) ~Christy

Folks have covered the problems of the cold spring we have here, so I'll talk about later in the season. Tomatoes start fruiting later here than in warm regions, for me on Vashon, usually not until August.

If you want to keep your tomatoes producing long enough to make them worth the space and effort, you have to cover them from the September rains, or they will melt into a gray yucky mess from fungal wilt. Once the wilt gets them your harvest is over. You should be able to pick tomatoes well into October unless the wilt gets them.

This year I'm going to try a system I've seen work well.

A gardening friend made a 12' tall tunnel using 14 foot rebar (remarkably cheap) driven into the ground then put 1" pvc pipe over it. He bent the flexible pvc to the center to make hoops that he covered with clear plastic. This made a tunnel tall enough to cover his indeterminate heirloom tomatoes. He kept the sides up for ventilation unless it was raining.

He also used rebar to support the tomatoes. He drove two tall rebar stakes on each side of each plant, then pruned each tomato to two leaders which he twined around each stake.

His tomatoes were delicious and produced into November.

Wish me luck, I'm gonna try his method -

My neighbor grows lemon cucumbers here with no extra effort. He gives them away right and left.

We tried Brandywine tomatoes last year. Didn't get a single one.

hi ggchristy - I am from CA too, the East Bay, Pleasant Hill (similar climate as Sac, very warm summers!)

I haven't had much luck with the tomatoes here so far. :o(

Very different climate. I had good luck with the cherries though. I love the Armenian Cucumbers we used to grow. Anyone grow those here? (Yummy with the tomatoes and bermuda onions in a balsamic vinaigrette!) We always had tons of those. That and the squash grew like weeds.

I will keep on trying, we do get them until later it seems. My parents had good luck down in Portland with some tomato varieties they bought at a local farmer's market suited especially for the Pac NW. They did great, but they get warmer summers than we do. I will ask them what kind they were.

Good luck with your veggie garden and welcome to WA!

ggchristy, you may want to try out these "earthtainers" many people are using if you're going to do container gardening. I've built a few to try out this year. The combination of bottom up watering, slow release fertilizer, black mulch cover and the "airpruning" of the roots should provide ideal conditions for plant growth. If you do try this, make sure you use tubs that are as dark as possible.

Here is a link that might be useful: Earthtainer

This helps with cold springs: surround with wire fencing, wrap wire with plastic sheeting, place water filled dark wine bottles or dark plastic one liter soda bottles with water inside the cage to absorb heat during the day and radiate back at night.
I'm a little warmer and drier down near Portland but I have good success with Black Prince, Pink Accordion, Gold Medal, Green Zebra among the heirlooms. Other I like are Matina, Principe Borghes(sp?) and Carmello. Siletz is my tried and true early ripener. jwww

Hey grdngrl,

When do you start your Armenian cucumbers? I started some last month but I have this feeling that its waay too early.. and it was really old seed so only four came up. I'd like to do some more later if its a better time. TIA, I'd love a clue :)

The Snohomish County Master Gardener plant sale in South Everett is a good place to get tomato plants. Here are the details:

Snohomish County Master Gardeners -- May 3, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. McCollum Park, 600 128th St. S.E., Everett. 425-357-6010, 425-338-2400. More than 2,000 tomato plants of 75 varieties.

It is popular - get there early.

Good luck with your tomatoes - hopefully this summer won't be as wet as last! As for the lemon cucumbers, they have done great for me started from seed.

Christy- I tried Wall O Waters but didn't like them as much as tunnels. They tended to fall over which can damage the plant inside. Then I inverted a tomato cage and put the WOW over it, which kept it up, but I didn't know what to do when the plant started growing out of the WOW. I find the tunnels so much easier. The large structure over the tomatoes to keep out the rain and prevent late blight sounds really nice!

I start squash and cucumbers under lights about 6 weeks before I want to plant them out. With the tunnels they can be planted out May 15 but without probably not until more like June 15. Sometimes we have really cold rainy Junes.:-( I really like lemon cukes, and also Uzbekski, which turns brown when overripe.

Last year I started dahlias from seed (T&M) and they were smaller ones, Collarette Dandy and Bishop's Children, and they bloomed fine in late summer and fall. It remains to be seen if the tubers survived, I just dug them up and put them in the garage in pots during winter. I'm starting more from seeds this year.

I've had good results with Roma's that tend to come on all around the same time. Also Italian Drying Tomato works good here. The 'Cherry types' make a lot of fruit that is hard to keep up with and too watery for canning, so a single plant is plenty.
Black Krim is OK, but Brandywine is a very low producer.
Pic Red has worked well for me. Cascade is not exciting but a reliable crop, of golf ball sized fruits.
I keep them protected until mid May in containers. And when planting them out, it is a good idea to put a few large empty 'clear plastic' pop bottles or Juice bottles next to and around the young plants. Also put a tea bag into each bottle and put the cap back on to keep dirt and insects out. The bottles act as a 'heat sink' and help the tomato stay warm-- especially into the evening.
If anyone knows some good tomato retail nurseries near Tacoma, with variety, please tell me.

Correction to the last post:

Make sure you refill the pop/juice bottles with water and put the tea bag in the water. Empty bottles will hardly do a thing, "no heat sink".

Are any local nurseries selling paste tomatoes other than the Standard "Roma"? I'd like to try O'palka if I could find any plants, or other paste tomato varieties. Roma is good, but would like to see what the others are like.

Wondered if anyone has grown Opalka or other Paste tomatoes besides the standard "Roma". I'd like to try something new. Roma works good for me, but hear a lot about the other types, and would like to find plants.

1) I tried Opalka twice from different seed sources and got poor results. Poor fruit set and late ripening = very few tomatoes. I'm back to Roma. I really like Principe Bourghese which is an Italian tomato grown primarily for sun drying. It is great in a dryer and I find it is nice and meaty although not as meaty as Roma. I love its taste.
2) I use dark wine bottles filled with water as heat sinks. If you use clear bottles use food dye or as suggested above black tea to darken the water. Also make a wire cage and wrap it with plastic. VERY effective. jwww

Just a little followup on tomatoes in the PNW. I am not an expert, by any means, but I grew up in a much warmer climate, and then moved here. Always grew tomatoes, but the rules have changed somewhat.

Here in the PNW, I always grow indeterminate tomatoes with a short seedling to fruiting time. I always stake them with 8-ft stakes, and prune off the bottom leaves to 1 foot above ground once the plants grow to 2-3 feet(prevents fungal diseases, especially late in the season). I remove suckers compulsively. The tomatoes end up looking like a 7-foot stake-bound tree and only 1 foot wide. Lots of air circulation. Works well. Welcome again.

Another tip on spacing of the vines. The plants tend to get a little bigger than in dry regions, so I would add a few inches space. I go 39 inches apart instead of three feet, and never crowd them.
Again, if anyone has some unusual paste tomatoes that are as good or better than Roma, let me know.
One tomato I think is a waste of time is "Yellow Pear". You get a gigantic mass of leaves and about 3 tomatoes.