ItÂs almost time to start my tomatoes. My start date is 1/27/07 for seeds with a projected transplanting date of April 14 in walls-o-water. Last year I got them transplanted on April 7 but I donÂt think it gained me anything. I am starting:

1. Orange Blossom from JohnnyÂs. This is a great early medium sized tomato. We harvested in late June last yea and they produced all summer. Too tall for a commercial tomato cage I made special 2.5 cages from concrete reinforcing net. These are low acid tomatoes and can even be used for a great flavored and unusual froze orange sauce.

2. Brandywines from JohnnyÂs  favorite mid season also make great sauce

3. Gold Medal from Territorial- new variety this year  wanted to try a substitute for Mr. Stripey

4. Pineapple from Territorial  new variety this year - wanted to try a substitute for Mr. Stripey

5. Black Prince from JohnnyÂs  somewhat early and sweet. The blacks seem to stop producing when it gets hot

6. Golden Sweet from JohnnyÂs for the trellis entrance to the garden. For nibbling. (I also plant malabar on trellis for appearance and nibbling)

All my tomatoes are of the low acid variety and the Brandywines and Orange Blossom are very meaty for sauces without the zing and acid of RomaÂs. I start them in Park starters and transplant into 3" peat pots. They are fed lots of juice from the worm farm and develop a really dark healthy green color even under the lites. I use a heat mat for the entire time. I am also starting a flat of Ailsa Craig Onion seeds at the same time. The rest of my onions come as plants from Dixondale Farms in Texas. The reason I got into the plant starting business is because I cold not find a local garden shop/nursery that had a decent selection of different varieties. Once I set up the starting station in my storage room the rest was easy. And besides, it satisfies my desire to get gong when it is still winter.