45/50 tomatoes germinated

This is the first year I didn't start on the windowsill and the kitchen counter. My family was really getting tired of my growing space demands in their favorite room. So I got a growlight and suspension frame from Johnny's and set up shop in the the 100+ year old fruit drying barn. I have a simple $5 lamp timer that gives 16 hours a day of light. The barn is cool temperature, it's on a large concrete slab, and the temperature doesn't swing wildly, even when the midday goes up to 92 (like last week). Here's the results:

Ananas Noire 5/5
Azores 2/5
Mariana's Peace 1/5
Mexico 5/5
Black from Tula 5/5
Cabernet Grape 3/3
Plum Lemon 2/2
Red Fig 5/5 (package said low germinate rate)
Dr. Carolyn 2/2
Black Cherry 2/2
Yellow Pear 3/3
Green Zebra 3/3
Isis Candy 2/3
Persimmon 2/2

Just potted up 36 of them 2 weeks ago some were in the shade too much of the early sprouters to get going enough. Everything's looking good so far. I haven't fertilized, don't know if it's really needed, I never did it on the windowsill.

Congratulations!

Carolyn's method for starting tomatoes from seed (see link in resources sticky in the tomato forum) says no fertilizer is needed until you put them out into your garden.

(BTW, an ancient fruit drying barn sounds wonderful to me! What a neat structure to have on your property!)

I'm glad to see someone else had a low germination rate for Mariana's Peace. I think I started 3 or 4 seeds and only had 1 germinate. I guess I won't be handing any extras of this variety for others to try this year LOL!

Do you know, that's the same one I had trouble with.... ended up with none last year, tried again this year, and I have one seedling! That's OK, though, as I think I started too many varieties to have room for even two of each variety this year. :-)

I read on the tomato forum that many people had trouble with Mariana's Peace germinating, so that's why I tried 5 of them. I got the Red Fig from Baker Creek, and the package said it was a low germination rate, so I've had to find homes for the extra critters I grew!

The fruit drying barn is a gem. It was for making prunes from the acres and acres of plum orchards that our house was the hub of all those years ago. It's two stories high, larger than the house and built better than the house!