Tomatoes and peppers are never consistent so I never try to direct sow those for the festivals or the markets. So that means that I use the 6 packs with 72 plants in a tray. I have about 35 flats of transplants and I got one done today. Ten hanging baskets were completed and all of my January tomato starts are now transplanted into gallon pots- there was 68 of those total so it isn't like I was sitting on my hands today.
I noticed in the Tulsa World a picture of plants - I think they were tomatoes and the caption indicated that the disease commonly known as Damping Off - was a huge problem to the home grower - cleanliness was required. I have a better answer to that age old dilemma - get some spaghnum moss - either milled or just a big bag of the brown messy moss and simply sprinkle this over your babies as they emerge. Park's Seed Company sells books on growing plants - years ago I bought the one about successful herb growing and in the first section of the book it discussed the use of milled spaghnum moss as a starter medium. Now don't go dropping the unmilled on top of your plants but do take the stuff and rub it between your hands to create a dusting of this like powdering a babies behind. Moss has a bacteria in it that prevents the bacteria that causes Damping Off to occur. Voila - no more pretty plants one day and nasty looking pinch waisted plants falling over dying. Be careful that you don't suck this stuff into your lungs - I've done this for 17 yrs and thus far, no lung cancer or hacking cough but just be careful - natural doesn't mean be stupid.
Happy Planting ya'll.
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