I started my tomatoes in the house for years. I just don't have room for them at this place. I do still put a couple of cherry tomatoes in pots. They rarely make it to the house. Just to dern good for snacking in the yard.
Every time I repot as they get bigger I just stripped all but the top two branches and set them in deeper up to that point. They will root the whole length of the stem and have a great root system by the time they get put out.
When I plant in the garden I put them in deep again.

May be interesting to try different types of mixes and compare results. I have two large self watering pots but have never grown veggies in them only flowers. But the company I purchased them from told me to be sure to use a mix designed for these type of pots. The water is drawn up through the mix from the bottom of the pot. Whatever works.

I want to start putting in some lettuce and early veggies but I'm hesitant because we are still getting snow flurries here and there with random nights hitting the 30's. This weather is really putting a damper on my plans! Grr!

 Quote: Jessica Pedicord

I want to start putting in some lettuce and early veggies but I'm hesitant because we are still getting snow flurries here and there with random nights hitting the 30's. This weather is really putting a damper on my plans! Grr!

http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20supp1/states/PA.pdf

This is a pretty cool site to find the chance of frost in your area.

Barbara- We live in Wausau, Wi. About 2.5 hours from Leerburg. So right now we are still having frost. I am starting the plants from seeds in the house. I figure if they get big enough I can just switch them over the the self water containers and keep those in the house for now till the weather cooperates.

We got 95% of my seeds in today Yay! I am super excited. I don't know where I am going with all of them yet, and my neighbors are already hee hawin' about me putting home depot orange buckets on my patio. :P Bite me is my response to that !

I was planning on doing Miracle Grow Potting Soil. I have used it in other plants and they have done really really well. I would like to skip the the bag of manure since 1.) I have two kids that love to play in stuff, and 2.) my assistant manager is living downstairs (hence the self watering containers, she complained that she didn't want water dripping down from up here. *sigh*

If this works, hubby is looking into The Worm Factory Home Composting System. It would be something that we would be able to keep on the patio then bring in the house during the winter. Also he is happy because he gets to use the worms for fishing bait. heh! Has anyone used or seen one of these?
http://naturesfootprintinc.com/worm-factory-360

Yes, I have one of the worm composting units; it works very well. I'm not sure I'd recommend it for in the house however, especially with two little ones who like to dig in the dirt... compost is compost.

But I can lock it in my office/gardening/quilting etc etc room. The manure not so inclined to do that. I wanted to collect Finns dung, but Hubby gave me a green tinged H*ll No! Oh well.

NEVER put dung from meat eating animals in your compost/plants!

My point is that the compost generated from the worms and collected in the worm "hotel" is worm manure... If you are comfortable having a worm hotel in the house it is NO different than having a potted plant with compost in the soil - both contain manure.

Decomposed compost is no more harmful than is "soil"... soil containes decomposed plant material and other organics (worm poop, chicken poop, etc...) Anyone COULD get a serious infection from some germs in the soil (an elderly uncle developed a very serious blood infection from a cut which got "dirty" while he was gardening) but the fact is, most people can play in the dirt AND compost without any issues what so every. (excluding anyone with a compromised immune system.)

If compost scares you, don't get into vermiculture... it is simply very concentrated worm poop and the liquid. WONDERFUL for your plants and safe to be around, but it is poop.

The soil generated in my compost pile is awesome... (I'm a compost snob, can 'ya tell?)

 Quote: Barbara Schuler

NEVER put dung from meat eating animals in your compost/plants!

If you have the space to make a second compost bin and the plants that can use it dog crap compost works just fine for non food bearing plants like rhododendrons, roses, and ornamental shrubs. You just really don't want to use it in places where you mess with the ground a lot or eat out of that spot.

Actually he was fine with the worm dung. Just didn't want any dog poo in there. I was going to use the dog compost for my flowers not the veggies. I know I keep my dog clean but there is so much that bothers us but not him I wouldn't chance it.

Sorry for all the questions. I am super excited about the gardening thing. Always wanted one but hubby and I have always rented. Now I can rent and garden.