Eggplant, Peppers, and Tomatoes Can be Started Indoors

As you know we previously discussed planting watermelon and flowers indoors, but now you should know that there are more vegetables and fruits you can begin soon as well.  I would recommend peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes to be next on your list.

Eggplants are another one of those vegetables that can take quite a long time to mature or produce fruit.  I like to use the black beauty eggplant which are heirloom seeds that you can save at the end of the year.  They are able to ripen towards the end of the season, but if you plant them inside you can extend the season by a couple of months.  If you love eggplant now is the time to get them into containers right away.

Peppers are another vegetable that I started inside today because they tend to produce more when started inside.  I like to use peat pots with peppers because just like watermelons their roots are very sensitive.  When transplanting them you could very easily harm them and it would cause problems and even a low yield.  With peat pots their roots are not disturbed and you can just place them right in the garden.  California wonder peppers are the type that I grow each years since they are very sweet if cared for properly.

Tomatoes are one of my favorite plants to grow because I love eating tomatoes.  I love them whole, cooked, made into sauce, and even placing them in salads.  My favorite is making a simple BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) using my own tomatoes and lettuce.

This year I’m actually trying out a couple of new tomatoes that Burpee created for the 2014 season.  They are hybrids which means you can save the seeds at the end of the year.  They are the Steakhouse hybrid and the Super-sauce hybrid.

The Super-sauce is a simple Roma tomato that grows much larger than regular Roma tomatoes and can weigh up to 2 pounds.  These will be perfect for making sauce as they will not have any seeds making it better for cooking.

The Steakhouse is a brand new tomato that came out this year that would be perfect for making sandwiches.  They are much larger than the typical Brandywine tomato which I usually grow every year.  I wanted to try something different so I happened to see this particular tomato and thought it would be a perfect addition to the garden.

Along with these two tomato hybrids I will also be growing cherry tomatoes which are my favorite types of tomatoes.  They are perfect for tossing into a salad and are great eating them whole.  I love the feeling when you chew on them and they squish in your mouth.  Very delicious!

Put both the eggplant and tomatoes into large plastic cups because they will allow the plant to flourish and allow the roots to spread out more without getting pot bound.  You can find these cups in many stores and they make a great container for most plants.  Remember to use peat pots for the peppers due to the sensitivity of the roots.  Here is a picture of everything I have planted including watermelon, peppers, eggplant, sunflowers, and tomatoes.

These are a few different types of fruits and vegetables which I have started inside.  I would recommend doing the same if you have the room because they can easily reward you with a larger and healthier yield.