I am a "pod person" that has been an avid listener for a while but only started posting today. I live in Seaside on the Oregon coast. It can be tricky growing tomatoes because of our maritime climate of cool summers (avg 65-75) but I have had success in growing cherry tomatoes Sweet 100 and Sweetie as well as the ultra early varieties of regular tomatoes like Stupice (60-65 days), the extra early Oregon Spring (75-80 days) and Early Girl (also 75-80 days). Usually I would start them in my basement and then transplant under clear plastic teepees supported by bamboo sticks. This spring, before I even heard of the experiment, I had already direct seeded Sweetie cherry tomatoes under a clear plastic cut soda bottle. I did it on April 1st because on that day I had noticed that volunteer pumpkins had sprouted in my other composted bed. I was very surprised as I assumed the soil was still to wet and cold for seeds to sprout! The tomatoes sprouted April 21st. On May 4th I got around to starting Sweeties in my basement. I transplanted it out June 13th. From the pictures you can see that the direct seeded one's stem is only 1/2 as large as the transplanted one. I don't have a way to weigh the yield of each plant but by eyeballing it, it looks like the transplanted one is larger all around and has more fruit. They are both in my new asparagus bed which has a few 4 inch diameter pine branches buried inside it. (My lame attempt at hugelculture...) I don't know how scientific my experiment was but I thought I would share my results anyway...BTW Paul, I make a mean blackberry pie if you are ever in the area let me know!
