This blog is about how I accidentally made a whole bunch of tomato growing mistakes and still managed to save the day… maybe. I had a grand plan to grow tomatoes. What I didn’t have was… a clue.

I dumped a bunch of cherry tomato and Pink Lady Big tomato seeds into one little hole in a round planter tray — no spacing, no counting, no logic, just vibes. Surprise! That didn’t work. When the seedlings started growing, they were packed tighter than clowns in a car. Pulling the roots apart without killing them? A nightmare. I should’ve read more about spacing and used tweezers or a prayer.

So I replanted them into a plastic tote I drilled holes in, hoping they’d survive the trauma. I knew I’d have to thin them out again eventually, but there were just too many. I’m planning to keep a few, give some to my mom and sister-in-law, and let Mother Nature do the rest.

Quick side note on what not to do:
I had this “brilliant” idea to recycle some paper towel rolls as mini planters. Cute, right? One had mint, which totally ghosted me and never showed up. The other? I poured pepper seeds in like I was seasoning a soup, and they all sprouted in a tangled little jungle tube. 10/10 do not recommend unless you like chaos.

(Don’t worry—I rescued the peppers and gave them their own little homes. That’ll be in the next post.)

Of course, now I’m dealing with gnats in the soil — after all that work! I tried sprinkling cinnamon. It didn’t work. Now it’s raining every day and I have to wait for the soil to dry out before I can hit it with a hydrogen peroxide mix.

Honestly, I don’t know if I started off all wrong or if this is like the tomato gremlins were out to mess with me. I’ve grown cherry tomatoes before, but never had success with big ones. Here’s hoping this time it’s different, or else I’m going to buy them and pretend I grew them.

I’m learning, I’m struggling, I’m swatting gnats. I’m praying for a miracle. God please bless me with a green thumb! And yes, I need a margarita.