Here in Wasilla timing is very important. The last week in May is usually the time we can safely move cold sensitive plants outside - and you can't be late or they may not have time to produce before it turns cold again in September. You don't want to start your seeds too early either - or you end up with giant plants that take over your house and are just too big to easily move and transplant without damage. I am trying many shorter bush or dwarf varieties to try and maximize my space inside my greenhouse and shorter hoop tunnels.
I transferred my new tomato seedlings from my Parks Bio Dome germination trays into pots by early April and they are all doing as good as I could hope. I have about 35 tomato seedling potted so far and I still have a few left. I am always looking for cold climate varieties and many come from Russia and Northern Europe.
I am also trying many dwarf or bush varieties. I am hoping they will do better in my low hoop tunnels and inside of my greenhouse. Many of the popular tomatoes I have grown here so far would reach the roof inside my greenhouse and needed to be pruned back frequently.
I read some good reviews of one variety called Extreme Bush from Victory Seed company. The Victory Seed Cataloge states: This is a great candidate for our gardening friends with limited space or wishing to container garden. We received our original seed from the USDA, ARS accession number PI 302463 which lists its origin as Germany.
Two of my new varieties called Alpatieva 905A and Yaponskiy Kerlik along with Siberian come from Russia. I am also trying several interesting new varieties that are named after Alaska landmarks including Sleeping Lady, Yukon Quest, Sand Point, and Iditarod Red. These come from Titiana's TOMATObase web site that I am trying for the first time this year. Follow along throughout the season to see how these tomato varieties do in my garden here in Wasilla and let me know what tomato varieties work for you.