why i still start my tomatoes the old-fashioned way

Every spring, I remember my grandmother’s kitchen windowsill lined with tiny tomato seedlings. She’d save seeds from last year’s best fruit, nestling them in egg cartons filled with backyard soil. These days, my daughter laughs at my stubbornness—she orders fancy hybrid seeds online and uses grow lights with timers. But here in the Midwest, where late frosts can surprise us, I trust the old ways. I watch the weather, feel the soil, and start my seeds indoors right after the first robins return. My neighbors debate: is it better to follow tradition or embrace new tech? Some say the heirloom varieties taste richer, others argue modern hybrids resist disease better. Our community garden is a patchwork of methods—some cling to family rituals, others chase the latest trends. Last year, a late cold snap wiped out half the high-tech seedlings, but my old-school plants survived, snug in their recycled pots. Still, there’s talk: should we all switch to climate-adapted varieties, or is there value in preserving what our parents taught us? As I press seeds into warm earth, I feel connected to generations before me. Maybe that’s worth more than a perfect harvest. What do you think—should we stick to tradition, or is it time for change? #gardeningdebate #tomatoseason #familytradition #Gardening