Early Garden Starts

[Smithyard Farm]

Thanks for the update.. as a kid, I remember my mom starting seeds.... she was always so busy, that she never got to the next step so I have been so hesitant to start them. I just remember flats of long leggy tiny plants that never seemed to do anything. I did not know they needed to be transplanted like that. I now feel a bit more empowered and look forward to my seeds coming in! thank you thank you!

 

[dickiebird]

Here's a pic of a couple of the plants I started this thread with.
I put them in these containers this evening and their next step will be 5 gal pails out in the green house, come warmer days.


THANX RICH

 

[digitS']

Will they be in those pails through the growing season, Rich?

If you can keep this updated, the entire process will be of interest. Those are larger varieties, if I remember right - Beefsteak (the original) & Hillbilly. (You can also tell me if I need better reading glasses .)

I tried some tomatoes in my yard last year in what likely were 2 - 3 gallon pots. Too small for the best growth. I didn't really care about production since other plants were in the open garden. That size pot seems to do just fine for Sweet Baby Girl but those are small plants in the garden as well.

Steve

 

[ducks4you]

You just keep trying and talking to the folks here and figuring out what works best for YOU. I started another celery stem a few weeks ago and it's got 5 inch new sprouts. I have it in a quart canning jar with 3 inches of water and sitting in the south, sunny, kitchen window. THIS one might make it, but the others I tried dried out.
Another thing, sellers tell you to do "recommended" things that really just make you buy more of the same. I am not putting 3-5 seeds in each cell when I start tomatoes later this month. I can never figure out which ones to snip and which ones to keep. Besides, you end up with younger and older annual vegetables in your garden anyway, so why not just put one seed in the cell, and if it lives then it's easier to up pot?
The other thing is your lifestyle. First year I've had inside basil. I cheated and bought the plant, BUT, I put it in the guest room west window, just off of the kitchen, where it's easy for ME to water and retrieve. Good thing the only houseplants upstairs are geraniums bc they love drying out. I don't go upstairs every day, so I neglect them. Just super soak them about once a month.
IMHO, regarding starting seeds inside, you should adopt the idea of "keep it small", and then you'll probably be more successful.

 

[HEChicken]

I am not putting 3-5 seeds in each cell when I start tomatoes later this month. I can never figure out which ones to snip and which ones to keep. Besides, you end up with younger and older annual vegetables in your garden anyway, so why not just put one seed in the cell, and if it lives then it's easier to up pot?

Same here! When I have 2-3 vigorous little plants growing, I don't have the heart to kill any of them. In the past, I've just planted out the whole little newspaper pot and let all of them vie for the nutrients and grow into one plant - sort of. But I decided the same as you this time - I'm only going to put in one seed per pot. If it doesn't sprout, no biggie, I will just reuse the pot for the next batch.

 

[NwMtGardener]

I have pretty good success with just planting 1 seed per pot. I use those "pop up" type starters made of coconut fiber, so if a seed doesnt come up in 1, i just let it dry out a few days (in case of the remote possibility of a fungus/whatever) and use it again.

I also use the tip of a pencil - just a little bit wet from pressing into my wet starter pots, to touch 1 seed from my palm into the little divot I made in the starter pot with a screw or the pencil. Works great!

 

[HEChicken]

I also use the tip of a pencil - just a little bit wet from pressing into my wet starter pots, to touch 1 seed from my palm into the little divot I made in the starter pot with a screw or the pencil. Works great!

Love that tip! I am definitely doing that this time around.

 

[Ridgerunner]

On January 14th I stuck a sweet potato in a bucket of water and put that on top of my bookcase. One concern is always whether it is warm enough up there or not to sprout the sweet potato. Looks like it is. I won't have to buy any slips this year.

 

[ducks4you]

How did you do this? Your picture isn't clear. Did you do the thing people used to do with an avacado, partially submerged? I've got 2013 harvested Beauregard sweet potatoes in my basement, and I would love to start my own slips.

 

[baymule]

@ducks4you that is exactly what you do. Toothpicks and a jar of water and you get sweet potato vines! I have done this the past two years, but decided to try named varieties this year instead of store bought whazzitcallits. Last year I even cut the vines in 6-10 inch pieces and rooted them in a wide mouth fruit jar....actually several of them.