Planting Anxiety

[DawnSuiter]

Maybe I should just grow them outside when it isn't too cold and bring them inside IF it's too cold..

if I did that... how cold is too cold?

I'm talking no more than 100 plants

 

[digitS']

It is nice of you to say that, Dbjay, but I don't really know how to answer Dawn's question about light needed. Pat's ideas look like good ones. And, the ideas shared over on the Using indoor lighting systems for plants thread look "illuminating" to me .

I'm encouraged to learn that Dawn has a bay window with 64 degree air around the plants. Nothing beats natural sunlight but overcoming the limitations of only indirect light for so much of the day would sure help.

Dawn, can you turn the house to face the sun at both sunset and . . . dawn?

Moving the plants in and out is a good plan but very little growth can be expected unless the temperature is above 55. Can you be around the house enuf to make good use of the outdoors when conditions allow, Dawn?

Steve

 

[DawnSuiter]

It is nice of you to say that, Dbjay, but I don't really know how to answer Dawn's question about light needed. Pat's ideas look like good ones. And, the ideas shared over on the Using indoor lighting systems for plants thread look "illuminating" to me .

I'm encouraged to learn that Dawn has a bay window with 64 degree air around the plants. Nothing beats natural sunlight but overcoming the limitations of only indirect light for so much of the day would sure help.

Dawn, can you turn the house to face the sun at both sunset and . . . dawn?

Moving the plants in and out is a good plan but very little growth can be expected unless the temperature is above 55. Can you be around the house enuf to make good use of the outdoors when conditions allow, Dawn?

Steve

HA! Would love to turn the house!!! Then our bedrooms would be dark in the morning! But they turned it the way they did due to the hillside they had to dig out for the footer.

I am home nearly every day all day.. I usually only leave the premises two or three times a month, but will more this year with the farmers market & shipping eggs twice a week. So absolutely yes, I can put them right in front of the chicken coop with sun exposure morning till night.

SO if it's above 55F I will have them outside, if not, inside in the bay window. I can't hang a shoplight in my living room unfortunately, so it'll at least be better than last year this way.
Maybe this will mean when I plant them they will handle it better.

I'm RE-invigorated! Thank you both so much!

 

[Purple Strawberry]

How do you know when it is time to transplant? Should it have x amount of leaves or be so tall?

 

[dbjay417]

i dont think you can tell like that, because for whatever reason some plants will grow slower or faster, some will grow more roots while others grow more stem and leaves. The only way i have been able to tell is to try to remove a plant, if the plant or soil seems too flimsy, like it will fall apart easily if i were to remove the plant from the plastic, i leave it be for a few more days, and then check again.

my cukes took between two and three weeks before they were sturdy enough to transplant without shock. My eggplants are taking considerably longer.

 

[vfem]

Don't you fret, everyone here is VERY helpful. I spent months learning about planting before I even started. Seed started seemed so complicated I realized I had to suck it up and do it though after the sticker shock of buying already started plants.

I got the seed starter by Jiffy, and though I still have those damn knats, they are harmless to the plants. (My cat however has eaten a few here including a hibiscus and a couple of foxglove. Grrrrr)

My white fly issue however I can't be rid of, but I have them under control with daily treatments and hands on squishing!!!!

Now, I moved a bunch of plants on and off the deck for a few days to 'harden them off'. Before you've transplanted, have you given them a taste of the outside world? You know, a few hours day one... a few more day 2... and an over night stay day 3 before putting them in the ground?

I did this with my tomatoes, and we've had 4 days of constant hard rain since I got them into the ground. I covered them with milk jugs without lids when the rain started coming and we hit 40 degrees at night. So far, out of 9 plants I only lost 2 (they seemed weak anyways when I put them in.) and the rest are nice and green and seem to be thriving! If I didn't harden them off I doubt they would make it.

What really blew my mind was I moved out some Bellflower that were losing strength in the house, and I was starting to think they weren't going to make it... and I moved out 1 Larkspur that had well over grown its pot. Now the bellflower has REALLY perked up... and the larkspur of all things is in bloom!!!!

So far I can tell you if you can get them started the suggested time before last frost 3-4 weeks or 6-8 weeks... whatever the package says and stay true to the timing, I bet you will have at least a 90% survival rating and some strong plants.

The big kicker is light inside though... too bad you didn't have a south facing window. I would also suggest the grow light. MOst of mine are under grow lights, but my south facing window plants are doing better.

 

[DawnSuiter]

My chicken coops face south.
Thank you, now I know the ideal location for growth!
I can build a cold frame right next to our garden, both with full exposure next to the coops.

That should be a great help!

Thank you all SOOOO much

 

[Purple Strawberry]

Don't you fret, everyone here is VERY helpful. I spent months learning about planting before I even started. Seed started seemed so complicated I realized I had to suck it up and do it though after the sticker shock of buying already started plants.

I got the seed starter by Jiffy, and though I still have those damn knats, they are harmless to the plants. (My cat however has eaten a few here including a hibiscus and a couple of foxglove. Grrrrr)

My white fly issue however I can't be rid of, but I have them under control with daily treatments and hands on squishing!!!!

Now, I moved a bunch of plants on and off the deck for a few days to 'harden them off'. Before you've transplanted, have you given them a taste of the outside world? You know, a few hours day one... a few more day 2... and an over night stay day 3 before putting them in the ground?

I did this with my tomatoes, and we've had 4 days of constant hard rain since I got them into the ground. I covered them with milk jugs without lids when the rain started coming and we hit 40 degrees at night. So far, out of 9 plants I only lost 2 (they seemed weak anyways when I put them in.) and the rest are nice and green and seem to be thriving! If I didn't harden them off I doubt they would make it.

What really blew my mind was I moved out some Bellflower that were losing strength in the house, and I was starting to think they weren't going to make it... and I moved out 1 Larkspur that had well over grown its pot. Now the bellflower has REALLY perked up... and the larkspur of all things is in bloom!!!!

So far I can tell you if you can get them started the suggested time before last frost 3-4 weeks or 6-8 weeks... whatever the package says and stay true to the timing, I bet you will have at least a 90% survival rating and some strong plants.

The big kicker is light inside though... too bad you didn't have a south facing window. I would also suggest the grow light. MOst of mine are under grow lights, but my south facing window plants are doing better.

This was all very helpful. I am emailing my friedns and co-works to save their milk jugs for me now.

 

[dbjay417]

i thought foxglove was toxic for house pets.

 

[momofdrew]

How do you know when it is time to transplant? Should it have x amount of leaves or be so tall?

you should wait until they have at least their first set of true leaves as apposed to seed leaves which is what pushes up out of the soil...