Seed starting indoors

[ducks4you]

We have weather dipping into the 20's next week. Maybe after that I can set out my cool weather seedlings.

I think you may want to study up on using plastic row covers, like growers that manage getting crops to grow early. There are NO guarantees on last frost dates!!!

 

[flowerbug]

I think you may want to study up on using plastic row covers, like growers that manage getting crops to grow early. There are NO guarantees on last frost dates!!!

that is why we tend to plant later. we only really want to do it once if we can help it. besides it's not like i can't keep busy with other things until then...

 

[baymule]

I have some curved heavy wire hoops, but I use them with bird netting to keep the crows from pulling up my sprouts. I bet they would do just fine for row cover. Wouldn't old bed sheets be just as good as row cover?

 

[catjac1975]

I have some curved heavy wire hoops, but I use them with bird netting to keep the crows from pulling up my sprouts. I bet they would do just fine for row cover. Wouldn't old bed sheets be just as good as row cover?

Row covers are very light weight. I think sheets would be heavy in the rain. The row covers last indefinitely when taken care of.

 

[ducks4you]

I am NOT retired, so I have to divide my time starting seeds with wintertime stall cleaning and all of the Other things in my life. After you plant for awhile you can identify seedlings without markers, so very few of my containers have labels this year. Today I transplanted about 18 tiny cherry tomato seedlings. I lost about 8 of them due to dry out. I save pots from purchases, so they went into 4 inch plastic pots. I filled them about 3/4 full, made a depression in most of them and planted a single seedling in each. Then, I filled two of the pots with multiple cherry t. seedlings, THEN I planted some old tomato seeds that I had stored to see if they will sprout bc I saw a program with a professional tomato grower who overloads his pots with tomato seeds. He says that they grow better with many other seedlings, and then you divide them up when they are all about 5-6 inches tall, so we'll see what survives me!! The others are Mortgage Lifters and Old German (whatever Those are!), and the Old German are 2014 seeds. As you know I once sprouted 35 yo tomato seeds but I let them dry out. Tomato seeds can last pretty long if stored right. They have a clear plastic cover and are now downstairs on a heat mat and under a grow light.
I covered each of the pots with a quart sized zip lock bag and put them in a tray to hold extra water.
I removed the Swiss chard that was growing in jiffy pots (the pots like look like 3 stacked quarters and are dry, then you add water to swell), replanted the jiffy pots with seeds that didn't grow and added more. I have that on top of the fridge and I will leave the overhead kitchen lights on to help them during the day, since I have extra replacement lamps.
Although I bought a seed starting tray with jiffy pots, I found I had one downstairs. I planted sweet peppers in it, multicolored and red. They are on a heat mat under a grow light.
I have the heat mats plugged in 24/7, but the lights are only on for about 13 hours/day. Only one light is on a timer bc I think I need to replace the extension cord. It won't power 2 lights at a time. Since I am Still putting away Christmas on the porch I will probably steal from those cords. Around the holidays is a great time to pick up extension cords at a great price, so I will replace them end of the year.
Btw, I am using well rotted manure and bedding from 2017 as my potting soil. The small pieces that aren't broken down are from pine shavings and I don't mind them in the soil. Can't break down and spend any money on potting soil.
Gardening is certainly an adventure!!

 

[ducks4you]

Yesterday, when our plumber determined that our on demand water heater needed a new one, I fixed my extension cord problem. I replaced the old extension cord with one I bought new for the holidays and pulled the power strip that was ???old, and said, "computer only" and put in another new one, again from the holidays. Now I have 3 heat mats plugged into the new power strip, 24/7, and 2 lights plugged into a timer. I started a 36 hole "windowsill" seed starter planter with 1/2 broccoli/1/2 cauliflower. Since they need water and heat to start they can sit on the heat mat in the dark until I get the grow light up above in the next day or so, which is an LED that is new but has a broken ballast so only one side has power, PERFECT for a 40" LED grow light...which is pink. I still have to drill and screw in the hooks to support, which I removed from a now dead and recycled old florescent light that used to hang downstairs.
I can See why you have to keep checking and keep watering your seed starting planters!!! They dry out so fast, even with covers.
You will be proud of me throwing away dead cords and stuff!!! When I went shopping at Menard's on Black Friday I grabbed a trash can with wheels to use for a shopping cart. I knew that I was buying it, but they still checked my receipt when I left the store. It holds 40 gallon trash bags and I put the box of extra bags in the bottom of the can. Yesterday I also threw away a very old piece of luggage. Couldn't unzip it so I used a razor to cut it open. Removed the contents, which I boxed bc they belong to my DD, and threw it in the outside garbage can.
I will REALLY be thanking my "past self" when it is time to dig in the dirt...if Spring EVER comes to my farm!!!

 

[ninnymary]

New to seed starting. Every seed germinated and I didn’t have the heart to throw them away so I transplanted them. Which meant the number tripled! I’m going to try and sell them. But next year I will plant only 2 seeds in each pot instead of 3 and will most definitely cut one. It is not worth the effort to sell them. Next week should be dry and I’ll start hardening off the tomatoes.

 

[catjac1975]

View attachment 30899 New to seed starting. Every seed germinated and I didn’t have the heart to throw them away so I transplanted them. Which meant the number tripled! I’m going to try and sell them. But next year I will plant only 2 seeds in each pot instead of 3 and will most definitely cut one. It is not worth the effort to sell them. Next week should be dry and I’ll start hardening off the tomatoes.

Plant the 2 seeds and pull one out and feed it to the chickens. You must be heartless. God is is ever winter for you? Could you grow tomatoes 12 months a year by consecutive planting? They look great!

 

[ninnymary]

Cat, that's what I plan to do next year, plant only 2 seeds and cut one out. Our winters are mild so I grow kale, radishes, carrots, and asian greens in the winter in my large raised bed. The bed in the ground gets compost, horse manure, and rabbit manure in the winter so that one rests.

I get cherry tomatoes as late as November and by the end of March I'm planting new plants. I don't think I could grow tomatoes with consecutive planting. Our winter day temps are in the mid-50's and night temps in the mid-40s usually.

Got to start my zinnias and impatients by this weekend. I would have started them when I did the tomato and peppers if I had room under my lights.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Mary your starts look great! Very healthy!