6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Well, the reason I keep the lights on them 24/7 is cuz I really have too many for the one light that I'm using - one of the 3 rows is always in the dark. Therefore, I reposition the lights throughout the day so all the plants will get their share of light. Then, on nice sunny days I put them outside for a while as well.
Thanks for all the advice on the chamomile tea - I'll be getting it today & hopefully that'll get rid of the mold!
I am in Zone 5B and I sow carrots, peas, spinach, radishes, and potatoes the first week of May, I pushed it a few years ago and planted them mid April, and didnt gain any extra benefit.
I start onion seeds inside though.
Where did you read yoru info on when to plant out for zone 5? I have always read/used May 10th. But every year is different, I watch the weather and teh temp of the soil... there is no real golden answer.
You could cover what you have with a frost cloth, but you would need to remove it during the day.. problem is... this week we are never going to get above freezing, so it is too chilly with or without a frost blanket. Frost is much different than a hard freeze.
Keriann~
The local nursery's catalogue has a planting calendar. It said to start what I planted in Mid-March. I was told by other people that in Kansas City, St. Patty's day is the best time to plant potatoes. I talked to a woman in person and she told me not to worry cuz she always planted potatoes and frost didn't kill them, but mine are in pots for stacking higher.
Also, my seed packets said for peas, bok choy, and spinach to plant as soon as the ground can be worked, and I have read that spinach needs to be planted several weeks before the last frost. The last frost in Kansas City is around mid-April. True, the temperatures are just going to dip to about 28-29 degrees at night, so not a real freeze.
hey goblugal, i wasn't being sarcastic!!! was saying THANKS, lots of info. i saved the link for further use. guess u could take it the wrong way. i never say ugly things here. all help is useful, even if they just say they don't know. at least i know i am not the only 1 not knowing. so THANKS everyone.gotta find some bigger toenail clippers.lol. joyce
Rotating is always a good practice. The ends of the bulbs generally don't put out as much light as the centers, so that will help keep them as close to even growth as possible.
Light intensity drops off with distance rather drastically (Intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance), so the cool bulb's light isn't really getting to the side under the warm bulb side as much and vice versa. I don't think you need to rotate them daily, but at least weekly would be a benefit (or certainly won't hurt anything). I normally rotate mine every 3 or 4 days.
On a positive note, you do learn best from your own experience! People can tell you what they think or do, but you can only really understand by trying it out yourself. Some of your stuff will do fine if you give it some TLC, you'll be surprised what a plant can take. If you can get a shop light or two it may help them and do them better than a floor lamp, and they are fairly inexpensive and the lights will last you a good while...a solid investment if you plan to start your seeds year to year! Don't give up:)
And just to comment on a above post, not ALL herbs need to be direct sown. Some of the woodier types like rosemary, thyme, sage it is beneficial to give them a head start indoors...but then again it is only my opinion!
Happy Growing!
I bought a box of 120 plastic pots about 4 inches each. I use over and over and over. I gather all old pots from trees I buy. It is handy to cover my little vegetable plants from the nasty storms. Also I use some as a holder for my cantaloupe where the vine climbs on the fence and I have to support teh fruit or I will lose them. I alsways looking for old pots.
Yeah I know that problem all to well. A trick I do is I actually pour the water in my hand then trickle it on the seedlings, you may still have to adjust the seedlings but this method for me sure works better than dumping water on them.
After you get that first initial watering then you should be able to bottom water successfully. Another trick since you haven't replanted all of your seedlings try to water the soil you are going to transfer them to first. Then add your seedlings. Taking a wild guess here the reason the bottom watering isn't working is because mix straight out of the package contains air. That first watering elements the air, therefore allowing bottom watering to work.
Make sense??
Poppies are a plant that like the cool weather. I am in tennessee and I am already planting out today is a chilly day here. Though I doubt your temps may be cool enough for poppies, heck I may be wrong though.
I direct sow my poppies!! Few do pop up for me, but the few I still enjoy.
Save some of your seeds and maybe try this fall to direct sow some.
LOL!!! Hilarious that brought a huge smile to my face.
Well what it is I have always loved to grow outside and this system simply makes sense. So many are scared to try cause of the frost or cold and many do not know they can and when I hear someone kinda newer talking about the cold I have to toss up a picture.
Down in the winter sowing forum zone 5ers are starting to get sprouts so hopefully it won't be much longer for you in zone 4.
I have maybe 85% germinated right now out of 131 containers, my american beautyberry is the newest sprout I found today.
This weekend I plan on sowing more!!
Glad you were amused - after I posted, I realized that you might be offended - which was not my intention.
Last week we had temps in the 50's for several days but right now it is 9 degrees outside, so its a good thing none of my WS seeds sprouted!
(sorry to steal your thread Dave)
Keriann, you were right, last night I could see some of the peppers starting to break through. Also the 2nd batch of lettuce I planted 2 days before had mostly all sprouted. The first batch that I posted pictures of are starting to show a tiny bit of something growing in between the 2 cotyledons.
My seedlings always grow twice as fast if I look at them half as often. My wife says I "worry" my plants by fussing with them too much. Al