6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I'm with Keriann. I think probably you'll need to do the math and find an online volume converter. Alternatively, you could try contacting Cornell directly and just ask them. It doesn't hurt to ask. I do it all the time! The worst that can happen is that they either ignore you or say "sorry can't help." At least you tried though and you might get the exact measurement. ;)
Put it in a window at the least. You will need to wait till the danger of frost is gone then you will need to harden it off.
Hardening off = slowly acclimating it to the outside elements.
If you have extra seeds maybe you can start some outside for that just in case factor. Several reasons why people do not sow successfully indoors. One is because of the hardening off. Two because of damp off. Three light.
damp off = fungal disease that kill seedlings. It actually looks like someone took a finger nail and actually sliced the seedling.
If you grow outside you do not have to worry about damp off or hardening off. Check out the winter sowing forum for more tips regarding growing outside during winter months!! There is some great economic advice given in regards to growing from seed.
Thanks Keriann and Al, I will wait for a few more leaves to form and will try wet and dry methods and see which works best for me, I usually put two seeds in a pot and clip off the weakest one but thought I would toss more in and seperate them but got them alittle too close to each other.
Keriann, I started them a little early this year because they always seem small when it comes time to plant out and I was trying for a bigger sturdier plant this year.
Here is my list and maybe more before it's all said and done
Tomatoes:
Brandywine Pink
Brandywine Yellow
Cherokee Purple
Sungold
Peppers:
Jalepeno
Anahiem
Serrano
Pasilla Bajio
Mulato Isleno
Poblano
Thai
Big Jim
Yellow, Red, and Orange Bell
Guajillo
Aji Dulce
Very cool! You have a lot of great plants!
I use Al's way as well for other plants. I like the wet method for maters though, but you have the best approach, try both ways and see what works for you!
Keep us posted on their progress : )
Keriann~
If possible try giving them a little bit of real sunlight each day in addition to the lights...
Here is a link that might be useful: A few words about beet growing
I started my peppers and eggplant last week. The eggplants came up within 4 days on the heat mat, the Jalapenos just popped up this morning but the rest of the hot peppers didn't come up, yet. Unfortunately, I just ordered seeds for the sweet peppers, so they will be started late.
Yes, I am relatively new to growing flowers from seeds. It is only my second year. Vegetables I have been growing with success for quite a while but flowers are different animal, so to speak. Johnny Seeds website says to keep snapdragon seedlings at lower temperature at night and so I did and boy, do they love it. In the morning they look like they are ready to jump out of the basket, so straight and perky.
BTW, weatherman says that snow should be gone in 2 weeks. We will see.
Thanks for all the help. I'll be updating my garden progress every Wednesday on my blog.
I have just posted update and pictures on my re-designed blog. I noticed that 2 seedlings had leaf damage, the green was gone and just white webbing was left, like some bug was eating it but I couldn't see any. I snipped the tops and saved damaged leaves to look at under stereoscope. If somebody knows what it is and what to do about it, please let me know.
Here is a link that might be useful: Snapdragon and garden update
Hi Al,
Thanks for your input. I'd better get my light table cleared off; it's in the garage. I hope this goes well as I haven't had much practice with seeds under lights.
The Rudbeckia I'm growing is the one with the green center. I only see them in gallon containers in the nursery. I hope to take one or two to my garden club's plant sale.
Ginny
Ginny
Hi Ginny, you won't need the light until germination has taken place. It will not hurt to have the extra light now, but not having it, will not prevent normal germination. I started a lot of seeds too early,lured by a couple of weeks of unseasonably warm weather,I am finding which seedlings will tolerate the cold best or worse. I have learned to always plant only a sample of any seed, so my losses are minimal. Al
Right now I am using my home-made heat mat(9"x13" cake pan) with Christmas tree lights under it. I only have one 9 cell in it now. I can look over on the bookcase and see it is 76.1 degrees inside(transmitting therometter) and can addjust up or down as I see fit. The major drawback is that I have to have an extenion cord running to it from the switch I have set by my recliner.
I have a Hydrofarm 9.5x19.5 mat that gets too hot, but I will fix it like the homemade (pan) by using a dimmer switch on it. The home made runs about 85 degrees at 80 volts (temps vary with ambient).
I like having a small heatmat (pan) and just sticking 1 or 2 cell packs in it and sliding it under or behind the chair
and just glancing over my left sholder to check the temp.
Larry
Here is a something cheap to make and I got all the stuff at Lowes. I made this last year and it worked good. Its nothing but a 5 gallon bucket and a light socket. I dont keep my seedlings in there after they are up because of no air movement.
Check It Out!
Here is a link that might be useful: CFL bucket
Many of us sow in flats for material and space saving - sowing in individual pots may not be efficient unless you need only a small number of plants.
Seedlings from seeds sown close in a flat can grow together and become overcrowded, tall and spindly, difficult to separate if left too long. It's beneficial to the seedling to 'pot up' or transplant to individual containers at this point ...they benefit from transplanting in that way, but often disturbing the roots will set the growth back or stall it temporarily, they don't actually benefit or improve from having their roots disturbed - not like punching down rising dough :)
If you started your seed in individual pots (or thin using scissors as you describe to a strongest seedling), you will not have to transplant if your pots are large enough to accommodate developing roots until time to plant out in the garden.
It may be a little harder to keep the moisture content appropriate in a large container for seedling roots so you'll need to pay special attention there if you choose to go that route. Watering not frequently enough can cause the top to dry out (where the roots will first be) and watering too often can leave the lower pot zone too wet.
Not a germination database of credit, but Fine Gardening mag -
"wash the seeds well and remove the slippery outer coating; then sow immediately. Cover with soil and keep in a warm, bright place. Germination should occur in four to eight weeks. You can also start seeds in vermiculite; keep a plastic bag over the pot to maintain high humidity. Papayas are prone to damping-off. "
Gailardia I know for sure blooms the first year and it is easy cheesy to transplant.
As far as monarda this will be the first year I grow that genus so if it blooms the first year from seed I am not sure. Though I have read nothing that indicates that it is difficult to transplant.
Hopefully someone else will come along about the monarda with more experience first hand than myself.
I grew Monarda from seed last year and they bloomed on the top of the one stem which grew per plant. I did not pinch them to cause branching. At the end of the season,(November,here)I dug them up and potted them, as the location where they were requires constant blooming plants. The potted Monarda kept in a cold frame are producing lots of growth from the root ball which I presume will be lots of flowering stems this year. Al
The garden plot I have for sweet corn is 20 x 40 ft.
I have an old corn planter (parts getting pretty rusty) I used as a child for planting corn. It would drop 3 or four seeds at a plunge and would plant an area your size in a jiffy. I have not seen one for sale since 1937, maybe I should work mine over though I no longer am planting corn. Al