6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I think diamond frost is one of those patented plants that are propagated from the parent and the company that has the patent should get their share of sale of plant. You can buy some plants this year and keep them under lights all winter. You may be able to make cuttings but you can't sell or give them away. (I am not sure if all of that is correct but I know you can not sell them). I have two that I kept this winter and they look fine.
You can transplant twice (once to 2 inch than once to 4 inch) with no problem.
Do NOT use a mixture of garden soil and humus! In most cases this mix will be too dense and retain too much moisture. Use the potting mix or purchase a good soiless mix like Pro-mix.
Jon
A rare plant so likely few experienced folks. You might check over on the Bamboo Forum here. I bet some of the folks there could better advise you.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo Forum
Not sure about your flowers, but basil does fairly well in lower-light conditions. Peppers, well, that depends on what you're comparing it to. Better than brassicas and lettuce, not as good as basil, in my opinion. Sort of like tomatoes. They won't thrive in lower-light conditions, but they probably won't kill themselves.
In your situation, I think you'll be fine. I'd leave the CFL spots on 24-7, though, and get them as close as you can. And, obviously, use the brightest, highest kelvin temperature bulbs you can get.
I have read that kmotgg seed stays viable only about a year; therefore, if you collected your seeds two years ago in the fall, they may not germinate.
I have the variegated type; they do reseed fairly reliably. To start them indoors they need about 6-8 weeks of cold stratification.
kms
I forgot to mention, I'm not using growing lights either. Since it is so warm where you are, you might try it and watch them closely for ten to fifteen minutes. And again in another fifteen to make sure they aren't getting burned. Also, you could try putting them in shade so the adjustment is gradual.
Also, at night it is rather cold inside. At night it freezes enough to freeze the water in the horse water troughs. But since I'm in the high desert, the days are warm and sunny. Also, when I have them outside, I make sure to keep an eye on them so they don't dry out too much. Some of the seedlings haven't come up yet.
I know some say to keep them in the dark, but that didn't seem to matter with the ones that have already appeared.
So you are using the standard domed trays. Please note that the domes cause problems UNLESS you are planting all the same variety in the whole tray.
No way different things will germinate at the same time if you leave the dome on waiting for the late-comers the early ones are killed by damp off.
Either use separate containers and bags or tear the trays apart and plant only 1 variety in each tray. Then when some of that plant germinate it can be removed from the tray and dome and the rest can be left covered.
Domes and plastic covers are for germination only. They can kill sprouted seedlings. Once sprouted the plants need air and lots of light, not covers.
As for light, as the others have said, your light are way too far away. Fluorescent shop light kept no more than 2 inches above the top of the plants. Grow lights are not needed unless you want to spend the extra money on the.
This, as well as fertilization needs, how to transplant, etc. is explained in great detail in the FAQ's here, linked for you previously.
Dave
I don't know about coir fiber from Vietnam but I do ammend most of my soils with coir fiber and I also use it in my reptile and amphibian cages. I buy it in compressed bricks. I just checked and they are imported from Sri Lanka. I've never had a problem. That's not a guarantee but I think I'd have seen something with my amphibians if the coir contained toxins. I do buy bricks specifically made for reptiles and amphibians and they might have stricter controls then garden supplies.
Thanks for your input Karyn. I guess we just end up trusting them. I am disappointed that I did not hear back from the company, and that the other business that sells them knew nothing about the product. Still not sure if I want to take the leap...
Being overzealous with fungicides isn't a good thing, either.
If you left the baggies on, I'd say that's almost certainly the problem. Even if not, if they went from little light to very intense light, you could be seeing something akin to insufficient hardening. Are they wilting and/or chlorotic?
It is much better to eliminate the conditions that favor the dampening off fungus than it is to kill it with chemicals. Just remember as soon as germination occurs, you should lower the temperature, hold back on the water, remove any cover and increase air circulation and light. I always assume the fungus is THERE already and make it difficult for it to grow or survive. Al
Yes it happens. Usually once one plant of a certain variety is up all the others follow within a day or so.
Seedlings require a lot of light to grow well and in many areas will require artificial light this time of year. You have not specified where you live so I don't know how sunny it is there. If you read through a bunch of the posts on this forum you will discover many novice growers with leggy seedlings that cannot support themselves. Many of these seedlings were started in a sunny window or with a florescent light that was way to far away from the plants (less than one inch is good).
Jon
Thanks for the response Jon.
I live in Vancouver BC, zone 7/8. It's been sunny the last few days, but that should be changing soon. My windows have UV coatings on them, I'm not sure if that affects seedlings. So far the seedlings look pretty good. It's been two or three days since 1 of 4 cabbage seeds sprouted. Oh well, I'll see how it goes. I'm recording everything for future reference. Growing vegetables in the city can be challenging, with all the trees, houses, and garages there isn't much space that gets full sun for 6+hrs.