6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
gardenmom2 - one nice thing by keeping them in the shoebox until early May, I was able to fortify them regularly with fish emulsion. They became quite sturdy and since they hadn't been mailed to me, there was no transplant shock when they hit the ground. I think that alone let them catch up to the mailed ones that had been planted 2-3 weeks earlier.
Kris
Here's a handy little tool you'll love - Grow Guide. That should let you know when to start things indoors, outdoors and transplant dates according to the first and last frost dates for your region. Google "frost dates" for your area and you should get a number of hits for your specific dates.
Sand ,silt and clay are all minerals. It would be rare to find a soil without a measure of all three. Sand is the largest particle size and will retain the least water. Clay is the smallest and will retain the most. I think you are worrying without a reason. Your directions I think are cautioning you about a soiless mix with very little mineral content. Al
Tim, in the case of your fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)-, mineral soil refers to the type of natural site where much of the organic top material has been burned away - forest fire or planned burn.
I don't think you will find it matters enough to look for or create a special seed starting mix - epilobium will grow just about any place open without much initial competition from other plants - like your seed containers.
It grows naturally here in all types of conditions - a neighbor has a little in one bed (volunteered), there has been a large patch in a gravelly ditch near a highway where I stop for gas, common in areas that have been logged etc.
Alana, good luck with this one. I don't think it will bloom the first year. I tried growing africana-lutea a couple of years ago, on a heat mat with lights. I only got a couple of sprouts and the plants did not grow very quickly. I put mine outside during the summer and sadly, it died from neglect. It never got very big, though.
Becky
I have wanted to add this one for a few years, but it's natural bloom time is probably a good indicator that I am tilting at windmills.
At least it won't be that one species of Salvia I will regret not trying. I am using a heat mat too, and have it in the greenhouse now. If I should have even limited success I will be as happy as a worm in compost.
Thanks, folks.
Alana
I used the Jiffy Peat Pellets with the 72-tray. If you google 'Jiffy Greenhouse', it should take you right to it. The tray, lid and pellets cost me $6.00 at Walmart. I've seen a similar 'knock-off' product at Home Depot made by Burpee for roughly the same price, although the pellets seemed smaller.
Once my tomatoes get their first 'true' set of leaves and/or I see roots coming out the side netting, I transfer to peat pots ($1.39 for ten of them) with actual soil to fill in the spaces. I only use the 3' pots since I don't plan on them living there long enough before the whole thing, pot and all will get transplanted to the garden.
Also note that you should be able to skip the whole peat pot thing and move the pellets with seedlings directly to your garden. I'm just doing it to free up the tray so I can start my 'round two' of plants.
Here is a link that might be useful: You can find these cheaper locally
I use the small 2 oz. or so bathroom mouthwash plastic cups that you find in the supermarket, placed in an aluminum food tray that is sold with a clear plastic dome which can also be bought at supermarkets, Walmart, etc.
Punch a couple of holes in the bottom of the cups and fill with a moistened seed mix. You can write on the cups so that you can mix them in the tray. The trays come in several sizes and are very inexpensive.
If you don't have a heat mat, place the tray on top of your VCR or cable box. The heat is just about right for quick germination.
How cold does it get at night now in Georgia? How warm during the day? Most seeds germinate at around 68-75 degrees, from my experience, but i guess that would depend on what you are growing. I have a green house that is not really heated a whole lot, but it rarely goes below 50 degrees at night. Maybe you could move the trays in at night?
My lights run 16/8 every day. I put baggies with seeds I want to pre-sprout on top of the lights for heat. There's a 5-10 degree difference with them on versus off. I have five 4' lights on one powerstrip that is attached to a timer so they all turn on and off at the same time. Just keep water away from the outlets and plugs and you should have no problems.
I'm using mine now to start seeds. Over the winter, they were used to keep my tender perennials and cuttings alive.
I am in MA near Taunton ..and I started Toms,peppers to plant out in May or so...I know I'll have to hardern them off very carefully to avoid shock.I will replant them deeper and pinch top growth ruthlessly if it means I can eat Mater sooner. I hate waiting till the end of Aug to get a few for al my hard work.
I can confirm that you actually dont need lights to grow plants. I have been successfully growing zinnias, petunias, impatiens and other plants by just putting them in my south facing kitchen window. It is actually like a patio door so it is quite big. sometimes they do get leggy but I see no difference in a few weeks.
Try Heronswood. They currently carry a Helianthus, although it doesn't specifically say "argophyllus". Sorry, that was all I could find. MacThayer
Here is a link that might be useful: Heronswood
Lumens make a huge difference, especially if they are coming from a spectrum plants can use.
For instance, on a bright sunny day in summer, your plants will be getting ~100,000-120,000 lumens.
I would be wary of a fluro tube that promises 100 lumens per watt. The only ones I know of that do that produce a lot of light in a spectrum plants do not use.
Mike
Thanks Mike
I think I will stick to what I bought at HD
Two 3200 Lumen 40 watt Daylight 6000K(or close to that number)_
Two 3000 Lumen 40 watt Coolwhite 4000K(or close to that number)
I plan on using one of each on the two shoplights I will have sied by side
Sound good?
The only thing I can suggest is to make sure they are only a couple inches away from the light. For some reason, for me, my lettuce always sprouts and shoots for the light almost on the same day. I almost always forget, and end up with my first batch a mess and starting over. I prop them on unused (for the moment flats or pots turned over to get up to the lights. Once they start to leaf out they will be fine. It just takes them a few days. That is my experience anyway. Ok. I am off to RE start my own lettuce seedlings.
Thanks for a response. I have noticed today that they seem a little greener. I do think I've lost some though. I think after another day or 2 I will see how they look and transplant them and get the good ones out. If I don't do that, then I'll just start over.
Andrea