Gymgirl's blog: FALL/WINTER 2011 VEGGIE GARDEN: Sowing Seeds Week #1

Posted on Aug 8, 2011 9:18 AM

<p style="text-align: left;">Hi, Guys!<br /><br />Saturday, August 6th, was seed sowing day! First order of business was sterilizing last season's seed starting mixes. I bought an old microwave oven earlier this year, just for this job. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">First, I wet the mix really well, and fluff it to release all the dry mix underneath, rewetting as necessary to make sure it's all evenly moist.<br /><img style="float: left; border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid; margin: 5px;" src="http://garden.org/pics/2011-08-08/Gymgirl/fe79b2-250.jpg" alt="2011-08-08/Gymgirl/fe79b2" width="250" height="250" /><img style="float: left; border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid; margin: 5px;" src="http://garden.org/pics/2011-08-08/Gymgirl/9e76dd-250.jpg" alt="2011-08-08/Gymgirl/9e76dd" width="250" height="250" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">  </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p><img style="float: right; border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid; margin: 5px;" src="http://garden.org/pics/2011-08-08/Gymgirl/6a580d-250.jpg" alt="2011-08-08/Gymgirl/6a580d" width="250" height="250" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">     Then, I nuke it in a old microwave oven for 20 minutes. I use a large hard plastic popcorn bowl that can take the heat. After it's nuked, I fluff the mix quickly to release the steam, then cover the bowl with a clean bucket lid to hold in the steam. Let this rest as you move on to another batch.</p>
<div>
<p style="text-align: left;">After 10 minutes remove the lid, quickly fluff up the mix a bit to release the steam, and re-cover. By the time the second batch is nuked, the first batch has finished the sterilizing process.  I fluff it again to cool it a bit more, then fill my seedling trays.  </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The seedling mix is warm when I sow the seeds, and I water them in with warm water, as well. Then, I quickly shove them into plastic drawstring bags and tie them up, either venting open on one end, or tearing a couple dime-size holes in the plastic. This sets up humidity, and seems to hold the warmth inside the bag (see picture below). I noticed fast germination last season, and wondered if it was the heat inside the bags. When my tomato seeds came up, and I vented the bags, I stuck my hand inside. I could feel the heat built up in there! In any case, all of my 212 tomato and 65 bell pepper seedlings germinated.</p>
<img style="float: left; border-width: 3px; border-color: red; border-style: solid; margin: 5px;" src="http://garden.org/pics/2011-08-08/Gymgirl/9578cd-250.jpg" alt="2011-08-08/Gymgirl/9578cd" width="250" height="250" />
<p style="text-align: left;">I sowed 15 cabbage and 15 cauliflower seeds in the Gardener's Supply APS Deep Rooting System. I like this system because the seedlings develop a really big root ball, compared to seeds rooted in shallower cups. I only have two, and am considering getting another one or two. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br />I also sowed Broccoli seeds in two different containers. Nine seeds were sowed in a deep 9-cell tray, almost as deep as the APS system. I really would like to find more like this one. Nine more broccolis were sown in 8 oz. Yogurt cups. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Then I remembered friends who were expecting seedlings, so I sowed 12 Catskills Brussels Sprouts and 12 Calabrese Broccoli seeds in 6 oz. yogurt cups for them. The cups are in cat litter trays that I placed in a clear plastic, drawstring bag.  I labeled all the seedlings with plant markers made from cut up vinyl mini blinds I bought at a local resale shop for $5.  From the looks of it, I'll have a lifetime supply.  Just write the info on the end with a sharp #2 pencil.  That graphite does not come off easily!  And, it won't fade in the garden, either.<img style="float: right; border-width: 3px; border-color:cream; border-style: solid; margin: 5px;" title="PLANT MARKERS" src="http://garden.org/pics/2011-08-09/Gymgirl/6c57a7-250.jpg" alt="2011-08-09/Gymgirl/6c57a7" width="250" height="250" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I'm toying with sowing some Collard and Mustard seeds, tomorrow, but not sure I should start them so early. They grow so fast, I'm afraid they'll outgrow my light stand before I can put them out. I don't want to set them out in this heat, and I'm not sure it'll be cool enough in 8 more weeks. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I'm praying for the same success this season, as last!<br /><br />Godspeed and Good Harvest! </p>
</div>

Post a new thread about this blog entry:

Drag and drop a photo here to upload, or click below:

- 😀

smily acorn grouphug glare tongue_smilie blushing drool angry rolleyes hurray tiphat bigear thinking hogrin biggrin greengrin nodding blinking confused crying grumbling sad doh hearts rofl thumbsdown thumbsup cross_finger whistling lol angel shrug iagree thankyou welcome sigh

« View Gymgirl's blog

Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )