Seed Starting

[rosemarythyme]

Hardening off can be a very important part of the seed starting process. I figure at least a week to do it.

Hardening off is another use for my XL dog crate. I put the crate out in the middle of the garden, put the pots in it, and drape a white sheet over the crate. Attached with clothes pins so it won't blow away.

The sheet breaks the wind and softens the direct sunlight on the plants. After a couple days, I take the sheet off for a couple hours. An overcast day is the best for their first foray into real sunlight. Each day, I leave the sheet off for a couple more hours. By the end of the week to ten days, They've been in direct sunlight all day, with the breeze.

That's a great set up! I do my hardening off by putting the plants in an old cracked wheelbarrow (so the sides provide some protection from the wind), and then roll it into the greenhouse at night. Depending on temps and forecast I do it for 1-3 weeks and then plant.

 

[triciayoung]

That's a great set up! I do my hardening off by putting the plants in an old cracked wheelbarrow (so the sides provide some protection from the wind), and then roll it into the greenhouse at night. Depending on temps and forecast I do it for 1-3 weeks and then plant.

Good idea

 

[BabyGotQuack]

not much to report, just a pic update, peppers seem to be doing well!

Next round of indoor seeds won’t be for another week or so.


I wanted to direct sow carrots last weekend but we got hit with another snow storm. So for this weekend! I wanna get carrots, onions, garlic & possibly the potatoes in.

Anyone got any updates?

 

[Dinoroar]

Hi everyone! This is a fun thread! I have tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and some basil started. I just put them out today to start hardening off.

 

[TooCheep]

Interesting. What is the purpose of the diagonal pot setup? First time I've seen it.

 

[Sally PB]

Anyone got any updates?

I was planning on planting seeds on April 1, but the sun was out, the green house was WARM, so I went for it.

45 tomatoes, 4 hot peppers, 4 sweet peppers, 4 luffa, and about 150 onion seeds. I have a clear plastic sheet over the totes to keep the warm air in by the pots.

Pictures coming when there's something to see!

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I was planning on planting seeds on April 1, but the sun was out, the green house was WARM, so I went for it.

45 tomatoes, 4 hot peppers, 4 sweet peppers, 4 luffa, and about 150 onion seeds. I have a clear plastic sheet over the totes to keep the warm air in by the pots.

Pictures coming when there's something to see!

Awesome!

 

[Dinoroar]

Interesting. What is the purpose of the diagonal pot setup? First time I've seen it.

I think they’re diagonal to make room for the open areas. They have open bottoms and are supposed to air prune. This is my first year using them. I did soil blocks for a few years and there are things I like about those but they’re kinda time consuming & need frequent watering so I decided to try this kind.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wanted to direct sow carrots last weekend but we got hit with another snow storm. So for this weekend! I wanna get carrots, onions, garlic & possibly the potatoes in.

Anyone got any updates?

So far I have radish, arugula, several asian greens and peas sprouting in the raised beds. Got a bit of snow one evening (bigger issue was the ice accumulation on the protective netting over the bed - had to force myself to not touch it as that could've ripped some sprouts out of the ground) but the sprouts are still trucking along.

 

[Sally PB]

I have to get serious about where I'm putting everything. I could plant potatoes now, but I have to decide where to put them. Where they were going to be is now for the sweet potatoes.

It's another sunny day! YAY! Then late March reality sets back in for the weekend.