Surviving Minnesota!

[KlopKlop]

I put them in a seed tray in individual pods on my dining room table in front of the patio door/window. To harden off I put them out side during the good sunny days for a week or two then try to transplant. All shrivel up and die. They are not very big though. Maybe a month of growth in all. I am shooting for actual plants to transplant this year instead of the smaller things I get. So I will need many months of growth for that I am thinking. We plan for the first week of June to get in the soils around here. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later.

yes 6-8+ weeks vs 3-4 will make a huge difference in plant size.

Here are a few things that I do that may or may not be something you want to try
1)try to find a good liquid fertilizer (organic if you so desire) and use a weak solution of that once they are 3-4 weeks old.
2) If you think you need more light and have an extra desk lamp or something like that, go to the store and get a CFL bulk in 6500K to shine on them 16 hours a day. Lights should be within a few inches of the plants to prevent them from getting leggy
3) if you use a plastic dome, that should come off once they are all up and established to prevent damping off or mold issues.
4) if you have a small fan you can set it up to gently blow across your plants a couple days a week (i use an old 12 volt computer fan) this will help make the stalks stronger
5) if you use a heat/seedling mat, turn it off once the plants are all out of the dirt, again this can cause them to be leggy if left on.

anyone else have any tips? I've had good luck with seedlings in the past, but am always looking to learn new things

 

[KlopKlop]

yes 6-8+ weeks vs 3-4 will make a huge difference in plant size.

Here are a few things that I do that may or may not be something you want to try
1)try to find a good liquid fertilizer (organic if you so desire) and use a weak solution of that once they are 3-4 weeks old.
2) If you think you need more light and have an extra desk lamp or something like that, go to the store and get a CFL bulk in 6500K to shine on them 16 hours a day. Lights should be within a few inches of the plants to prevent them from getting leggy
3) if you use a plastic dome, that should come off once they are all up and established to prevent damping off or mold issues.
4) if you have a small fan you can set it up to gently blow across your plants a couple days a week (i use an old 12 volt computer fan) this will help make the stalks stronger
5) if you use a heat/seedling mat, turn it off once the plants are all out of the dirt, again this can cause them to be leggy if left on.

anyone else have any tips? I've had good luck with seedlings in the past, but am always looking to learn new things

oh and if you use the seed trays that have the little plastic cells you add dirt to, eventually you will need to transplant them to a larger pot to prevent them from becoming root bound! I use that kind for some and also like the kind where you get a little dry disk you soak in warm water and it grows into a little bag of soil/coir

 

[Rhetts]

I really like this idea!! Especially for camp day! And pulling root veggies in the fall.

https://stcloud.craigslist.org/grd/5443555729.html

 

[KlopKlop]

I really like this idea!! Especially for camp day! And pulling root veggies in the fall.

https://stcloud.craigslist.org/grd/5443555729.html

i have a similar set up using old counter tops for camp days. having a sink works so great! the faucet doesnt work but we use a hose with an adjustable nozzle. i am considering making some kind of foot activated water control this year

 

[Rhetts]

i have a similar set up using old counter tops for camp days. having a sink works so great! the faucet doesnt work but we use a hose with an adjustable nozzle. i am considering making some kind of foot activated water control this year

That is nice! I suppose finding someone doing a kitchen remodel, you could get the set up for next to nothing. I really like the idea!

 

[KlopKlop]

That is nice! I suppose finding someone doing a kitchen remodel, you could get the set up for next to nothing. I really like the idea!

it is my old kitchen having all the counter space is so nice. there were up to 4 people evicerating along there at a time with no issue. and we didnt need cutting boards or anything. that is the only thing i wouldnt like about the link you shared.

PS on the news, they just showed a calf that was born today with a big white heart shaped blotch on his forehead so cute!

 

[Coffee 1st]

Ohh not sure what happened.. So yesterday I got 7 chicks from Anoka Ramsey FG and I figured the 1 would die. But the rest seemed fine. I went to check in them for the night and 2 more were dead. WTH everything is clean and temp is good. Hope they r not sick because I put Roostie in there with them..

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh that's a bit unnerving coffee isn't it. Hope your babies are ok from here on out. Maybe do another set up for new comers just in case?... What a pain...

To be honest a packet of seeds of tomatoes is more tomatoes than I have space for. And if I want different varieties it's probably just as well to buy the individual plants given my space and lack of hardening off skills. I've putzed with shade and sheltered areas working on getting them hardened off but the efforts were too putzy and I don't have time for putzy right now. And putzy with no results is good for a mad redhead that's about it. I'll try again when kids have left the house and I have oodles of time to putz.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ohh not sure what happened.. So yesterday I got 7 chicks from Anoka Ramsey FG and I figured the 1 would die. But the rest seemed fine. I went to check in them for the night and 2 more were dead. WTH everything is clean and temp is good. Hope they r not sick because I put Roostie in there with them..

Oh I hate when I lose a chick. It is hard to say why a chick dies. I doubt putting Roostie in with them would kill them. The other chicks you got are doing ok aren't they?

It could be they caught a cold or chill or just failed to thrive. I am so sorry they died.



I gave up on seeds years ago. I just produced skinny ugly plants and the ones I bought at the nursery outperformed and out grew the ones I tried to start every time.

 

[duluthralphie]

Good morning!

19 degrees and headed up. life it good.


My little girl is still alive Ivie, I am going to give her some egg yolk this morning as I am not sure she is eating. She seem to have spunk, but she still seems like she has a bad kink in her neck/leg on the one side. Your choice if you want her or not, all the others from that hatch seem good.


I am happy with the 1202 I got from EJB! I am suppose to have a hatch today (late afternoon/early evening). I have 3 little girls out and about all ready!