Saturday, March 31, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Spring
Just a week ago we got an inch of snow...Yesterday it was 80 degrees...Today I have all kinds of these around my yard...Thats' spring in the midwest
Monday, March 19, 2007
How To Start Tomato Seeds - part 3
Here's my lighting rig. This is where I've started all my plants for the last 10 or 12 years. I made it out of 2x4's and 1/2 in plywood. In it I have 5 - 48" neon shop lights. The intent was to have 6 but I think I was running low on funds at the time and never got around to adding the sixth light. They are just your cheap shop lights you can pick up at the local home center. The bulbs I use are also the basic home use bulbs you find with the fixtures. I have one warm and one cool bulb in each light. I don't use grow lights because I don't think they are worth the extra money.
The entire unit is wrapped in plastic. There is a sheet that rolls up the front. The top shelf has a single light and is where I place small narrow flats shortly after they emerge.
the middle shelf is where I start most of the seeds. You can see the lights are fairly low and I have foil on the bottom, back and top of the shelf. The intent is to increase the amount of reflected light the small plants get. I can't say for certain it makes any difference but at least its brighter than it used to be so i can only assume it works. The bottom shelf has the lights about 14"-18" from the shelf. This is where the plants go as they get bigger.
Here is a close up of the bottom shelf. There are two things I want to point out. The first is obvious while the second isn't. You can see it is lined with 8"x8" floor tiles. The second thing is that underneath the tiles is an electric heating cable. The cable is used only when i start seeds. The tiles help disperse the heat evenly. The middle shelf has the same set up. This has helped my seeds germinate and also helps fight the cool temperature of my basement.
The entire unit is wrapped in plastic. There is a sheet that rolls up the front. The top shelf has a single light and is where I place small narrow flats shortly after they emerge.the middle shelf is where I start most of the seeds. You can see the lights are fairly low and I have foil on the bottom, back and top of the shelf. The intent is to increase the amount of reflected light the small plants get. I can't say for certain it makes any difference but at least its brighter than it used to be so i can only assume it works. The bottom shelf has the lights about 14"-18" from the shelf. This is where the plants go as they get bigger.
Here is a close up of the bottom shelf. There are two things I want to point out. The first is obvious while the second isn't. You can see it is lined with 8"x8" floor tiles. The second thing is that underneath the tiles is an electric heating cable. The cable is used only when i start seeds. The tiles help disperse the heat evenly. The middle shelf has the same set up. This has helped my seeds germinate and also helps fight the cool temperature of my basement.
How To Start Tomato Seeds - part 2
So now we know what seeds to start, lets look at what we are starting them in. There are so many options, you can go with whatever works best for you. Here are some of what I am using this year:
Clockwise:
Peat Pellets: Compressed peat formed into a pellet and surrounded by mesh. When you get it wet it expands and when you are ready you can just put the whole thing in the soil. Pros - These are simple to use and you can find them in most garden/home centers. Cons - they are made of peat and that is a dwindling resource; despite the claims, you needs to remove the plastic mesh surrounding the pellets when you plant it; I've pulled up plants where the roots barely extended beyond the pellet. This year I am using these for my peppers and a few other plants
Peat pots: Peat is compressed into the shape of a pot which can be planted directly into the ground. Pro - can be planted into the ground I guess. Cons - In reality, you have to break the pot up before you plant it. When it dries out it becomes very hard and almost impossible to completely saturate again. The plant roots have a hard time breaking through the pot. I got a deal on a bunch of these many years ago - I still have some and use them occasionally.
Coir: This is a fiber from the husk of the coconut. It is formed into pots and pellets just like peat. Pros- can be planted into the soil. It is a renewable resource unlike peat. Cons - You may not be able to find it. This is my first year using these products so I'm sure I'll discover some. This is what my tomatoes will be planted in this year.
Plastic pots: These are generally what you get when you purchase seed starting kits and supplies. It's also what most garden centers use. Pros - simple and easy to use. Just fill with mix and drop your seeds in and go. Most sizes are standardized. Come in a variety of sizes. Cons - these are made from plastic so and that is always a pain to deal with. Plants can become root bound before you plant them. Roots can become damaged when you remove them from the pots. I use a lot of these for flowers.
Lastly, you need to start you seeds in some sort of mixture. I don't use straight soil nor do I recommend it. Too many risks- disease, drainage, drying, etc. I use commercially available mixtures. I have no brand loyalty at all, whatever seed starting mixture happens to be on sale at the moment. I try to stay away from the ones with fertilizer because I try to be organic as possible, but have used them in the past. You can also make your own soil-less mixture. Peat, pearlite, vermiculite, sand etc. Play around with the proportions and you can discover what works best for you. I've done this in the past and it seems to work fine. I've gone to commercial mixtures out of convenience. Maybe I'm just getting lazy as I get older, or maybe it was all the sneezing after mixing the stuff up.
Clockwise:
Peat Pellets: Compressed peat formed into a pellet and surrounded by mesh. When you get it wet it expands and when you are ready you can just put the whole thing in the soil. Pros - These are simple to use and you can find them in most garden/home centers. Cons - they are made of peat and that is a dwindling resource; despite the claims, you needs to remove the plastic mesh surrounding the pellets when you plant it; I've pulled up plants where the roots barely extended beyond the pellet. This year I am using these for my peppers and a few other plants
Peat pots: Peat is compressed into the shape of a pot which can be planted directly into the ground. Pro - can be planted into the ground I guess. Cons - In reality, you have to break the pot up before you plant it. When it dries out it becomes very hard and almost impossible to completely saturate again. The plant roots have a hard time breaking through the pot. I got a deal on a bunch of these many years ago - I still have some and use them occasionally.
Coir: This is a fiber from the husk of the coconut. It is formed into pots and pellets just like peat. Pros- can be planted into the soil. It is a renewable resource unlike peat. Cons - You may not be able to find it. This is my first year using these products so I'm sure I'll discover some. This is what my tomatoes will be planted in this year.
Plastic pots: These are generally what you get when you purchase seed starting kits and supplies. It's also what most garden centers use. Pros - simple and easy to use. Just fill with mix and drop your seeds in and go. Most sizes are standardized. Come in a variety of sizes. Cons - these are made from plastic so and that is always a pain to deal with. Plants can become root bound before you plant them. Roots can become damaged when you remove them from the pots. I use a lot of these for flowers.
Lastly, you need to start you seeds in some sort of mixture. I don't use straight soil nor do I recommend it. Too many risks- disease, drainage, drying, etc. I use commercially available mixtures. I have no brand loyalty at all, whatever seed starting mixture happens to be on sale at the moment. I try to stay away from the ones with fertilizer because I try to be organic as possible, but have used them in the past. You can also make your own soil-less mixture. Peat, pearlite, vermiculite, sand etc. Play around with the proportions and you can discover what works best for you. I've done this in the past and it seems to work fine. I've gone to commercial mixtures out of convenience. Maybe I'm just getting lazy as I get older, or maybe it was all the sneezing after mixing the stuff up.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
How To Start Tomato Seeds - part 1
The next several posts will be all about starting one specific plant from seed. The tomato. The tomato is probably the most desired home vegetable garden plant. Who doesn't want to eat that fresh picked beauty. Just look at the picture below and you'll see a sample of something I grew last year. They tasted even better than they looked
In this post I'll talk about the varieties I'm going to plant this year. I change things up each year just to see whats what. I also have a couple of standards that I grow each and every year. Here's what on the list for 2007.
Big Rainbow - An heirloom variety from Burpee's. This is what's in the picture below. The first few fruits each year are huge. In the middle of the season they are smaller, followed by a couple of giants at the end of the season, if they can hold out before the frost gets them. I grow these every year. The flavor is fantastic and what is more impressive that a giant, red and yellow tomato?
Yellow Pear - My wife won't let me have a garden if I don't grow one of these plants every year. One is all you need cause you'll get hundreds of perfect bite-sized fruits from each plant. Plus they produce all season long. This year I am planting Beam's Yellow Pear from Seed Savers Exchange. It's my first time with this variety but I'm sure they will be great.
Black From Tila - This is a first timer for me. I haven't grown a black for many years, and this variety intrigues me. The package description says, "the ugliest, most delicious tomato I've grown". Ugly and delicious? I'm in. Again, from Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa.
Pineapple - An heirloom from Territorial Seed Company. This is the first time for this one. It sounds like it will be very similar to Big Rainbow, but I wanted to check it and compare the flavor.
Ananas Noire - Another heirloom from Territorial and another first timer. Skin is green, purple, orange and yellow and the flesh is bright green streaked with red. Sounds like a circus. I'm a sucker for big ugly tomatoes. What can I say.
Pink Accordion - Another heirloom from Territorial and another first timer. Deeply Scalloped like an accordion sounds great to me.
San Marzano - A Roma type Italian paste tomato. Something I seem to grow every year, but I don't know why. I love Roma's, but I just haven't found a variety that knocks my socks off. I keep looking.
I have a ton of other seed packets and I'm sure I'll come up with a few others at the last minute.
In this post I'll talk about the varieties I'm going to plant this year. I change things up each year just to see whats what. I also have a couple of standards that I grow each and every year. Here's what on the list for 2007.
Big Rainbow - An heirloom variety from Burpee's. This is what's in the picture below. The first few fruits each year are huge. In the middle of the season they are smaller, followed by a couple of giants at the end of the season, if they can hold out before the frost gets them. I grow these every year. The flavor is fantastic and what is more impressive that a giant, red and yellow tomato?
Yellow Pear - My wife won't let me have a garden if I don't grow one of these plants every year. One is all you need cause you'll get hundreds of perfect bite-sized fruits from each plant. Plus they produce all season long. This year I am planting Beam's Yellow Pear from Seed Savers Exchange. It's my first time with this variety but I'm sure they will be great.
Black From Tila - This is a first timer for me. I haven't grown a black for many years, and this variety intrigues me. The package description says, "the ugliest, most delicious tomato I've grown". Ugly and delicious? I'm in. Again, from Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa.
Pineapple - An heirloom from Territorial Seed Company. This is the first time for this one. It sounds like it will be very similar to Big Rainbow, but I wanted to check it and compare the flavor.
Ananas Noire - Another heirloom from Territorial and another first timer. Skin is green, purple, orange and yellow and the flesh is bright green streaked with red. Sounds like a circus. I'm a sucker for big ugly tomatoes. What can I say.
Pink Accordion - Another heirloom from Territorial and another first timer. Deeply Scalloped like an accordion sounds great to me.
San Marzano - A Roma type Italian paste tomato. Something I seem to grow every year, but I don't know why. I love Roma's, but I just haven't found a variety that knocks my socks off. I keep looking.
I have a ton of other seed packets and I'm sure I'll come up with a few others at the last minute.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Starting From Seed
Welcome. As a gardener we all know it starts from seed. That little thing sometimes no larger that a speck of dust. Provide it with water, warmth, light and nourishment and watch it transform into beauty, food, shelter; almost limitless opportunity. Every year I am amazed at what comes from seed. I am even more amazed at what starting from seed teaches me. The fact that there is a beginning, a middle and an end. A lifetime in a year. The parallels and metaphors are fantastic. Lets focus on the beginning. We put that seed in the dirt and wait...and just when it seems we can't wait any longer...life sprouts. There it is. A tiny little plant. Its amazing how simialar planst are when they sprout. Two little leafs on top of a skinny stem. The next thing you know they are recognizable as the plant they will become. Look at a picture of yourself as a child. You can see what you will become, or at least look like. Too bad when your young you cant imagine it.
Enough of my ramblings, this is a gardening blog. Since the title of this post is 'Starting From Seed' I will actually talk about starting plants from seed. Not everything in one post, but at least a start. I have been starting seeds for over 20 years so I have some experience in the area. I always think about the many things obsess about when it comes to my plants, but one thing they have taught me over the years is that the seeds can take care of themselves, sort of. When you think about it, the seeds and plants have been taking care of themselves for milinea. Thats a lot more than 20. So Lets look at just one thing when it comes to starting seeds. Why start seeds?
You can go just about anywhere these days and buy perfectly good plants, take them home and plant them. They are fine and will work wonderfully. But...when you do that you mss out on the beginning of the cycle. As I said before, the beginning, middle and end. The appreciation of starting at the beginning. When Dorothy started her trip through Oz she started at the beginning of the yellow brick road. I suppose it would have been faster to jump ahead, but then she probably wouldn't have met the scarecrow, and what fun would that be? So I say start your own plants from seed. Learn to appreciate the beginning of the process, learn what they need to get started so you can understand what they need as they progress to the middle. I'll share specifics on starting tomatoes and peppers in my next post.
Enough of my ramblings, this is a gardening blog. Since the title of this post is 'Starting From Seed' I will actually talk about starting plants from seed. Not everything in one post, but at least a start. I have been starting seeds for over 20 years so I have some experience in the area. I always think about the many things obsess about when it comes to my plants, but one thing they have taught me over the years is that the seeds can take care of themselves, sort of. When you think about it, the seeds and plants have been taking care of themselves for milinea. Thats a lot more than 20. So Lets look at just one thing when it comes to starting seeds. Why start seeds?
You can go just about anywhere these days and buy perfectly good plants, take them home and plant them. They are fine and will work wonderfully. But...when you do that you mss out on the beginning of the cycle. As I said before, the beginning, middle and end. The appreciation of starting at the beginning. When Dorothy started her trip through Oz she started at the beginning of the yellow brick road. I suppose it would have been faster to jump ahead, but then she probably wouldn't have met the scarecrow, and what fun would that be? So I say start your own plants from seed. Learn to appreciate the beginning of the process, learn what they need to get started so you can understand what they need as they progress to the middle. I'll share specifics on starting tomatoes and peppers in my next post.
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