2015 Seed Starting, Part 6

We came from here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1382767/#new

What a prolific group! Please continue to share experiences, both good and bad...

I've been MIA, but will be back soon. Can't wait to get started!

Thanks Pam!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (wave)

I'm here!

Hi stranger....lol. Thanks for the new thread...

We had a good rain over night then this am it turned to snow. The warm weather was nice but we need the snow to keep things asleep for another month yet!!!!! I started my spring cleanup in the garden a few days ago when it was in the 70*s, oh soooooo much to do.. Also picked up a few goodies from Wally World and got those all potted and snug in the greenhouse . (Caladiums and Dahlias). Started moving things out to the greenhouse to begin hardening them off a bit and give me more room indoors to pot things on. SOOO much to do this time of year!

I was invited to give a slide show and talk on seedlings and growing flowers from seed for a garden club on Tuesday. Had a good time and ended up joining, lol. Just more people to talk plants with......was even asked if I'ld be selling any plants. LOL, yes!

I need to begin more annuals as time is running short and planting time will be upon us here in this area before you know it. Only 6-8 weeks til outdoor planting will begin, YEAH!!!!!!

Kathy, you and I are really in the same place. I started spring cleanup about a week ago, cutting back grasses and removing debris. The hardy geranums have really started to pop and they need room.

I started my salvia farinacea today - Victoria, Reference and a new red one.

My heuchera Firefly, salvia verticilata, nepeta sibirica, salvia Rose Queen, double platycodons and Salvia verticilata are on my front patio. They are now in plastic pots, and are all really ready for planting out. It's a little cooler there - 50's a night, so I am hardening them off. And yes, it's to give me more room to plant the next series.

I got cynoglossum and polemonium caeruleum to germinate - two of my favorites. Almost all of my peonies have broken dormancy. Nice to see those pips - a guarantee of bloom.

Soon, all season oil and fruit tree spray. Hate to do the latter but I have a sour cherry and peach tree the previous owners left, and without protection bagworms turn up!

Hi, everyone! I am here, but I have been lurking. I have been throwing out (most) catalogs and am resolved to not buy any plants or seeds this year, with the exception of some tomatoes. I have already packed away all of my seed-starting pots, cell-packs and various items. I still have the idea of potting up some of the plants I want to take with me. Will I need a separate trailer and trailer hitch for my car? I wonder about this move, but we are still finishing up the place for presentation as well as getting the studio above the garage finished.

Now, there are a million or so weeds, to add to the chores. so I am weeding one bed at a time, and I find the effort worthwhile. It is 70° here today on the porch, but it feels much warmer in the gardens. I have had to water in between storms as we have received little water in the last one. The new bulb garden has few weeds, as I weeded and added new soil while planting.

If I get the chance I will take some new pictures with my phone and send some to you...not of the weeds...you know what they look like!! haha

Evelyn, good luck on that move. It's a real challenge.

Yeah, I have been here since 1989.

Where are you moving to? I know you posted but I can't remember.

We have not yet found our house on the Oregon Coast. It is too expensive to live in CA on the coast. Summers are getting much hotter each year. And this is the first year without snow for us in over 25 years!

omgosh I have been so busy. hard doing this and working full time also.

I was wondering if anyone can answer a question. Some of my seedlings have some leaves turning yellow. Does that mean something is wrong? or I just over-watering? Are they dying? I looked online but found like 100 reasons. Any info would be greatly appreciated. I have been giving them some dilute fertilizer. I see it mostly on my Alyssum and Tidy Tips. thank you.

lilmiss44 - the same thing is happening to some of my seedlings (Baptisia Australis Alba), and I think it is overwatering based on my research. The seed mix is very water retentive, and I am not helping by overwatering.

I also noticed the dreaded damping off disease happening to some of my seedlings just as they are sprouting, so I just pulled them out of the humidity dome to let them air out. I am going to hold off on watering them for at least a couple of days. I also went ahead and sprayed some fungicide to see if that rescues them. They are not edible plants, so I am not worried about applying fungicide.

DumberThanThou...I thought it was over watering, and it still may be. My alyssum have little flowers on them so maybe they are needing more nutrients. I think I have got to get them transplanted into some better soil. The tidy tips seem to be limited to the first leaves so not so worried on them, prob over watering them.

Lucky for me this year, I have had very few fall over and die from damping off.

A lot of the salvia farinacea has germinated - all three kinds.Of course, we now have 8 inches of snow!

I FINALLY finished potting up ALL of my marigolds and tomatoes! Although I got faster, it still took me half an hour just for six seedlings!! About the third day of potting up, I did the math to figure out the maximum capacity of my gro lights (yes, I had to set up my second gro light station to handle the transfer cups). . .and then I went on a killing spree!! I quickly went from a serial killer to a mass killer to a genocidal monster, all the while cackling madly as I ruthlessly culled half my tomatoes, a few dozen marigolds and all my asters!!!

Since this entire seed starting is taking place in my carpe4ted living room and kitchen, I had to vacuum after each daily session: I can't ABIDE dirt on my floors! Now I must mop my kitchen floor to get it REALLY clean again.

I now have 8 trays, 20 transfer cups each, of marigolds and 2 trays of tomatoes (12 and 16 transfer cups, respectively).

I lost two seedlings to damping off (I had followed kathy's method of keeping the mediums slightly drier to betgin with and spritzing sparingly as needed). I don't know how many I culled: it was all a blur at that point!

I'll post some pictures AFTER I get my floors clean again!!

Bet: too funny. It can get over whelming!

lilmiss: I notice we have alyssum (annual) in the stores to plant out. Maybe your alyssum could make it outside now?

Hi....been busy with garden cleanup here. Worked in the garden for 3 days cleaning off last years stems and leaves. Was nice getting outside and into the sun!! Now today, rain/snow, so far 1-2". Crazy March, it's suppose to be our snowiest month, maybe we'll get a blizzard next month to make up for all the nice weather this month......hope!!!!!

Some of the goodies that have recently germinated: Rehmania anguata; Ageratum houstoniana Dondo Blue; Dianthus g. Firewitch; Zaluzianskya capensis Midnght Candy (yummmmm), Ceratotheca triloba; Agrostema githago Ocean Pearls; Centaurea scabiosa Butterfly; Anoda cristata Snow Cup; Scabiosa atropurpea Summer Berries Mix; Scabiosa a. Ace of Spades; Oenothera lamarckiana; Eschscholzia califorica; Globe Amaranth; Dianthus armurensis Siberian Blues; Gomphrena Strawberry Fields; Amaranthus (Autumn Palette, Love-Lies-Bleeding,Yellow, Velvet Curtains, Giant Cockscomb, and Oeschberg); Phacelia campanula Calif Bluebells; Gilia capitata (love these, thanks Domehome)); Musk Mallow; and Rose Mallow. Again thanks to those who shared some of the seed with me, ie, Dj9, Pfg, Evelyn, czimm, and anyone else I might have overlooked. Fun, fun, fun. I'll be spending the afternoon potting on some of the things that are ready...

Have a great day all!!!!

I usually figure that gradually yellowing leaves mean lack of nitrogen ... but seedlings are vulnerable to many things.

Overwateirng is a good guess, and underwatering is MUCH better than over-fertilizing, if you have to guess.

One way to pull excess water out of pots or trays is to set the pots on a thick, water-absorbing pad. It's good if the pad is fluffy or sits on soemthing soft that will push the pad against the soil, through the hole sin the bottom of the pot.

Capilalry action plus gravity will make water in the bottom layer of soil wick into the pad. Then water from the top layers of soil will wick down to the bototom of the pot.

If you drape the pad down, water will be pulled out of the horizontal part of the pad and down into the dnagling part, then drip into a bucket. If the waqter keeps flowing down, you can wixck it right out of the water-retaining mix even if that mix has a lot of nasty peat in it.

next year, lighten the mix with coarse Perlite or small, screened pine bark nuggets (like BB sized, plus or minus).

yes, I am learning so much as I go. When to water, when to fertilize, always ? for me. But, at the moment thought I would share my operation transplant under way...

RickCorey ~ Are you starting anything new this year? LMK if you want more seeds as I am not growing anything this year. Just cleanup, division and planting shrubs and landscape items to get the house and property ready. Did I say lots of cleanup?? It has been spring for months but now that it is actually here, everything is growing at once, and yes, I mean grasses and weeds. I do not have enough mulch as usual. I can't seem to work as hard and fast as I could when I was younger.

Looks good, lilmiss44!

No planting yet, and I have LOADS of seeds that came from you. Thank you!

This year I have extra barrier to starting, beyond my usual "too busy" and "procrastination". I brought home cardboard boxes form work to replace my "walls of boxes" mostly full of books. Until I have time and energy to repack everything, my seed-starting-shelf is stacked 3-4 high with empty boxes.

Sometimes I think I will have to wait until retirement to do anything in the garden besides try to catch up with the weeds.

Getting a late start on ALL of my seedlings, since we just got back into our house after the fire, and starting seeds in a rental...ugh.

Celene, sorry to hear about your house. I did not know this. Hope all is well with you.

Actually, it's fine. All humans and animals were fine. I rented a house from my client that was five or six blocks from our house. The fire was the Saturday after Christmas, and we just got back into the house. It was mostly smoke and water damage.

I will say...those of you with cats, teach them to run into their carriers (it's easy). That made a huge difference in being able to get everyone safe.

Impressive setup, LilMiss. I think we all learn as we go along. I think I tend to overwater, but sometimes they seem to dryout so fast.

Celene, I'm SO sorry to hear about your house fire. Very glad all humans and pets came out fine, tho! So important. I have small dogs and one does not come when called...I need to work on that!

My tomatos are growing their 2nd set of leaves, Ice plants hanging in there (still) after their transplant. Thinking of moving them to other pots than those darn rigid peat 2x2's I filled w/potting soil. My morning glories are going great guns (just recently planted) as well as hyacinth bean vine and cardinal vines. Tri color chrsynthemums starting, and awaitng a few other varieties of seeds I planted...have quite the variety (tho not compared to many of yoU!)

When I was in college a neighbor who was lighting candles started a fire, and left the house without informing anyone. Once we realized there was a fire the back door was blocked and we were forced to run out the front through heavy smoke (we lived in a condo with three floors, and naturally we were on the third). The smoke was so heavy that as I was running down the stairs I ran out of air, and out of nowhere a firemen ran to me and put his hat over my mouth (there is a cavity in it) and got me out. I remember wondering what HE was breathing). I have loved firemen ever since (I live on a street with two, one retired and the other our very handsome battalion commander).

As I got outside I realized that we had left our five cats behind. I stood outside boohooing because I knew they would be frightened and thought they would not survive. We had no fire, but smoke so black and heavy that you couldn't breathe.

We went upstairs and I began searching for what I assumed would be their little bodies. But one by one they came out - sneezing and red eyed from the smoke but fine, and all lived many years beyond. Where were they? They hid in closets and pantries and, amazingly, every location they chose was enclosed and low to the ground. They instinctively found good places. How I hugged each and every one!

I don't know if this will be of any help but I read that sprinkling a light dusting of cinnamon on the top of the seed raising soil will prevent damping of fungus. I have tried it myself and had some success. The cinnamon even got rid of some mould that was starting to form on the cardboard toilet rolls I was using for seed raising pots (I then plant the pot and all into the garden when the seedling is large enough) as the cardboard is breaking down quite well by then. Hope this helps someone. Cheers, Di

gggggggrrrrrr the gremlins and goblins in cyber space ate my post!!

Celine, sorry to hear of your house fire and glad everfyone;s ok
Donna Mack, THAT had to have been sacary!! Thank goodness for thQAt brave firmaN!

I finally got my kitchen floor mopped and sanitized, but then the tomatoes HAD to have recess and the marigolds INSISTED on taking a soak!! I TOLD them NO SPLASHING!!!

**resigned swigh** I guess I'll have to continue with the daily vacuuming and sweeping until the seedlings leave [my] home for the garden. But come the second week of May, that kitchen floor and I ar3e gonna RUMBLE!!! LOL

#1 my original gro station, with its production (28 tomatoes and 60 marigolds)
#2 my "spare" gro station, supporting 100 marigolds

Donna, what a scary story with such a nice happy ending :)
Bet, you've got quite the production line going there for a "beginner"! :)

I might have made a mistake planting some annual vines (morning glory, hyacinth, cardinal vines so early (No sprouting from my passiflora yet) They are coming up and my morning glories are going to town and are over 6-8" high..will need some support SOON) It's still 2 months til last frost of us, and dont know if all the snow will set us further back..everythings delayed this year here in Mass!

val it just got away from me! I only sowed two flats, counting on a 50% germination rate since this was my first time starting from seed. While that second flat had only a 2% germination rate (only 4 measly asters, which I culled during my "killing spree") ALL this is from that first flat: tomatoes and marigolds!!

I will NEVER sow more than TWO seeds per cell. . . NEVER AGAIN!!!

Fortunately (I don't know how fortuitous it is right now) I have neighbors who LOVE marigolds - the neighborhood grapevine has been active: someone saw me taking my seedlings out for their daily "sunning" and now I have neighbors knocking at my door asking. . . . I need to touch base with kathy first, to find out how many *I* need!

Wow, how dissappointing about the asters, Bet...BUT great as far as your other seeds!
Tell the neighbors you're selling for a nominal fee to pay for your soil, etc :) LOL
Was thinking of doing same with my coworkers, but they are so cheap, they will not pay a cent unless it's given to them FREE. AND they dont share any of theirs either. What is WITH some people!?

Advice needed!!!!

Exactly HOW does one use peat pots to start seed?

I read some months ago that zinnia didn't like their roots disturbed by transplanting and peat pots were recommended: so I bought peat pots! I've scoured the Web and watched YouTube videos, but I STILL can't find this beginning information!

One video showed the roots of pea plants started in peat pots....but didn't mention HOW the roots had room or space to grow or address the issue of watering.

Using peat pots seems a bit counter-intuitive: seeds/seedlings need the moisture, NOT the pots! My peat pots came as a connected flat, nestled in another flat of flimsy plastic "pots" with their bottoms raggedly cut off: is this how they're supposed to be used OR is this just packing material I should have thrown away??

I plan on using the Deno method (wet paper towel) to germinate my zinnia seed and then place one already-germinated seed in each peat pot. (wooHOO! no potting up!)

Ok, we're talking the rigid peat pots that you fill with soil, or the jiffi peat thingies that you add water (they come flat and expand)?

The "selling point" of either is that you plant the whole "pod"/pot in the soil so the seeds dont move, though the expanding ones, youre supposed to cut the netting(?) to help the roots spread when you plant.

I bought peat strips that are 10 2x2" potting strips for my tomatoes, so when I transplant them to a bigger pot, I'll just cut the 2x2's together and pop them in the new pot.

I'm not sure what you mean by them being nestled in another flat of flimsy plastic "pots' with bottoms cut off. Maybe you could post a couple photos? As you know, I'm not an expert, so someone else might understand better what you're describing. If you're asking about the expanding "pots", you just poke a little hole with a pencil and put the germinated seed (as you're doing the DENO papertowel method) OR the ungerminatd seed in it. I find them tricky to keep from "overwatering" tho

Val

The only thing about peat pots is that I find them almost impossible to keep moist. They dry out very easily, even if I wet them before use.

I use the cells in Gardeners Supply APS units, and then transfer them to the small plastic pots from my purchases of annuals over the years.

I do use the DENO method described above, but only for heliotrope.

This message was edited Mar 30, 2015 6:16 AM

peat pots continued

rigid peat pots, 2" square and with a 6" deep tapering bottom

Should I make hole(s) in the bottom for4 bottom watering?? Wouldn't that get water directly to the soil / keep the soil moist?

Pictures of my peat pot flat(s) with its plastic flat. . . from all angles.

Is the plastic part of how its to be used?? or packing material I should have thrown away??

I've never seen anything quite like it, but it could be very useful! part of the problem with peat pots is as they stay moist they tend to deform and fall apart, this way they will stay nice and be really easy to handle. I think the plastic holder looks like a great idea. I would definitely not cut off the bottoms of the pots- peat pots just soak up moisture and it transfers to the potting soil inside. These seem nice and deep to let roots grow down deep.

Me either...But as you said, pistil, the peat pots when getting wet, tend to fall apart. I'm finding that with my 2x2 shorter ones. I would leave that plastic for extra support. I agree with Pistil..dont cut off the bottoms...the water will wick thru the peat and up NO problem...

So now comes my question about transplating tomatoe plants. Mine are in 2x2 peat pots and about 4" high, just got second set of leaves. Can I plant them in 3x3 pots or is that not deep enough for them to grow the next couple months til I can plant them directly in the ground?
I have never grown tomatoes from seed...always bought plants.

Suggestions, please?

SUCCESS! My gomphrena is sprouting! I have 10-11 seedlings that have sprouted so far. Thanks Cytf for the seeds!

Val, just a quick how to on the maters. Take your seedling and carefully clip the bottom leaves and then transplant as deep as you can into the next pot, bury the whole stem up to the leaves at the top. Don't worry! The stem that is planted has hairs on it that will develop roots allllll along the whole stem making your plant even stronger.. Do this every time you transplant or plant into the ground. It makes for a stronger plant with all the extra roots.

Haven't checked in for a few days but have been busy with garden cleanup while the weather is so nice! Weeding in one garden and cutting things back in the other. Today it's suppose to be almost 80*, 70* tomorrow and then snow on Thurs., Fri.