Plant Propagation, The Basics, January 2017

I was reading a report on sowing seeds on heat and I saw where someone use the cable box as a heat mat . Well I tried it and it's working well. Just sowed some hot peppers and Bell peppers.

Do many of you use a heat mat for seeding? I bought a heat mat / styrofoam tray holder combination several years ago. I used it that year only and for whatever reason that was the lowest germination I've ever had. It was simply on or off so it was not as if I had the temperature set too high. I continue to use the styrofoam tray holder which probably does keep the soil slightly warmer than without just by insulating but I have never again used the heat mat. I get very high germination results and all my seeding is done in the basement where it is not particularly warm. As an example I buy my impatiens seeds in packages of either 250 or 500 and it is not unusual for me to get more than 250 seedlings from a package sold as 250.
I don't even use a soil mix that is particularly a "seed starting" mix. I use the same 3.5 cubic foot bales o Promix that I buy to pot all my plants. I cover the tray with a humidome and put them under flourescent lights on a timer for about 12 hours a day. For the odd plant like pansies that prefer to germinate in darkness I cover that section with black construction paper from the grandkids craft supplies. I used to spray water the seed flats with a solution of "No Damp" but for several years now it has not been available in Canada so as an alternative I have found a product from T & T Seeds called "Serenade". They market it in their catalogue as a replacement for "No Damp" however there is no reference to this use on the product label. The product label says to use it to treat certain plant diseases such as powdery mildew and leaf spot. I don't use the Seranade to spray water like I did with the No Damp. I spray water with straight rain water or melted snow and then just give them one little burst of the Serenade before covering with the humidome. The label says it contains dried Bacillus subtilis if that means anything to you. Been doing this now for at least five years and seems to work just fine.
Keith

I don't use a heating mat although for some seeds I probably should , Usually using whatever I have handy to start seeds
I have been sitting here cleaning catnip seeds and now Bull Thistle seeds (latter a lot easier ) Field type Bee and butterfly plants ( I have a lot of those , more commonly known as weeds ,) Point is their wildlife enhancers

How bad is the fever ,, A pot of red field clover in a coffee can ..Growing along , for fritillary butterflies , But , it might bloom early , he , he , By the way , this was not planned ,,,,
2nd photo , one year ago today ,

I have no use for heat mats- long growing season, if it doesnt live, I needed a different plant that year. We cycle drought to flood so often...

Mesquite Country live oak ,desert type , if your still there in 300 yrs for the oak to grow ,,

I use a heat may to start early tomatoes.the cat(Miley) has the cable box

Cuchulain is ADORABLE. I love that we only have 6 more Mondays to get ready for the first signs of Spring. I sat and did more seeds last night, emptied three things I had filled the dried deadheads. Wish we were all closer for a gardener's meeting. so many ideas here. Love the jug and tag idea. I have three tomatoes about 6 inches tall, and three pepper plants with baby peppers growing right now. My paper whites and daffs I brought in to force are up. I must be missing blooms because they fall off and make seed pods after.
second pic looks the same this year, so no new pics yet.

I am testing a few seeds of plants I don't have growing , And planting those poppies of course , 54 degrees here for today , warming to cold gets me wanting to be outside ,
Catching up with the seeds now that I can see again ,
I won't start tomatoes for a couple months yet , no room in here , and cats ,, so all has to be secured for that ,

I am too tired for words, but it was a good day; good night all

Debra, I guess you've got everybody beat with your early baby Peppers and tomatoes already 6".

Keith, I use a heatmat because I start sowing in an unheated basement. The seedlings love the cooler temperatures to grow on. I sure like the sounds of your "Serenade". With research I found the company has been bought out a couple of times and is now available through Bayer in the US as "Natria Disease Control". I'm trying a new fungicide as a soil soak this year myself. I'll report the results back here.

Ju, I'm so happy for you that your sight is returning...YAY!

This message was edited Jan 12, 2017 2:46 PM

Thanks for the feedback Robin and please do update me on your soil soak results
Keith

soil soak fungicide sounds interesting I am not always (usually ) any good with most products like that ,,

It was warmer , I put a couple more Senna seeds outside today ,
markers to much paper So this way with aluminum and straws , Glue holds up good , Markers before as said to much paper ,
Well , this keep knowing where or what things are

Was just checking out a weather forecast predicting widespread ice storm activity across the mid US. Kitt I hope you are not out on the highways in any of this area.

Of course I am, chuckl. How would you guys get your hot choc and coffees? Will be leaving Chicago in a couple more hours, south thru StLouis, to Ft Worth. I plan on running Ark tho, not Mo/Ok... ice melted here yesterday after it cost me 2 xtra hours to navigate Chicago hwys - icy with 10x too many fools out....

Wave as you drive by Kitt, its just rainy here, cold but no freeze expected.
going to run to the bank and a couple of other errands then home for dishwashing and fish tending and fire in the woodstove

Waiting to see if that happens here (the ice storms ,Chances now through Monday
Rain all next week is a maybe ,

I can still do seed starting here only stratifying outside is about over ,
March 20 is coming

I cancelled the ice storm for southern Michigan, due to lack of interest.
Stay safe and warm Kitt, February is almost here!

First photo Pearl yarrow sowed on the 8 th (center )
Unhappy Bamboo and a Diffenbavhia leaf in the photo
2 is the garlic and Heart leaf
I am still trying to a pearl yarrow (Achillea ) Not much luck so far , They grow and bloom no pearl ,round top ,, Being somewhat holding on to some of my seeds for lack of success growing them
I still have the lemon daylily seeds to go out , #17

I like your idea Robin, wish I had those kind of powers. Thinking of you Kitt. I would never last at that job.

Robin's did not appear to my screen until after mine LOL !!!
My post keep erasing , typing the same thing two or three times is boring ,,,
I want spring ,,,

I have determined that dianthus and violas are MUCH more freeze hardy than snapdragons. All my beautiful snaps bit the dust. The dianthus and viola look good, I didn't cover anything, I did water before the freeze, keeps roots warm longer.

no planting today, recovering from 2 pond cleanups back to back, the first one very very large, the 2nd one filling time til we went back to the first for refill after sealant dried. Was supposed to get warmer and nicer today than it got. don't think its gonna freeze. Stay warm

Gypsi Snapdragons are only a Half Hardy Annual no matter where they are , I have one still barely Alive , They do better shaded here , a little cover ,,
I have a newer type Dianthus The pink and white fringe , only saw it for a very short time last year , it's second year ..
I have been fuzzy the last couple days

I always get tons of self sown snapdragon seedling every year and they transplant very well.I have noticed that they come up in the sunny part of my garden . Dianthus do well with me too in the same area.Sometimes I even get self sown Salvias.It was 42 degrees here today.I am trying to see if my Dusty Miller will survive the winter as I had my DH put the container with them in the sunny part of the garden.

Missouri looks like its made of glass. Roads were wet - the saltshakers were keepin it from freezing, but I went South of St Lou. Trucks coming thru from I44 in Missouri were wind sculpted freezing rain coated...seems like JU- its following i70 going east...you may miss it after all. I figure the storms that come later in Jan and early Feb will push farther south. I think our drouth is stealing some of the potential water...i will wave Gypsy- I deliver BenEKeith Monday morning and scoot for Houston and Victoria - then home the 18th for the weekend. Gotta check on a little red/blue clamp lamp I got for mine and my daughters indoors pothos. I amnot sure she has bothered to open the pkg yet....

cytf Lots of lime or rock base where you are ? Soil is poor for roots here ,

I am hoping katt. I-70 corridor a farther away from here , only not really , This kind of winter causes anxiety ,,

My area is mostly clay but I am here 9 years and have amended my soil in the garden beds . Wow ,my Bertha pepper seeds that I put on the Cable box have germinated in 8 days . Last year the pepper gave me a hard time so now I have got the nack of sowing them . I sow my tomatoes on my East window last Thursday .

I will be a while getting to tomato or pepper seeds
For now even sorting seems a little slow
A few nice early season days will be cleaning the outdoors
I still like to grow more than I seem to take of ,

I just got to read up on your post, Keith. I have used heat mats and domes and grow kits in the past, and winter sow jugs outside, but I have not been doing that too much this year. I have always used a light peroxide in my spray water, and dusted the soil or seed plugs with cinnamon, but have never heard of Serenade.
We have some of that ice/rain here and are all tucked away off the roads. We had a 20 car pile up last night on one of the main by passes in town. Glad I was not out in that! No way could drive a truck after seeing them go sideways and over on ice right in front of me on the hi-way. You stay safe, Kitt. Ju, I hope you are seeing better tonight. Robin, I am working on another package to you. Alice, I bet your day was awesome. Rest up. We still have tomorrow. I still have this screen thing to empty out and sort. last pic is my favorite seed sorter.

Debra , Wonderful photo's , makes me more anxious than ever for Spring
Good thing the roadway accident missed you , you have had enough like that this past year , What is that last seed sorter ? Gizmo made of ?

Eyes are good ,, you sound well ..

Thanks for feedback Debra. I have heard of using peroxide but was always afraid to try it. Sounds kind of strong and afraid of not getting concentration right. Cinnamon sounds like something I might try if I run out of Serenade. Your plants always look so healthy inside. Those look like some pretty good lights you have. My stuff stays alive but is always struggling by this time. Send us another shot of that hibiscus when the blooms open. Looks like a nice colour.
Keith

This message was edited Jan 15, 2017 2:58 AM

I only use peroxide or cinnamon

Took out my Grow Light set up from the basement today and have my Pepper seedling started. Last year my peppers seeds gave me a hard time to germinate so I am so happy I got an early start. My hubby love hot pepper sauce so I should have enough for him to make his sauce this year.

Ditto to that Keith about Debra's healthy plants. I've used peroxide and cinnamon and didn't seem to get much out of it. Perhaps I didn't use enough.

Yay to you Cytf, you're ahead of the growing curve this year. That must feel good!

we are farther south

Peroxide and cinnamon, are best on older seeds- gives em a leg up, so to speak. Most of the seeds I plant arent delicate nor finicky, so either grow or disappear..

some will and some won't , but I have been mixing cinnamon in the potting soil and seed mixes for ever, and damp off is very rare. I spray with a couple teaspoons of peroxide mixed with a dab of kitchen soap, tea tree oil and epsom salts thru out the year. I can wet everything real good, and then go back a couple hours later and spray with plain rain water from my big sprayer. It is okay down there to get the floor wet, it is just tile. this is the temp down there: 69 degrees. one of my swan plant seeds germinated and now it is about 4 ft tall. this red salvia keeps putting up new plants cuz I dead head them back into the pot. I have forced several bulbs, my paper whites are up. 4th pic is the corner shelf hiding the ugly part of the basement corner..

I'm impressed you've got Salvia blooms down there. Me thinks you're a wizard.

I know I have a lot more damping off in cool temperatures, and that my seedling heat mat fixed it for most seedlings, no fungicide, no peroxide and no cinnamon

well the heat mat is in the greenhouse and the rat guard is over the seedling tray and plants they like to eat the best. 36 pots seeded with tomatoes, no fungicide, no cinnamon, no peroxide, this is a commercial organic dirt from home depot. Feed store didn't have my favorite organic in stock, told me march, got a pallet yesterday but it was already too late. I planted while the moon was in Virgo, monday night

Now you're talking voodoo to me. "Moon in Virgo". I will require an explanation of that one. That's not in my gardening vocabulary. Rats and I don't have a very good past. I would be moving out. I even start my trapline for mice as soon as I put heat in the greenhouse. It appears we must have brought a mouse into the house with the firewood a couple weeks back and we had about 12 very tense hours until it was caught and cremated. I still have a trapline set just in case he has friends.