Propagation: Winter Sowing - 2010 - things rolling right a long #3, 1 by Gymgirl

Gymgirl wrote:
This may not be anything ya'll don't already know, but I've observed something interesting with my WS experiment. I never sealed all of my jugs shut with tape after I slit them because I didn't have the wind, etc. that would blow them open. And, they just stayed closed. Some of them were taped.

Every now and then when I thought it was a nice day, I bent the "lids" back on the jugs that weren't taped to give the seedlings some sun, and to take a nice close peep. I didn't bother untaping any jugs that were already taped, and contented myself with peeping through the spout.

I observed that, although they've all done well, the seedlings in the jugs I propped open matured at a much slower rate than the ones in the jugs that stayed taped shut. I also observed there was a natural "humidity?" that was always present in the taped jugs. Consequently, these jugs seemed to hold more even moisture than the ones I was opening and closing.

I believe Karen is very right about leaving them be once they're situated. I imagine I'm disrupting the greenhouse effect by opening and closing them.

Based on this observation, next year once I tape them shut, I won't open them until it's time for plant out.

Thanks, Karen! This has been a very rewarding and very satisfying endeavor for me!

Hugs and Crosses!

Linda