I don't fertilize tomato seedlings, BCSS (Because Carolyn Said So), but others get an occasional bit of Miracle Gro added to their water (quarter strength or half strength at most).
Nasturtiums are very prone to aphids, but you can knock them off the plants with a strong spray from the hose. :-)
Seed starting 2008
Jill--I presume you are talking about the liquid MG? The one where you put 7 drops in a quart of water? NOT the powdered form--that is WAY too strong!!!!
Just asking......How about a weak Fish Emulsion solution? The liquid Sea Weed--diluted to a much weaker strength?
I just feel that by now they could use a "baby bottle" of something.....
Have you ever used the weak Chamomile Tea solution as a fungicide? Any comments on that?
Thanks!
Gita, I am talking about the powdered stuff... the trick is to mix it (or any other fertilizer) at 1/4 to 1/2 the "recommended" strength as I suggested, and then it will not be "WAY too strong." :-)
I've used both hydrogen peroxide and chamomile tea added to the water for young seedlings. See my article on preventing damping-off for details: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/277/
For the good of the order! Fertrell is 100% an organic processor and bagger. They are on line. Their dealer list is too. They have 40 and 50 lb. bags of nearly everything. They are national distributors to all states. Pricing is based on product and shipping to their dealers.
North Country Organics is another major organic source in the Northeast. The above applies to them too.
The mail order firms frequently offer smaller amounts to keep gardener expense down. Often one can go to the larger sizes and really save money on higher volume use.
Here is my high-tech setup. I have a few winter-sown containers outside, these, plus I set each of the kids up with a mini-green house with some seeds. BTW, the mini greenhouse that comes with peat pellets is a great kid project. I wanted to sow some seeds with my Cub Scout group but was worried about the mess from wet potting mix.
- Brent
Good job Brent- esp where you got the kids subcontracting out your seedlings. I noticed my Scabiosa from you last year is coming back-despite suffering horribly in the drought. Plants can be amazing.
Cub scout messes- my oldest tried Cubscouts but I think I was cursed or getting a message from above to quit. I tried to do salt-sough pottery with them and turned into a horrible mess, which the boys actually mostly liked, but not for pottery.
Brent--
You are NOT using lights?????? Geez! I thought that was almost a requirement!
I harvested some seeds from the perennial Salvia I got from you at hart's. I have seeded it along with all my other seeds on 3/2. They are not up yet.....Any advice? Should they have been winter-sown? I have them inside....
My seeds are coming along pretty good. Many are up--some still are not--but i expected these to be up later--like all the Daturas.
Nice to hear from you--once again!
Gita
Brent, that looks exactly like my setup last year in front of my sliding glass doors. Same tables and everything. At least until my husband opened the sliding door and sent everything spilling. He was very aggravated. That's why I have lights downstairs this year ;)
Your cub scout stories are much appreciated. After teaching school seven years I went professional with the Boy Scouts of America. My wife and I thought we were on the meatball trail attending all the cubbie dinners and Pine Wood Derby races. I still have the car I was nudged into making to play along.
hi everyone, I just tried to read all your posts! need another cup of coffee now :)
I have the most seeds ever for me planted now and still have more to plant. Brent, my set up has always been similar to yours (actually not even as nice as yours, mine was a bathroom dormer window!); but this yr, I have my first plant rack with lights! It is also my first attempt at winter-sowing. Several seedlings are up both inside and out :))))
I got most of my info here on DG for winter-sowing, how and where to get a rack fairly cheaply and how to set it up with lights (Critter's article). I'm really thrilled because there was no way we would have purchased a $500+ set up from a mail-order source.
I still have datura seeds to plant....any tips?
also, did I see someone started nasturtiums? did you direct sow them, ws, or start them inside?
I did the same sort of thing as Brent for years, until last year when I learned about setting up my own inexpensive light stand. DG has been good for indulging my interests. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/683246/
wind,
Don't wait too long to plant your Daturas. They are slow in germinating. I had mine on wet paper towels in a baggie and planted the seeds on 3/2. Nothing is showing yet.....They do their own thing when THEY are ready!
Gita
Wind -- I had sticker shock too when I first found the "seedling light tables" in the catalogs! Wow! They are really slick looking, to be sure (like a big version of those sleek new Aerogardens), but that money could buy a lot of other goodies.
Yep.............wish I had a pic to show you my free upside down tomato thing from last year. I used a free white synthetic feed bag, three stakes to make the tripod and a funnel at the top to catch my direct flow from the hose. Worked fine. Someone should do that and show it here. Maybe I will. ]:o)
I guess I better get moving on planting the daturas :)
wrightie the red brussel sprouts sound interesting; I have seeds for regular brussel sprouts ~ never tried brussels before.
saw you are growing Lemon balm...it is lovely, but just fyi, it is prolific and spreads like a weed in the area you plant it, so pick your spot carefully. We have it in the front and back of our house in different beds. I wish I didn't plant it in our backyard too.
docgipe sounds like an interesting invention...we should have a thread for garden inventions. My invention last year was an old toilet tank cover added to our butterfly garden. It makes a great watering hole for the wildlife when turned upside down!
Hi Wind, thanks for the lemon balm tip - I do have it growing in a contained area along with others with similar habits, like mint! =)
WIND............THAT upside down planter is not new. I just copied the idea. The catalogs want twenty bucks to ship a commerical item without the tripod.
docgipe- good for you with the boy scouts- they sure need a few good men. I wish my son had stuck with it, but it was not his temperament or the right group for him....
miatablu- that would send my husband over the edge too. I had the makeshift kind of setup in a rental house with two other girls,after college , but somebody's cat took a liking to it, ugh.
my purple millet is all green so far- will it change?
Sally, looking forward to hear about your millet, I tried millet "Jester" last year with no luck, it germinated but died after a few weeks, never grew more then 2 small blade leaves, maybe it was too chilly in the basement? May try the left over seeds this year again. I do love it in my combination pots for height.
Docgipe, I was a Brownie leader for about 3 years, loved to take the girls camping. I learned a lot going through training. At that time you couldn't take the little ones over night camping but that changed when I got in. They let you cabin camp, but not tent camp. The girls had a ball. Everyone wanted in my troop, cause they wanted to "Camp".
Docgipe, Pine Wood Derby brings back fond?? memories of my son's Cub Scout days LOL I'm hoping to report soon that I finally have my seeds started. I wanted to wait until I received the yellow Datura seeds from Gita and start everything at once - Thank you Gita! :))) Maybe I'll have progress notes to share soon!
rcn,
My yellow Daturas just sprouted--so-it has been 20 days since I planted the seeds.....
Just FYI----Gita
Hmmmmm You should have your seeds by now.......I sent them in a regular, small envelope.
Maybe with all the Easter cards zipping around the mail is a bit slow?
Here is a picture of my seed starting set up under the basement stairs, not pretty, very old home, but it serves the purpose well. I like it there as it is an easy way to keep an eye on the plants. I can spot a problem going up the stairs doing laundry as the stairs are open.
Gita, here is a picture of the 2 yellow Datura that have sprouted, they are the early ones, I was thinking of taking them out from under the dome this weekend, the others have not started yet. It has been 20 days.
Jill, here are your Sweet Peppers "Gypsy". This is a first for me, I have done tomatoes, but never pepper seeds. I have had bad luck growing bell pepper plants in this yard. So I'm excited about giving your seeds a try.
My fuzzy babies, Salvia Artemis
Foxgloves Pam's Choice
Baby Coleus. Seeds are really starting to pop now, there is something new every day. I have 2 Carolina Spice bush seeds starting to break their coats.
I'll be working in the basement tomarrow, since we are meeting my daughter later today for Easter.
Wonderful seedling pics, LadyG! Can't wait to see the first true leaves on the coleus... that's always such fun!
I had so much fun with the coleus last year, such a verity of colors and then the fun of doing interesting plant combinations to show them off.
Jill took the words right out of my mouth - wonderful pics Chris. I too want to start coleus inside again this year. I was able to grow some real beauties last year. I shared some with my sister in law and planted others all around the flower beds and got a lot of joy from them. I have written down "plant coleus" quite a few times lately and still haven't done it. I haven't had the right container inside to do it, so I will leave this magnetic seat here in a moment and go outside and get proper container and then I won't have any excuse for not starting them.
Thanks for sharing.
Ruby
On the millet.............Purple millet which is what I had turns when the plants are maybe six to eight inches tall in the patch. I always direct planted mine. Yes they show green first. Since the seed I gave away or traded was from an F1 hybred expect and cull the green after you see the ones that will be purple. They expand from the main growth and give you a clump like growth. Three of the plants in a foot or larger diameter circle will put on quite a show. The background is all millet......25% of my seed would normally be green and stay green while 75% should go purple. You can see it happening. There will be no doubt when the time to change into purple begins to show.
Thanks doc for Millet 101. I did take some of your seed. Now I ran across my gourd seeds and better decide when to do those. esp my bushel gourds with longer season.
When is the 'warm soil' date around here, zone7? Gita....!!
Gita..........go with soil temperature. Set out long season plants when the soil hits 50 degrees or go earlier with temporary greenhouses. We start a month early to get the monster pumpkins. Your bushel gourds are similar and same family as our pumpkins.
Beside starting early to get the monsters the plant needs to be culled down to one or two at the most hopefully on the main vine. Cull all others and that will be a bunch. They do need a long season.
Gourds are sexy things! They will put on up to twenty or so gourds given the opportunity.
The later ones should be culled to push a chosen few.....like one in my mind or two for insurance. Keeping the younger ones will yeild thin shells that will not likely cure well.
Regional growing seasons vary to longer as you know than my 5a. Then only the principles will apply and need to be adjusted to your seasons.
Sally,
Did you mean --when is the frost-free date?
Officially, it is May 10th. I usually 'fudge" a bit and start putting things out end of April--holding my breath......There's always that--"What if???"
Just got home from the Rawlings Conservatory's Spring Bulb show. SOOOOO pretty!!!!
Took some pictures---will show you all some in a couple of days.
doc--thanks for the info----but I think you had me confused with Sally. She is the one who just asked about the soil temp. No problem! Any information here is welcome!
Gita
OK! Done all the Camera Stuff..........SO! Voila! here is my meager seed set-up.
It is working very well--nothing wrong! Just on a smaller scale than some of you....
This is my 3' wide--4 shelf unit I bought at target for $25. Of course--the 3' shop lights were hard to find---and the 4-3' florescent bulbs cost me $6.50 each--plus tax! WHY???????
You can buy a 10-pack of 4' shop light bulbs for about $10!
On the very bottom shelf--I kept all the seeded cell packs covered in plastic until something sprouted. Then I moved THOSE cell packs up to one of the shelves with the lights.
This is in my bedroom by my S-facing window. Easy for me to keep track of how long the lights are on. I get up---I plug them in I go to bed--I unplug them. All told--they are on for about 14-15 hours.
Here is an assortment of seeds that have already been up for a while.
Here are mu asst. Tomato seedlings that have sprouted and are growing well. Including the Cherokee Purple seeds that I gouged out of my own tomatoes last season--did not do any of the "fermenting thing". I am glad that they also germinated. Kind of validates this whole saving seeds "thing".....
This makes me really happy!
These are seeds i took from some short, pink Zinnias at the end of the season. Thought--Why not try? Here they all are!!! Woo-Hoo!---This will save me some $$! Just hope they all survive in the house--under the lights until, say, end of April so I can plant them outside.....
Here are my Purple and Yellow Datura seedlings. They just sprouted sometime (??) this week.
