Amazing Seed Starter Kit

I'm so happy. I get to play in the coir! My BocaBob starter kit came and now I just have to find the best seeds to get me started. What do y'all find are the tastiest tomatoes? Any suggestions for me?

Park's whopper is a great choice. They have some new chocolate cherry tomatoes out too and Burpees always has good ones too. I sent Burgess a check for their triple L crop tomatoes but they took the money and ran. Lots of choices for great tomatoes. Better boy is one and Bigger Girl or whatever it's called, Ted likes the Brandy wine ones what do you look for in a tomato? I like the beefsteak ones myself, huge and meaty.
joy

I love the Paul Robeson ☺

I planted my first BocaBob seed starting tray yesterday and got to play in the coir! And guess what? I have seeds sprouting today, squash and zucchini after only 1 night. (They are under a light)

WHAT??? Karen? One night?
Thaks for the suggestions Joy and Karen. I don't think I have ever had the Robeson, but I have grown the Better Boy and liked it.

Here's Paul Robeson (dark): Pure Love!

I have exactly one Paul Robeson seed that germinated, so ya'll pray....

Gymgirl: Kinda looks like the chocolate cherry one only a bit bigger? I decided not to plant that one yet. I got over 15 tomato seedlings already.
Karen and Devota: Isn't that seed starter kit the greatest? I like the quality of it, well made and my seedlings are standing straight up, which a great and new for me, as usually they are drooping all over the place with mold on them from dampening off disease. LOL
joy112854

Joy,I adore Bob's kit. I will never, I repeat, never, use another system and go through the headache of replanting 2-3 times before the plant goes in the yard. I am ordering 10 more kits for next year to use for all my flowers too. Bob better keep selling these forever or I shall have to strangle him, LOL, just kidding. But I swear, it is the absolute greatest.

Devota girl, yes, only 1 day! It may be because I am using a heat lamp and a seedling heat mat, but even so, I never had sprouts under the same conditions until at least a week. I thought I was seeing things. I am so happy with it!!!

Karen: Yepper, I am thinking about flowers in them also after my veggies have hit the EBs. LOL
joy

Paul Robeson should be in everyones garden. Love that tomato. Royal Hillbilly and Neves Azorean Red are also 2 of my favorites.

Thanks for all the good advice. I see I must try the Paul Robeson. Thanks.

Ok, I planted my seeds on the 4th, today is the 8th. These are the roots on my yellow crookneck squash and zucchini plants using the coconut coir and BocaBob's Amazing seed starting kit. ☺

Looking good

Karen: Looks like some real healthy roots there.

Bob: Hows come my roots aren't like Karen's????
joy

Infant Squash and zucchini roots are much bigger and thicker then tomato roots. Don't worry. Take a pic of your roots and post them

BocaBob

Bob, what happens to the roots when they get big? Do the break the basket or does the basket cut into them?

Devota I can answer that one, the basket breaks apart...

Karen, thanks. I was wondering.

Bob,
How much water should I keep in the watering tray under the nets? I'm thinking I've been keeping too much in there, as the coir seems to remain very moist. Please LMK soonest. Thanks.

Linda

Linda,

I keep one cell empty so I can check the water level When I can't see any water, I pour just enough in the empty spot until the bottoms of the net pots are wet. Check one to see. Currently I have to add water every 2 days.

Bob

Was that explanation good?

Yeah, Bob. I think I'm ok. Thanks!

P.S. MY SHIPMENT ARRIVED safely. I was expecting the Bocabags to be much larger (taller?), but I'm confident (thanks to your testimonies and pics!) they'll do what I need them too, and that they're portable if I need to bring em inside if temps drop!

My pepper seeds started to sprout today in Boca Bobs Seed Planting Kit. I removed the cover, added two quarts of water and set the gro lights. The baskets popped up a little but that should be expected with the edition of water. I always test the need for water with my fingers. If the coir sticks to it no need for water, if not, water it! The light will remain two inches above the coir and remain on sixteen hours daily. I intend to make a pictorial log in this thread plus Pepper forum.

TPlant: Does it hurt to leave the light on for 24 hours? I have set mine 2 inches from the tops of my plants and left the light on period. So far so good, my plants aren't swimming this time and they look straight up as can be, I like, I like, I like.
joy

http://www.growing-tomato.com/Growing_Tomato_Plants_from_Seeds.html

Jerry

Jerry: Thanks, it's lights out for the babies tonight then. LOL No more staying up all night, they gotta rest and grow some more.
joy112854

Joy you can get a Brinks timer at Walmart for dirt cheap, I think I paid around $4.00 for mine

Karen: Uhoh, more electricity and timer stuff, more ways for me to get into trouble, are they hard to set up? I got two lighted shelf things, one has two double flourescent lights in two different shelves, the other has two double flourescent lights in one shelf, the lights are adjustable and I keep them about 2 inches from the plants. You got to hit 3 switches to turn them off/on. I did notice a difference in the plants now that I turned the light off for the night and let them rest, man they must be stressed staying up all night and day since the 3rd of this month? They are looking mighty healthy though, I'm loving this coconut coir; and, the 24 APS unit with the special germination seed starting mix and thermometer to tell me when to water ain't bad either.

I'm going nuts I think, every container that comes into this house lately gets inspected, and with the thought in the back of my head, "can I make a self watering container out of this somehow". I mean, even the small ones I might could use for flowers right?
joy

Joy, LOL! They are just a small little thing that plugs into your wall socket, and then you plug the light straight into the timer. Press down the little sticks between the hours you want it on and off. It is not some fancy, expensive and hard to use thing. About $4.00 for a single plug unit, more I know for units with more than one plug. Just run down to Walmart and look at them.

They are easy to use and you can plug an extension cord into them.

Jerry

I got my field hand going to check in on the plants before going to work every morning at 5 AM and again at night before going home to bed; plus watering my 4 EBs for me. He'll be rewarded when the tomatoes get bigger (smiles). I can trust him with the house keys. LOL
joy

Field hand? I want one.

Look around for unemployed construction workers and landscapers, here in the south, most men know a lot about gardening, my field hand works a construction job and is young and healthy, has a girlfriend and 3 kids mouths to feed. Besides he only lives about 2 blocks away, his girlfriend and him were the ones put my HEBs together for me, which are all done by the way, all 18 of them. LOL
joy

Thanks for the tip Joy. You see, in our family I am the field hand and I was also the pool boy 'til I talked DH into downsizing.

Devota: You are too funny now Devota. Actually, I need someone to check on a lot more than just my plants while I'm gone. There have been some home invasions in the neighborhood and I feel more secure knowing my house is looked after while I'm gone.
joy

I hear you Joy. I hope all is well until you get back.

Devota: Me too, I don't know what I'd do without the handyman I have, most people take advantage of the single women in this world and especially the older ones like myself, it's a real blessing having this guy around. Used to be I'd pay people to do things that were hard for me to do and they would take the money and run or take the money and then do the job half assed, this guy does a great job and is sweet natured too, usually declines the money I offer him. So; I count my blessings.
joy112854

This was on a site on how to start hostas..Would this work for maters & others

Second‑hand fluorescent bulbs are good enough. Here is a trick to maximize light reflection. Go to any hydroponics shop and purchase some mirrored foil to line the sides around your growing area. This will maximize light reflection. Using such reflectors permits you to set the fluorescent light bulbs two to three feet above your growing bench and triple your growing area. In addition, if twelve hours of light is too costly, you can drop down to six or eight hours per day, since all light is contained within the growing area.

Did't know where to post this for sure ???????

Tubby

Tubby --- Just make sure you use cool light flourescent or you can burn your plants. Actually all you have to do is drape both sides of the lamp with aluminum foil like a curtain.

Thanks Ted ..Your reading my mind..That is after I posted.LOL