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ursulas_alcoveI'm still having a horrible time getting things done and prioritizing. I guess it's a thing with the pandemic isolation. So I am going back to a work log to motivate myself to get things done. Today I am going to gush about the garden though. So if it's boring to you, read a different post.
I started the cool weather plants indoors two weeks ago. I also planted some old seed, because, what the hey? Honestly I didn't expect much from 2015 seed. This year's setup- be very careful if you use clip lights. Normally I just use them up on top. Water and electricity are a bad idea. The clip lights are not intended for moist environments. Eventually, I hope to have all FEIT grow lights. For now, Ace Hardware had the full spectrum bulbs for $15 bucks (with a choice of red or blue leaning light), much cheaper than Miracle Grow's lights at Gardener's Supply. I hope the price comes down even more. The FEIT fixtures run $40 to $43, depending of which color light spectrum. Both Ace and Home Depot carry them. These are the small, one tray length lights with two bulbs. They also have an outlet to string them in a line, like Christmas tree lights. It's helpful with cord management.
Yes, document what you plant or you will never remember what you planted or when. Here's my first tray:
Planted on the new moon, 2/11/21, using coconut coir, perlite and some of last year's potato soil. I use a soil blocker. It gives me 2" cubes I can easily transplant into bigger pots without disturbing the roots.
Tray 1:
Botanical Interests Utah Celery from 2020 (13 plants)
Richter's Madder 2015 (5 plants)
Renee's Garden Napa Cabbage Little Jade 2021 (10)
MI Gardener Lavender 2018 (5)
High Mowing Seeds Rainbow Chard 2018 (5)
MI Gardener Rosemary 2018 (5)
MI Gardener Swiss Chard-Rhubarb 2018 (5)
The celery is just barely poking up at the bottom of the picture. Rhubarb Swiss chard is in the back. Napa Cabbage was the first to germinate.
The next tray, planted 2/12/21, has:
Wild Thyme Garden Good King Henry ancient (5) which needs stratification in theory. (bottom of picture)
Botanical Interests Utah Celery 2020 (5)
Wolf Silver Oak ? Weld 2012 ? (10)
Mi Gardener Red Acre Cabbage 2019 (9)
Renee's Garden Romanesco 2021 (10)
The Seed Guy Florence Fennel 2017? (9) (top of picture)
We looked at the price of bulb fennel in the store and just said Damn! Let's grow our own. The Romanesco is also a bulb fennel. I did not expect the germination rate I'm seeing. These guys are going to complicate my life. Where to put them? But I will take it. Bring it, baby! I am so excited to have weld. I thought the seeds were too old so I never planted them. I just want to squeal!
The alliums have not come up yet. There is a reason they need to be planted so early. I bought Fruition Seeds Yellow Onion for this year. I planted an entire flat (48). The rest were planted between 2/15 and 2/21/21. There are leeks from our garden last year. Chives from the Native Seedkeepers. There are some leeks from Johnnies Seeds. There are Hudsen Valley scallions and some Restoration seed Welsh Onions. Alliums tend to be planted every year. The seed doesn't keep well. Other than the onions, the rest I planted in containers that previously held mushrooms. I just washed them and poked holes in the bottom with an old meat thermometer that we never use.
I just planted another tray with Brussel Sprout seed (5), Renee's Garden Baby Spinach (20) and High Mowing Seed Georgia Collards (23). Spinach doesn't transplant well but then, it doesn't germinate well via direct seed either. Mice love it. So I'll see how it goes in the soil blocks. I have one more tray to do yet later this week on the full moon. More rainbow chard, Madder and some Giant Noble Spinach.
They will all get a month before being transplanted into the milk cartons. Once they have vacated the trays, I'll be starting the warm weather plants and flowers. The basement is cool but constant at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. For the warm weather plants, I'll be using heat mats to get them started. It will be a slow process since I only have two heat mats. I start with basil, tomatoes, and marigolds. Fingers crossed that they all make it.
I started the cool weather plants indoors two weeks ago. I also planted some old seed, because, what the hey? Honestly I didn't expect much from 2015 seed. This year's setup- be very careful if you use clip lights. Normally I just use them up on top. Water and electricity are a bad idea. The clip lights are not intended for moist environments. Eventually, I hope to have all FEIT grow lights. For now, Ace Hardware had the full spectrum bulbs for $15 bucks (with a choice of red or blue leaning light), much cheaper than Miracle Grow's lights at Gardener's Supply. I hope the price comes down even more. The FEIT fixtures run $40 to $43, depending of which color light spectrum. Both Ace and Home Depot carry them. These are the small, one tray length lights with two bulbs. They also have an outlet to string them in a line, like Christmas tree lights. It's helpful with cord management.
Yes, document what you plant or you will never remember what you planted or when. Here's my first tray:
Planted on the new moon, 2/11/21, using coconut coir, perlite and some of last year's potato soil. I use a soil blocker. It gives me 2" cubes I can easily transplant into bigger pots without disturbing the roots.
Tray 1:
Botanical Interests Utah Celery from 2020 (13 plants)
Richter's Madder 2015 (5 plants)
Renee's Garden Napa Cabbage Little Jade 2021 (10)
MI Gardener Lavender 2018 (5)
High Mowing Seeds Rainbow Chard 2018 (5)
MI Gardener Rosemary 2018 (5)
MI Gardener Swiss Chard-Rhubarb 2018 (5)
The celery is just barely poking up at the bottom of the picture. Rhubarb Swiss chard is in the back. Napa Cabbage was the first to germinate.
The next tray, planted 2/12/21, has:
Wild Thyme Garden Good King Henry ancient (5) which needs stratification in theory. (bottom of picture)
Botanical Interests Utah Celery 2020 (5)
Wolf Silver Oak ? Weld 2012 ? (10)
Mi Gardener Red Acre Cabbage 2019 (9)
Renee's Garden Romanesco 2021 (10)
The Seed Guy Florence Fennel 2017? (9) (top of picture)
We looked at the price of bulb fennel in the store and just said Damn! Let's grow our own. The Romanesco is also a bulb fennel. I did not expect the germination rate I'm seeing. These guys are going to complicate my life. Where to put them? But I will take it. Bring it, baby! I am so excited to have weld. I thought the seeds were too old so I never planted them. I just want to squeal!
The alliums have not come up yet. There is a reason they need to be planted so early. I bought Fruition Seeds Yellow Onion for this year. I planted an entire flat (48). The rest were planted between 2/15 and 2/21/21. There are leeks from our garden last year. Chives from the Native Seedkeepers. There are some leeks from Johnnies Seeds. There are Hudsen Valley scallions and some Restoration seed Welsh Onions. Alliums tend to be planted every year. The seed doesn't keep well. Other than the onions, the rest I planted in containers that previously held mushrooms. I just washed them and poked holes in the bottom with an old meat thermometer that we never use.
I just planted another tray with Brussel Sprout seed (5), Renee's Garden Baby Spinach (20) and High Mowing Seed Georgia Collards (23). Spinach doesn't transplant well but then, it doesn't germinate well via direct seed either. Mice love it. So I'll see how it goes in the soil blocks. I have one more tray to do yet later this week on the full moon. More rainbow chard, Madder and some Giant Noble Spinach.
They will all get a month before being transplanted into the milk cartons. Once they have vacated the trays, I'll be starting the warm weather plants and flowers. The basement is cool but constant at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. For the warm weather plants, I'll be using heat mats to get them started. It will be a slow process since I only have two heat mats. I start with basil, tomatoes, and marigolds. Fingers crossed that they all make it.
no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2021 04:36 pm (UTC)