Spring seed starting
by
John Reilly
It's spring time in east central Iowa and time to start seeds. I start a lot earlier than most, toward the last of Feb into middle of March.
I still have seeds from e-bay coming next week March 16 thru the 20th.
I start more than 60 varieties of hot peppers, green peppers and, of course, tomatoes.
I start trays with 128 cell in them and I have 20 trays started.
I use "Metro-mix 360" which has no fertilizer in it. Because I have a water softener, I will use melted snow for watering. I will water the first time with water that has 'potassium nitrate' diluted in it.
The hot pepper seeds usually germinate in less than 10 days, green peppers in 7 and tomatoes in 4 or 5 days using heating pads under the trays.
As I said last year, I will use vinyl blinds cut into short strips for row markers. Just the number on the markers and all info pertaining to that number on a spread sheet.
I still have seeds from e-bay coming next week March 16 thru the 20th.
I start more than 60 varieties of hot peppers, green peppers and, of course, tomatoes.
I start trays with 128 cell in them and I have 20 trays started.
I use "Metro-mix 360" which has no fertilizer in it. Because I have a water softener, I will use melted snow for watering. I will water the first time with water that has 'potassium nitrate' diluted in it.
The hot pepper seeds usually germinate in less than 10 days, green peppers in 7 and tomatoes in 4 or 5 days using heating pads under the trays.
As I said last year, I will use vinyl blinds cut into short strips for row markers. Just the number on the markers and all info pertaining to that number on a spread sheet.
Twelve 128 cell trays are brought in each night. More are on shelves off to the side.
Using vinyl strips I can record just the number and then info on a spread sheet.
Different varieties do start latter than others, but germination rates are good.
These shelves allow for more trays per window and designed (by me) to be put up with no fasteners The horizontals are friction fit to the verticals and squeezed in the window frames.
Trays are placed onto shelves at sunrise and moved outside when it warms up to 50 to 55 deg.
Six south facing windows allows for 4 trays per window for 24 trays.
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2 comments
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Nice design! I have used fish tanks and large glass jars. This year I saved the plastic strawberries and blueberries boxes; this should act like a greenhouse and allow less work with watering and increase growth. I also love the paper egg carton can be planted; strait into the ground.
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Wow, you have really got this down to a science.
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