Sometimes I think mother nature confuses a little =) Fruit trees don't like the freezing nights, and yet, peaches and pears are already in bloom!
So we wrapped all the blooming fruit trees in huge plastic drum liners - and I'm glad we did, temperatures last night dropped below freezing, my thermometer this morning was showing 24F. But this morning, after the rays of sun hit the fruit trees, I was very pleased to see healthy blooms still
It's been a while, too busy at work, but time to update blog...
Few weeks ago, first, earlies were transplanted into the larger pots. Healthy, thick stems developed in the cool basement under the florescent tubes:
And now, sitting in the 6" azalea pots, reaching near 16" in height:
Since most of these are determinate (as with most "extra early" varieties), next weekend these will be planted into 10-18gal containers (depending on the mature growth habit). There is a nice south side wall of the garage where the sun is on all day from 7:30am and till about 5pm or so. So during the day, until the weather stabilizes, out they go, and back inside the garage with the sundown. Really hoping for some May tomato, but June will do too!
So here it goes... Yes, too many seedlings! I look up to those who plant out 100+ varieties - as this was (while pleasant), still, a very time consuming task.
Nevertheless, first , the "brave ones" are coming up, 2 days germination on about 10 out of 50+ varieties so far. Keeping the wrap over the tray still, heat mat still on, dome slightly propped open and few inches under the grow lights (now turned on):
At this time, can't even tell what varieties germinated, not willing to go under the dome, and start digging and moving the wrap to see which one of 162 cells have taken off... Just happy to see the first spouts!
It took me a while to come up with the final grow out list, there is only but so much space, and yet, so much I wanted grow... So after "editing" the list numerous times, here is what made the final cut:
1884 Purple Airyleaf Amazon Chocolate Anna Russian Arkashin Armenian Balcony Yellow (basket) Beauty King Berkley Tie-Dye Heart Big Cheef Black And Brown Boar Black Plum Black Trifle Black Tula Brad's Black Heart Brandywine Black Brandywine Cowlick's Brandywine Sudduth Brandywine, Cherry Bull's Heart Pink Burtzyn Campari F2 seeds Carbon Chermonor Cherokee Purple Coeur de Boeuf Blanc Cream Sausage Dagestanskiy De Barao Zolotoy Delicious Donskoi Dynnye Early Wonder Pink Fruhe Liebe Garden Pearl (basket) Gary O'Sena Golden Gem Goose Creek Green Copia Green Zebra Gregori's Altai Grub's Mystery Green Indian Stripe Iraquische Hertzformige Jasnaja Jaune Flamme Kalinka Kardinal KBX Kimberly Krasavica Lotaringii Kumato F2 seeds Lambada Lubasha Ludmila's Yellow Giant Lycopersicum-Macrocarpum-Lutea Manyel Moldovian Green Noire De Crimee Nyagos Black Onyx Orange Strawberry Orlov Yellow Paul Robeson Pendulina Orange (basket) Pervaya Lubov Pink Berkley Tie-Dye Pipo Purple Russian Reif Red Heart Rose Himbeer (basket) Sakharnyi Zheltyi Samurabe Sandul Moldovan Shapka Monomakha Sorrento Spudakee Spudatula Stupice Sweet Cluster VFNT Tatar of Mongolistan Taxi Temnokrasnyj 2027 Tomande VFFNT Tomatillo Purple Tzar Kolokol Ukranian Poet Violet Jasper (Tzi Bi U) Whipper-Snapper (basket) White Queen Wisniowe Yellow Trifele Zolotye Kupola
Basket and the early varieties were planted just a little while back, while the rest, 60+ were seeded last night. Never done such "mass" seed planting before, so will see the results in a few days...
Well, four days after the first germination - all of the seeds are up, green and reaching out for the sun! Worth it - sure, these tray was only $0.10 worth of seeds, merely half the packet...
When the seeds offered at a store, at a price of $0.20, and the package says "Finest quality since 1897", makes you wonder... So why so cheap if it is a "quality" seeds?
Well, I've had few packs last year, annuals, did well, no issues. But veggies at this price? Well, needless to say, spent about $5.00 total on some flower seeds, veggies and such.
First test run for germination - Italian Mixture. Seeded on 02-14-2010. To my surprise, less than 48 hours later, massive germination in the 24" self watering window box:
Now, the most important test - taste! Will see in few weeks!
Happy to see, that all of the varieties of the early tomatoes have sprouted! Some little earlier, some a little later. But all under the grow lights, waiting for the first set of true leafs:
And the next step - transplant to individual cells, 2" cell once the true leafs are set, then into the cooler basement for the cold treatment...
This coming weekend - basket varieties to start:
Balcony Yellow Garden Pearl Rose Himbeer Pendulina Orange Whipper-Snapper
I'm was happy to see that the all but 2 varieties have sprouted yesterday - 3 days from seeding! But the other two were little older seeds, so it may take few more days...
Noir De Crimee "droplet" - trying shake off the shell:
All removed from the domes (but the last two), and under the grow lights now... Love to watch them grow!
I've had some fresh seeds in the tests germinate in 3.5-4 days, but this is a pleasant surprise... Seeded on 01/30/2010, and to my amazement - first seedlings are poking through today, 02/01/2010
A seeds for variety Early Wonder Pink sent to me by a very sweet and generous lady from Germany. Should be dark pink, 3' tall plants with 3-6oz dark pink fruit and said to be on the sweet side (which I like). Very exciting start for me!
I promised myself, first weekend of February for the earliest varieties.
Well, when one is looking at the window, and snow is plastering the ground for the past 8 hours, what does one do? I know, pretend it is the first weekend of Feb, and plant the first tomato seeds!
For now, just the early and very early varieties:
Fruhe Liebe Jaune Flamme Early Wonder Pink Noir De Crimee Lambada Kalinka Taxi Burtzyn Stupice Pipo Kimberly
Same mix, same temperature as before, under the dome in the dark room with some help from the heat mat - let the new life begin!!!
First and second batch of peppers for 2010 are transplanted!
1-2 of each variety for my garden, the rest are giveaways. All seem to be healthy, green and strong stems.
The potting mix, while a bit on the pricey side, I think well worth it...
Espoma Organic Potting Mix
Has the same properties as their Seed Starting Mix, but added more Perlite for water retention. It's been about a week, and seedlings doing great. I still add the worm castings to the mix. And in this photos, non of the seedlings received any additional fertilizer at this point, yet thick stems, beautiful foliage, what's there not to like?
Last peppers are planted today, Corno di Toro and Corno di Capra, generously shared by a fellow gardener, and I'm looking forward to growing out these Italian varieties this season! As for now - under the grow lights, in the basement these stay...
Time to catch up on the blog. Seed Germination! Did a test on some of the seeds saved for 2010. And happy to observe, that germination rate of my fermented, untreated seeds is 100%.
As for germination seeds for the actual crop - after numerous trials, using many different soil media, various temperatures and methods - I now have absolutely favorite seed starting mix:
Espoma Organic Seed Starting Mix
Very fine, soft and fluffy, holds the moisture very very well, and yet with no "white residue" to yet developed on any of the seedlings tested. It is not hydrophobic at all! And loaded with beneficial endo and ecto Mycorrhizae!
The only thing I add to the mix, is organic worm castings, at the ratio suggested on the package (3 parts mix to one part castings), which also happen to have 1-0-0 NPK.
This combination works very very well and every time in my tests.
Temperatures: 81F-83F range inside the heated dome seems to do the best in my germination tests, works equally well for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.
It's that time of the year to plan a garden for the upcoming season! And a dilemma, what varieties to plan this year? There is the seed list, and there is the space available...
Expansion is evident, 6 additional beds will be added to the garden as soon at it gets a little warmer. And for now - this is what it looks like for 2010 in terms of "Reserved for Tomatoes"
And that makes for 51 spaces where tomatoes will be planted, plus 6 containers. Is it final - really don't think so!
