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!
