The rest of my peppers, however, are growing really well. I'm amazed by how much healthier they are now compared to last year. Then again, I didn't have to battle aphids this time around.
I think I timed my tomatoes just right this year. Last year, I started the seeds too early and as a result, they ended up outgrowing their pots and looked rather stressed when it came time to set them out. I'll start hardening them off this weekend and hopefully will be able to get them into the ground a week or so after that.
I've also started my melons, squash and cucumbers. All of my cucumbers sprouted very quickly. So did the Blacktail Mountain watermelon and Athena cantaloupe. My Yellow Sunshine watermelon and Petit Gris French melon on the other hand are not doing much of anything. It can be so aggravating not knowing whether it's you or the seed that's the problem. I guess you can't have everything turn out the way you would want it.
This upcoming weekend, I think I'll start my corn indoors as well. I know you're not supposed to as corn doesn't transplant well but it seemed to work fine for me last year. I find it easiest to pre-sprout the seeds before sowing them. Also, starting them in soil blocks should make the transplanting process much less stressful.
It's all looking good Thomas. I've slways started my corn indoors and never had a problem transplanting it outside ...well, except for the foxes wanting to dig it up!
ReplyDeleteI've got most of my crops planted out now, but they've been suffering a bit due to our unusually hot and very dry spring here this year! :(
I had a terrible time germinating peppers this year. My Lipstick seeds from Johnny's were a complete bust, not a single plant. My Krimzon Lee and Purple Beauty germinated at about 30%.
ReplyDeleteMy tomatoes have been growing great, all but the Sungolds from Johnny's which failed to germinate at all. But we have about 8 different varieties that have been living it up in the greenhouse the past 3-4 weeks and are crying out to be planted.
Likewise, the squash and melons are going gangbusters and need to go into the ground. Several of my Early Prolific squash are developing flower buds!
http://www.media-organic.com/garden-week-in-review-4
They look fantastic! Aren't you out of town? I hope Marc and Jonathan are taking good care of all those babies for you :)
ReplyDeleteYour seedlings look great Thomas! I have yet to start my squash and melons...I guess that I better get to them today! I always direct sow the cucumbers as a second crop after the peas.
ReplyDeleteI'm chitting my corn seed this year, along with all my other big seeded plants like beans squash. The cukes and melons get real soil blocks thought. Their seed is small enough to fit into a soil block. I tried to do it with squash last year and the seed just walked out of the block. So chitting will just have to do. I could just plant them right in the ground. It works great, but I'm so impatient.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has employed the cut-up plastic container method for plant tags. Since I work in a greenhouse, I'm lucky enough to get some misprinted plant tags now and then. I just flip them over and write on the backside.
ReplyDeleteThe seedlings look great. I always have something that does not germinate well...just seems to be an annual thing that occurs to annoy gardeners.
ReplyDeleteI almost always start corn indoors and start it..never have had problems.
I always start my corn indoors in cellpacks - that's why it's at least 24" tall right now...
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your Sarian strawberry seed. I had greater than advertised germination from my Johnny's Sarian seed - almost 35 plants ready to plant out.
ReplyDeleteLisa in VA, Zone 6a
Love your seed starting operation!
ReplyDeleteMy charantais melons and bozeman watermelons took 4 weeks to germinate this year. I am very interested in how your petit gris do in this area as I plan to grow them next year.
ReplyDeleteI had some seed trouble too. Pepper and lettuce seeds failed multiple times. I think when everything else in the flat sprouts, we must blame the seeds.
ReplyDeleteI have my corn started (I soaked the kernels overnight in water) in newspaper pots. Found a million tutorials online for them. I'll plant them in the pot, maybe peeling off the top rim so it doesn't wick moisture up from the soil. It worked very well for me last year.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your grow light setup. I showed it to my husband and begged him for one for my upcoming birthday. :) My canteloupe melons are having a hard time germinating indoors. Not sure why either.
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