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Old January 23, 2011   #16
shlacm
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Stepheninky - What zone are you in? When will you plant out?

Steph <- who is now wondering if she can start planting around the end of the month rather than Valentine's day... hmmmmmm
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Old January 23, 2011   #17
barefootgardener
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Stephen, just want to say everything is looking really good. Nice setup you have.. Everything is looking good. Basil does sprout up rather quickly, and looking at it makes me want to start mine. I have a few herbs in pots in my kitchen window..but sadly no basil..
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Old January 23, 2011   #18
Stepheninky
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shlacm View Post
Stepheninky - What zone are you in? When will you plant out?

Steph <- who is now wondering if she can start planting around the end of the month rather than Valentine's day... hmmmmmm

I am in Zone 6B so might be starting a bit on the early side to be honest, Most of them are the sweet pickle peppers that at full size are only supposed to be about 24 inches tall. The mini green house shelves are removable. Its hard to tell from the last pics but there is still a shelf above the two with seeds started so worst case I can juggle around everything and still have some space if things get too tall. I also have another shelving unit under this whole works and some florescent tube fixtures I can set up there if needed for more seed starting.

The weather here is tricky some years you can plant outside around April and others closer to May first so I might have to shuffle plants in and out of the garage closer to planting time as well.

Trying to beat the neighbor LOL, She is an old lady but she always beats me as far as first Tomatoes and peppers. Its a friendly competition though.

This is my first year starting under the lights, so am staggering seed plantings and seeing how it turns out.

Usually I just start them in the window and move them outside as it warms up.
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Old January 23, 2011   #19
Stepheninky
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Originally Posted by barefootgardener View Post
Stephen, just want to say everything is looking really good. Nice setup you have.. Everything is looking good. Basil does sprout up rather quickly, and looking at it makes me want to start mine. I have a few herbs in pots in my kitchen window..but sadly no basil..
Yea we loves the basil, I have usually only grown it outdoors so growing it indoors is all new to me so will see how it goes. Think I might have over planted the seedlings this first attempt.
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Old January 23, 2011   #20
kath
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Nice little setup and your plants are looking good, Stepheninky-
glad to hear the little cups are plastic and it reminded me that I have a bunch of them sitting in a closet that can be put to the same type of use in a couple weeks.
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Old January 25, 2011   #21
hardwaterbob
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I recently went to Menards and purchased a mini tray with peat pots and clear plastic top for 10 plants @ 2 for $ 3.00. Also planting soil with slow release fertilizer 2 bags for $ 5. I thought that was a good price. I am planning to use a clear 2 liter soda bottle to cover the seedlings when they get to tall for the plastic cover that came with the starter kit. You can make the soda domes very tall if you want, up to ten inches. I will start out by cutting the bottle in half and then switching to larger domes when the plants get larger. This is my plan for protecting the seedlings and improving the temp and humidity.
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Old January 27, 2011   #22
Stepheninky
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Here is some updated pics added in one of those Jiffy 72 peat pellet seed greenhouses. It was a little less than six bux so even though I an not a huge fan of the jiffy 7 pods the price was right.










Started seeds for
Big Bertha PS Pepper
Giant Aconcagua Sweet Pepper
Chinese Giant Pepper
Giant Marconi Pepper
Corno di Toro Pepper
Sweet Pickle Pepper
1 goose creek Tomato
1 terhune tomato
72 Ponderosa Red Beefsteak tomatoes
and three cups of sweet basil

the tomatoes are really a bit too early but if they get too big my ideal is that I will clone them out. Depending on how the cloning goes and the timing I may sell the extras off.

I also have many more matters to start from seed but growing bored and impatient for spring so doing this is like an experiment to keep me going.
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Old February 7, 2011   #23
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Here is pics of my tomato starts. I have lowered my lights a bit as they are on the spindly side. Also replaced the top light with a little bit more powerful bulb that is 5100k instead of 2700k

This is the top shelf with the new light installed today



And this is the second shelf plants, that hopefully is still in seed germination phase, what is kinda troubling is the section with poor germ is all from the same seed source. So may have to re seed those empties.



Over sowed the top self tomatoes but got really good germ rates. The top self is all Henderson's Ponderosa Beefsteak tomatoes (same ones from my seed offer)

and the second self each row is a different variety. Second self was planted about a week or so after the top self tray. The second self was planted on the 28th or 29th of Jan
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Old February 7, 2011   #24
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On each shelf, it seems that the plants around the edges are doing much better than those in the middle. Light intensity?
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Old February 7, 2011   #25
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On each shelf, it seems that the plants around the edges are doing much better than those in the middle. Light intensity?
I think it is seed germination is better on the outsides verses the middle so the ones in the middle have not been up as long.

I think it may be due to the way the jiffy system is made or something. The second self ones where started under two T8 bulbs originally and once they started coming up from the ends and out side edge first I moved them to that shelf under the 125 actual watt CFL, The top self was germinated under the 65 actual watt 2700 k CFL ( that has now been replaced with the 85 actual watt 5100k CFL) and it did the exact same thing sprouting on the outsides first.

Not sure why they do that though. Only thing I can think of is the outside edges might have been a bit warmer that the center.

The top tray only had three pods not sprout and they were 1 on each side in the second row and 1 in the middle.

The one on the second shelf both sides have filled out and it is only the center that is having issues.

Edited in: Though could be from condensation too I guess the dome lids are pretty flimsy. So maybe water pools to the center. IDK another possible cause that came to mind.
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Last edited by Stepheninky; February 7, 2011 at 10:03 PM.
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Old February 7, 2011   #26
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I do have a third tray planted Super Bowl Sunday that has seed from other sources so I will update its progress and if it too shows the same outside first germination pattern.



This one has full spectrum T8 plant bulbs that is the reason the lights look kinda purple they contain blue and red phosphors. I found those fixtures and tubes on clearance so they were only $1 bux each more expensive than the cheap tube combo so I got them.
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Old February 13, 2011   #27
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Big update to the system...

Last week two of my trays had issues, Some type of white and green mold (like you see on bread) so those units have been treated with daconil and neem oil but chances are they are going to get tossed ( one still has some healthy plants ) and the other had not sprouted yet but is now so IDK will see how that goes) I have two other trays that seem to be just fine with no issues (keep fingers crossed)
Never have had issues with this before so IDK. Will see what the plants do. Any plants that had symptoms or just looked weak were removed to the trash bin.

I updated my lights with some home made reflectors and added shallow culture hydroponics to three of the trays. Its been running three days and the plants seem to be doing well.



Next 2 pics are close ups of the DIY light reflectors made from 3 for $4 cookie sheets





Next pics so the shallow water hydroponics and the plants after three days in the system





I added check valves to each line this prevents air or water from traveling the wrong direction and back into the pumps.

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Old February 13, 2011   #28
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Just a thought

Did not see a fan of any kind? I always use a fan on seedlings which drys out surface of planting medium and helps avoid mold and mildew. The fan will also help the tomato stalks to be sturdier and bigger around The fan will help to make healthier seedlings. Just my experience

ron
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Old February 13, 2011   #29
Stepheninky
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Originally Posted by dipchip2000 View Post
Just a thought

Did not see a fan of any kind? I always use a fan on seedlings which drys out surface of planting medium and helps avoid mold and mildew. The fan will also help the tomato stalks to be sturdier and bigger around The fan will help to make healthier seedlings. Just my experience

ron
You are right I do need a fan. I keep the ceiling fan running but a small fan would help a lot. Been looking in town and yet to see any of the small ones. Guess I am going to finally break down and get one online. I hate the shipping costs but I do need one.

I also have a heating mat and a tall humidity dome on the way.

After some recommendations I will be trying some coco coir versions of the jiffy pods. I also will be trying some Super Plugs (they are like the rapid rooter plugs but do not have root hormone, but they are inoculated with helpful bacteria.
So will let people know how those work out as well.
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