jleiwig - I think you're right. When I use my little plastic containers for germination, The paper towel squares usually stay moist for 3 or 4 days. Sounds like you've got a good start on everything.

EG

Here is a link that might be useful: EG's Garden Blog

OOOH an adventure!!! Playing name that tomato will be fun!

You guys and your heating systems have gotten my brave up. I may just have to try next year to try more than just broccoli and lettuce.

Careful, Ribbit. I planned on only two window shelves of 2 varieties of peppers, a half dozen tomato plants and maybe a few flowers. Now I have visions of those two shelves, two or three picnic coolers to use as propagation chambers, maybe a series of shelves and shop lights in the garage, at least nine varieties of tomatoes and 5-6 varieties of peppers, melons, cukes, squash, non-stop lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli....I tell you, it's becoming an addiction! I blame John and EG. Sheesh, next thing you know I'll be drinking BMs and begging people to call me "Poopyhead".

;-)

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Poopyheadie-kins
Sorry, couldn't resist. However, I did have to make it more lady-like
HA!!

I'm just so unsure of everything! I read everyday about people in zones north of me starting their seeds for peppers and tomatoes already, and I'm not doing it for at least another week.

The cole crop seedlings are growing like gangbusters though. They have been in the soil for around 4 days now and are already 2" tall. I'm going to pull them off the heatmat today and see if that will slow them down. I don't want them to get real leggy!

I'm thinking I'm going to have to invest in another set of shop lights so I have a second shelf just for lighting after I pull them off the heat mat.

Not sure if I'm one of the farther north folks, but I don't share EG's 8b zoning for nothin. Hehe, not much, but not nothin. I hope to plant out under plastic in a month or so, though likely I will start hardening off in a month. And keeping the little guys in 50-65 degree temps has slowed therir growth, hopefully creating stocky seedlings.

Good idea on the second light fixture. I'm concerned I'll have space for everything when I pot up, hehe.

Good luck and have fun!

jleiwig, I'm wondering what I'll do with the peppers and tomatoes I've already started. The tomatoes are almost large enough to set out into the garden right now, and it will be another 8 weeks before I can do that! Luckily I have only four, and they can all be grown in containers, so I might just spend a couple of months carrying them outside on warm days and back inside at night.

It certainly is difficult being patient in the spring, isn't it?

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Granny - 8 more weeks is a long time for those toms you showed the other day. Send them to me, and i'll stick them in the ground in 4 weeks....heh.

jleiwig - some cool temps around 45 to 55 will slow them down pretty well. At least that's what the ones in the chamber are doing...

EG

The only problem is that I have no space that will maintain that low of a temperature!

Where they are now is in the garage that has been converted into another room. It's not directly heated, but it never gets below 60 degrees in there. I can't put them outside because it will surely kill them with the extreme cold we've been experiencing.

They haven't grown much beyond that 2", so maybe the will level off and put some energy into growing stockier. If not, it's only broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.

No big deal really.

As far as your tomatoes Granny, I'd say if you can, get an SWC built for them! Not sure if you have room for it on your ride back, but if not make one when you get back, then wrap the whole thing in plastic, sort of like a giant wall-o-water for your tomatoes!

SWC is a great idea, or a little hoop house with a row cover and a layer of plastic for those 24º nights. Maybe a SWC made out of a Roughneck with wheels on it...

Dan

Hey guys, they are just little Tumbling Tom tomatoes...I'll put them in a bucket that can be carried in and out of the house as weather permits...I'll double up the buckets and provide drainage holes in the top one, just like I would with a SWC, but I won't add water and wick it since I'll have to be packing it in and out...I'll try to keep it light. I'll start some new plants at the proper time, just in case.

I must say, the plants are looking great. There is only enough room in the cooler for another 2-3" of growth, and five days before they'll be home in WA. The peppers are getting their second set of true leaves.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

The best thing you can do is get them off the heat mat as soon as they sprout. Give them as much light as possible 24/7 if it its artificial. Also keep 60-50 deg f day/night temps. If the soil/ambient air temps are too high, they will get leggy.

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Johns Journal