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starting veggie seeds indoors for spring
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Author:  katlady [ Fri Jan 09, 2004 7:46 am ]
Post subject:  starting veggie seeds indoors for spring

I know that this sounds too easy but I keep having my chard seeds sprout and get about 2 inches tall then fall over and die. I have them in those peat pellets under a florescent light and can't keep them going until they get established with true leaves. What is the trick? I am concerned because I have some tomatoes and pepper varieties in seeds and don't want to be dissappointed. Any clues? :?:

Author:  CaptainCompostAL [ Fri Jan 09, 2004 9:04 am ]
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I like to sprout kale, swiss chard, and swiss chard seeds in small, short, containers using a potting mix of at least 50% compost, plus I sprinkle the seeds almost daily with a dilute tea of seaweed, fish scraps, or compost tea. Molasses is good to use too in the tea to help balance the nitrogen in the tea, add extra potassium and iron and sulfur, and to help build the microbial activity around the young roots and on the foliage.

Seaweed is famous for adding lots of growth and stress-relief hormones directly into plant foliage through teas.

Author:  dragonfly [ Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:12 pm ]
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Have you tried Winter Sowing, or are you familiar with it? I had great results with Swiss Chard using this method last year. You can sow your seeds in covered containers outside now. I like to use the clear plastic boxes with lids from the dollar store or any discount superstore. I drill aeration holes near the top of the containers so the seedlings don't overheat. I use regular potting soil, and keep the seeds/ seedlings moist but not wet. Many of the cool weather veggies will do well using this method. After your seeds have sprouted, and the weather starts warming some, just transplant into the garden. I just bought seeds yesterday to get started now. Email me if you need more info.

Author:  Jim In Dallas [ Sat Jan 24, 2004 11:52 am ]
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I was going to ask the same question. I have not done this before, and was going to experiment with an old 20 gallon aquarium, buy a "grow" light, and start some tomato seeds indoors. I planned on doing it this weekend, but I wonder if I am too early?
Thanks, drangonfly.
Jim

Author:  dragonfly [ Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:37 pm ]
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Jim, you're not too early, but let me forewarn you that I did lose some heirloom tomatoes last year because I didn't bring them inside when we had a freeze, so I always (now that I learned), bring them in at the first hint of freeze, and immediately set them outside the next day after the sun comes up. The most beautiful tomatoes I grew last year were some winter-sown ones that managed to survive the cold snaps. I'm sure that setting up grow lights will work just fine, but I don't have the room in the house or adequate window light to set them in sills because our South windows are all shaded by a long front porch which is much needed in Summer. Hope you have good luck with your seedlings.

Author:  nina norman [ Sun Jan 25, 2004 9:44 am ]
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Dragonfly - this is good info that you have posted thank you very much! I just bought some green bean seeds yesterday in hopes of growing some with my little girls. Do you think they would do okay with this method? I was thinking of making a raised bed that is really just a window box and attaching a trellis to it for the upwards growth. Does that sound like a viable idea? This is my first attempt at veggie gardening and I need something can be moved in about six weeks when we move.

Thanks!
Nina

Author:  dragonfly [ Sun Jan 25, 2004 10:29 pm ]
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I haven't tried this with green beans because they grow so easily and so fast by direct-seeding, plus they seem to do so well in the really warm weather. It wouldn't hurt to try. Beans are so easy and the seeds are so cheap that you could do both and find out what works best. Be sure and let me know, lol. What I find this method particularly useful for is getting a head start on some of the cooler weather veggies, and because of the long maturing time for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, I like to use it for these also. If you like to grow flowering perennials, you can sometimes get flowers the first season by winter-sowing them. I did last year.

Author:  nina norman [ Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:29 am ]
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Cool, thanks for the help. Will let ya know when I learn something, if (hopefully) I can remember! lol!!!

Christina

Author:  Henman [ Mon Jan 26, 2004 9:53 pm ]
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Guys I almost feel stupid for asking but what does "lol" mean? Lots of Luck???

Author:  nina norman [ Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:31 am ]
Post subject: 

Gosh, don't feel stupid! I once had to ask myself. LOL means a lot of things depending on how you take it. I usually take it to me lots of laughs or laughing out loud. There are tons of these little acronyms. I found this page to help you out with some of them: http://groups.msn.com/JerseyBeans/acronymsorwhatdoeslolmean.msnw

Take care,
Nina

Author:  Gar [ Tue Jan 27, 2004 11:08 am ]
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Nina,
Thanks for the link. I had to laugh reading some of them.

Author:  nina norman [ Tue Jan 27, 2004 12:02 pm ]
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Glad someone else got a kick out them like I did. Oh, btw, thanks for the compliment on my little avatar! Your compost pile was my inspiration to find my own and since I love these little red mushrooms I found while living in Germany I thought it was appropo.

Take care
Nina

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