January 2013

Seeds of Exchange!

This year I decided to do a bunch of research pertaining to seed starting indoors.  After 3 failed attempts (if one would refer to the past feeble starts as attempts) this year would be different.  I began with ensuring I had the proper light sources.  I ventured into my basement and pulled together all of the shop lights I had.  There were 3 48" light fixtures and each required 2 48" t-12 40 watt fluorescent bulbs.  

The light looks just light this guy does.  After checking them all out, only 2 of the 3 worked and so I began with these.  My radio friend, Mike McGrath has plenty to say on the subject of starting seeds indoors on the Gardens Alive A-Z Archive. Especially concerning the type and amount of lighting necessary.  It turns out that most newer shop light fixtures require t-8 32 watt 48" bulbs and these light are more efficient than their elders, the t-12's.  You go to seed starting with the lighting you have and not the lighting you want...so here I went.

I began my seed starting adventure in early February.  I had saved a number of containers of all sizes from last years garden purchases and so I had my beginnings at home.  I took great care to clean each container with a bleach and water solution (1 part bleach, 9 parts water).  Soaked them for a few minutes and rinsed them thoroughly.  I purchased a bag of Jiffy Seed Starting Mix (Organic) from my local Wegmans (I LOVE THAT STORE!).  This mix's primary ingredients are spaghnum peat moss and vermiculite, with some trace additions.  These two ingredients are essential to ensuring a light and airy mixture for seedling roots to move through easily.  

And so, on February 12th I sowed Chinese Kale (hybrid broccoli/kale), Broccoli Rabe, Lupine and Delphinium (these two are perennial flowers).  These were pretty much chosen a random, because my seed collection had grown quite large over the last year and they all took a while to germinate (I have managed to collect about 25-30 seed packs).  Four days later, I ventured into just about every garden center I knew looking for some seed starting trays...needless to say, mid February may be a bit early for these places to be stocking them, I guess.  I did mange to find one place that had some items left over from last season and so I picked up 2 Jiffy Seed Starter Green House kits (each has 72 pods for seeds).

I also grabbed another bag of Country Cottage Seed Starter from that same nursery.  This mix also had sphagnum and vermiculite as the primary ingredients.  On February 16th, I sowed Mortgage Lifter Tomato (an heirloom variety), Swiss Chard, Lavendar, Sweet Basil, Romaine Lettuce, Lolla Rosa, Red Bell Pepper, and Corn (I learned later it was WAY WAY WAY too early to sow tomato and corn...WAY too early).

I was running out of light and so I purchsed a 48" 4 bulbs shop light that utilized t-8 bulbs, as I mentioned earlier...and with that I started my 3rd tray of seeds.  I sowed Corvair Spinach, Razzle Spinach, Super Sweet Cheery Tomato (hybrid cherry), Champion Radish, Parsley, Johnny Jump Up Viola, Shasta Alaska Daisy (both perennial flowers) and Banana Peppers.  

There is tons or information available on the interwebs regarding starting seeds indoors.  Organic Gardening offers a great resource for determining the necessary tools, supplies and seeds for getting a great start indoors...and timing.  Timing is everything!

With a very few exceptions, nearly everything germinated as I had hoped (Delphinium and Razzle Spinach were tougher than expected).  I transplanted nearly all by mid-March and began hardening seedlings like Chinese Kale, Broccoli Rabe, Swiss Chard, Romaine, and Corvair Spinach.  After about a week of letting these specimens get used to the outdoors a bit at a time, I planted all but the spinach.  THEN THE FROST CAME THAT VERY EVENING!  Everything had damage and about half of all planting may be lost!  I had a feeling that it was early, but I grew impatient and paid dearly for it.  

RIP Broccoli Rabe.  :-(