Catalogs are Rolling in!

[ninnymary]

My goodness, those thermometers sound complicated! I just want a cheap basic one. Remember, I'm not that technologically savvy. Thistle, I'm trying NOT to spend all crazy like. I do have a gift certificate from our local nursery but I don't think they carry the T-5 lights that I want. Maybe, I'll take a walk over there tomorrow and see what they have for seed starting. It's only 3 blocks from my house and I always walk so that I don't buy anything big. Of course if I do, I can always come back with my car. It would be great if they had everything that I need there because then I wouldn't have much out of pocket expense.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

My goodness, those thermometers sound complicated! I just want a cheap basic one. Remember, I'm not that technologically savvy. Thistle, I'm trying NOT to spend all crazy like. I do have a gift certificate from our local nursery but I don't think they carry the T-5 lights that I want. Maybe, I'll take a walk over there tomorrow and see what they have for seed starting. It's only 3 blocks from my house and I always walk so that I don't buy anything big. Of course if I do, I can always come back with my car. It would be great if they had everything that I need there because then I wouldn't have much out of pocket expense.

Mary

Mary, trust me, my thermometer is NOT complicated!
The back opens like any simple toy, open it, stick 2 AA batteries in it, close it and hang it on a tiny nail, or use the little stand that came with it.

 

[vfem]

So my trusty highlighter and I went through a rampage on those seed catalogs. Then hubby surprises me that he's reconstructing my garden at the end of the month to plan out his shed and as a bonus somehow 4 more raised beds have been added to his equation he's going to build me. He knows my health has been sad at best, so he told me he'd get it all done and not to worry. He's putting the beds and hopefully new paths, before the shed so I can do my thing while he's out their building all year since he's going to do it in phases. By fall I should be able to move my chickens out there.

If he runs electricity (he's running water for sure!) then I can have a space with a back window to do my seed starting.

 

[Smart Red]

Sounds wonderful, vfem! You must have a pretty nifty DH as well. Spaces away from the kitchen (sigh) are great for seed starting! IMHO, electricity is more important than running water any day.

 

[vfem]

Hubby is saving me a lot!

This year I made a decision to cut out my business for this year. I will literally not open my business until September. I want to give more time to my garden. I'm glad I could cut out some of my business to put my time into what brings me joy, I need more joy and less job in my life. I do work a day job still and we didn't cut those hours, but my business is afternoon, evening and weekend time I now I have for my outside time.

 

[Smart Red]

Catalogs! I received my very first Baker Creek catalog today. That's why I didn't get on line until late. I was drooling through the catalog. Holy schmoly that's one super rag.

Lord, help me to control my urge to get one of everything and live within my gardener's ability. Amen!

 

[baymule]

I made my orders Thursday! Red, I love Baker Creek too! I ordered from 4 catalogs, plus I ordered ducks from Ideal. Vfem, your DH is a sweetie to make you more garden beds! Do what makes you happy, life is but a vapor.

 

[so lucky]

I love that Baker Creek catalog, too. It just makes me feel so proud of what they are doing. I could conceivably go out there to Mansfield to one of their events. Maybe I will plan on that. I get so enthusiastic about seed saving and gardening in general, but then in the middle of a heat wave in July when the gnats are biting.......my enthusiasm wanes somehow.

 

[buckabucka]

I just received my seeds from Fedco. Sometimes they run out of varieties, so I always order early. I didn't get anything terribly unusual this year. We'll be trying Tankuro black soybeans and Green Egg Yolk cherry tomato.

I don't have a grow mat. Here's how I start many of my seeds: I cut paper towels into small squares and label each with the seed variety (using a permanent marker). Wet the paper towel square with hot water and squeeze out. Then I lay several seeds of that variety, fold it up into a flat packet, and slide it into a zip-lock bag. All the packets go into the same bag, but in a single layer.

The plastic bag gets placed on top of a warm surface. Over the years, it has varied: an old waterbed heater, on top of an electric water heater, on top of a freezer in the house that ran all the time, on top of the incubator, etc. Now we have a masonry heater with a warming bench, so I use that with some towels to prevent the seeds from cooking.

The seeds that germinate get placed into soil, the others get tossed. I find that when I plant directly into seed flats (which I do for brassicas and some other varieties) that I get impatient. If the seedlings don't emerge, I start poking around in there with a toothpick to see what is going on, usually destroying any sprouts in the process. Plus, if 3 seeds come up in a cell, I hate ripping up the perfectly good sprouts. I know I could transplant them, but then I end up with way too many plants.

And speaking of sprouts, I use the seed sprouter they sell at Johnny's to start my onion seed. It is made for making alfalfa sprouts for your salad. I found I can stretch onion seed to last 2 or 3 years if I keep it sealed in the freezer, then I test germinate it in the sprouter. Each year I buy new varieties, plus sprout some of the old ones for planting. I'm looking forward to starting the onions next month!

 

[so lucky]

Sounds like you have found a good method that works for you, Bucka. The top of my fridge is a good place for seed sprouting for me.