Timing is Everything

[catjac1975]

Started greenhouse tomatoes, garden tomatoes and annual flowers on March 14th, so far they are doing OK.

View attachment 12398

I know you've said what those cubes are, Jack. But what are they called again?

 

[jackb]

Cat, they are Oasis horticubes.
jack

 

[catjac1975]

Cat, they are Oasis horticubes.
jack

So I looked them up. Not much info at their site. Do you break them off and plant them in the cube? Does the cube decompose in the ground? Or remove the plant and reuse the cube.I had a great crop of artichoke with fantastic seed germination last year.This year has been abysmal so I am thinking your cubes might do the trick for next year.
I'm sure the p. alpestris is normally difficult to germinate but you did it with ease. What size would you suggest?

 

[jackb]

Cat,
I start small seeds in moist coffee filters, then using tweezers I place the best seedlings in a cube and "tuck them in". Before placing the seeds into the cube I soak the cubes in dilute nutrient solution and let them drain so that they are moist, not sopping wet. It is a simple matter to break off as many cubes as you need. The planted cubes are placed under a strong light source until the seedling has a few true leaves and roots protruding from the sides of the cubes. At that point the seedling can be planted in soil, or a hydroponic system. Yes, the cube will dissolve in soil.
For large seeds, like cucumbers, you can plant right into the cube and not bother with the coffee filters. You can also plant any seed directly in the cube, however, I prefer to start in the coffee filters so that I don't waste cubes on dud seeds. Either size cube will work, however the large cubes are better for tomatoes and cucumbers. I used the smaller size because I have a lot of them and I was going to transplant to soil as soon as I saw true leaves.

The bottom photo shows the cubes under a 24" T5 grow light. The section of airline is to exhale CO2 into the dome whenever I think about it.

jackb

 

[897tgigvib]

Try baggie-moist warm paper towelling all those lil troopers and see if any of those 11 year old seeds have any oomph left to give. Give'm the primo treatment...what's that exact perfect temperature?

 

[digitS']

Perhaps I can start again altho the community container with several other varieties with second leaves had 3 or 4 Safeway's without sufficient strength to break out of their seed cases ...

I had to move the others to 4-packs, days ago.

Steve

 

[bobm]

Hey Marshall, Have you finished playing with the Bigfoot kids and come back here to tiptoe through the tulips , or 'maters, or beans ?

 

[897tgigvib]

Hang on Bob, Grampa bigfoot is arm wrassling me right now...

he's cheating!

 

[digitS']

There are a lucky 7 seeds in a Ziploc bag on the fridge this morning, @marshallsmyth .

I really think that they should have time if they behave normally.

What is normal? I have never placed seeds in a moistened paper towel. I used an inner layer of coffee filter because I've heard that the roots can sometimes penetrate the towel. What brand? I'm pleased that Americans no longer seem attracted to printed floral designs on them. I can't ever remember the brand of that huge "extractive industry" brand owned by the political players so I can avoid it. Dang - mining coal, pumping and refining crude oil, cutting trees, burning huge amounts of natural gas for N fertilizer production, running unbearable numbers of beef cattle on the land ... who the heck do they think they are ... the inheritors of Manifest Destiny? And, they are telling this Native Son that any ideas I have count for dust in the wind ...?

Seven tomato seeds ... there are lots more in the envelope and 2017 will likely arrive on schedule. I may be able to add some F4 seed to the inventory ... before then .

Steve

 

[897tgigvib]

Cool Mark Twain quote. Another great one of his is,

"The secret to getting ahead is
first getting started.