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Old February 14, 2018   #15
FourOaks
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: NC
Posts: 511
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener View Post
Looking good, I know it's nice to be busy planting finally.


I tried using tools for those holes but my finger works best and it's faster. Transplanting is so tedious to me, I need to build a custom height table and find a comfortable stool.
Comfort definitely has to come first. For me, the bench height, with the oddjob tote, then the flat on top of that is just about right. A couple inches taller wouldnt be bad, but it works.

As far as making the holes, it just depends. For me, for the #72s its just right. I was knocking more soil out when I just used my fingers. Then I tried filling the cells about half way, hold up the leaves, then back fill. That was taking forever. So I had the screw driver laying around from working on the furnace. I punch the holes, then drop in the plugs. Done.

The smaller seedlings, I use my finger.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener View Post
Another thing I need to build is a flood and drain table for all the flats. It took me too long to soak flats in those Odjob. I can do 3 flats at a time but it takes a while for them to soak up the nutes(Masterblend). I think it took about 4 hours and I only have about 20 flats going.
That is one artifact about the idea of soaking that I dont like, the time involved. I dont soak as a matter of regular procedure, but have done it to save some seriously wilted plants. No doubt it works, but to be efficient it would take some serious infrastructure.

Im not sure what the perfect answer is. At this time of year I am forced to tote hot water from the house, out to the seedling house. I do have an old propane water tank which would be ideal. Just have to check it out. It might still function, it might not. Or, if I could get my hands on a cheap on demand water heater, that would be great.

Later in the season, I mix Masterblend in an IBC and use a shallow well pump to get it where it needs to go.

That reminds me, this year I am going to spend the money and buy a Dramm watering wand, with a water breaker. Tired of fooling around with the cheap ones from the Hardware stores.
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