Show OFF your Seedlings ..2017

[charley]

65 plants some started later than others.starting to harden off now.maybe i can plant out in a couple weeks

[Fritz77]

Originally Posted by charley

65 plants some started later than others.starting to harden off now.maybe i can plant out in a couple weeks

Nice job Charley! I have two questions for you and for those of you who use that kind of red plastic cups. Do you make a few holes at the bottom of them to allow water drainage? Did you start your seeds in them or have you been repotting your seedlings? Potting up is my least favorite activity. Last year I used medium size yogurt cups and I must say that by the time I transplanted my seedlings, some of them clearly looked like they already needed more room. I'll be starting my seeds this week and I'm still debating what would be the best/easiest way for me.

[roper2008]

Some of my seedlings. The two in the back are Cream Fatalli's that I started towards
end of December. I will probably pot them up one more time before plant out.

[roper2008]

Originally Posted by Fritz77

Nice job Charley! I have two questions for you and for those of you who use that kind of red plastic cups. Do you make a few holes at the bottom of them to allow water drainage? Did you start your seeds in them or have you been repotting your seedlings? Potting up is my least favorite activity. Last year I used medium size yogurt cups and I must say that by the time I transplanted my seedlings, some of them clearly looked like they already needed more room. I'll be starting my seeds this week and I'm still debating what would be the best/easiest way for me.

Yes, you have to put holes in the bottom. I don't start my seeds in them. Potting up
is not fun,but my least favorite thing is hardening off.

[Gardeneer]

Awesome, Charlie .
They are garden ready. Good Luck and a a good season.
I am also shooting to plant out in a couple of weeks, weather permitting.
I just started my second batch today ( 2/12/17) total of 18 varieties. These will be ready for April Plant out.

[charley]

thanks gardeneer now i just need to spread 6 loads of turkey compost catch enough fish to put 1 in each hole and plant out put up cages.man it shure is alot of work but soooo worth it good luck gardeneer

[Worth1]

They look very healthy Charley.

Worth

[roper2008]

Yes, nice plants Charley, and a lot. At least for me that's a lot.

I was wondering why Gardeneer was planting his tomato seeds so soon. NC weather
is very similar to VA weather. He must live in one of the warmest parts of NC.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by roper2008

Yes, nice plants Charley, and a lot. At least for me that's a lot.

I was wondering why Gardeneer was planting his tomato seeds so soon. NC weather
is very similar to VA weather. He must live in one of the warmest parts of NC.

As you can see I am in zone 8a. But NC is a big state. I am in the Southeast part of it, about 50 miles from Myrtle Beach.

My statistical average LFD is around early April. But I am doing some calculated gambling on the weather and I want to plant out (limited quantity) around mid March or possibly sooner. With the 15 days weather forecast I can figure out how to minimize my risks. Also I stand prepared in the event of frost.

Why am I doing this where we have a long season ?
A: Long season alright but come July/August with temps in high 90s and triple digit tomatoes will shut down production. So I want to get some decent harvest until then an also maybe my tomatoes will have enough unripe fruits on them before the scorching heat arrives.

But I will grow a second batch around April 10th. I am already germinating seeds for it. So even if my first batch is totally wiped out , I will have my second batch.

[My Foot Smells]

If you could post the date you planted the seed, it would be helpful for me. Mine are almost 1 month old (seed sowed 01/16/17) and just now have emergence of first true leaf. I think my light setup is weak. Plan on potting up to 4" pot within the week and hopefully some nice weather to get them outside for a spell.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by My Foot Smells

If you could post the date you planted the seed, it would be helpful for me. Mine are almost 1 month old (seed sowed 01/16/17) and just now have emergence of first true leaf. I think my light setup is weak. Plan on potting up to 4" pot within the week and hopefully some nice weather to get them outside for a spell.

Well, the common practice is to starts seeds 6 to 8 weeks before plant out. Lets take an average : 7 weeks. Any longer time than that you will/might get lanky plants and if pots are small they will get root bound.

I started my first batch on 1/14/17, with intention to plant out around March 14th. That will be 8 weeks. I might go ahead and do it one week early. Gotta see how the weather plays.. If I have to keep them longer, I will repot them into bigger pots (quart ). I should be able to know and decide this in about 7 days, by checking 15 days forecast. Sofar it looks promising til Feb 28. What will be first week of March ?

BTW: Our March average temperature are 40F(L) to 66F(H). I can live with that. But we have been getting warmer than average Jan, Feb and March should follow the same, per National Weather Service's long term forecast.

[ibraash]

This is interesting, at least for me

[Nattybo!]

Originally Posted by ibraash

This is interesting, at least for me

Wow! That is really neat! I have seen 3 cotyledons before but never a 4. Are you going to give that one a special tag so that you can keep track of it?

[ibraash]

I've seen three before but never four. This is a New Big Dwarf seedling. I will definitely keep an eye on it

Originally Posted by Nattybo!

Wow! That is really neat! I have seen 3 cotyledons before but never a 4. Are you going to give that one a special tag so that you can keep track of it?

[roper2008]

Only about 1 hour from Myrtle Beach, that's nice. In Virginia
Beach it gets just as hot.