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Second Year SFG in Canada

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Post  Scorpio Rising 4/10/2016, 3:57 pm

Hmmmmm, I likey. Clever, prop open with a couple bricks to vent the heat maybe?
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Post  trolleydriver 4/10/2016, 4:11 pm

SR ... I have to come clean and admit that the upside down tote is not my own idea. I remember seeing it somewhere on the Interweb. Your brick solution is worth a try. I prefer not to make holes in the tote since I can use it for other things. My ideal solution would be to put a small fan in the wall of one side of the tote with a another "hole" opposite it to get cross ventilation. Of course the fan would need to be solar powered.
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Post  sanderson 4/11/2016, 6:14 am

TD,  Or, you could set the seedlings in the tote and cover with the lid at night.  Heat rises so just propping open the bottom may still be too hot.  It can really heat up inside a clear tote (or 4 mil plastic, so remember to take the lid off, or partially remove it, or you can bake the seedlings! Embarassed   2013 seedlings
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Post  trolleydriver 4/11/2016, 7:52 am

sanderson ... very true what you say about the heat rising and being trapped inside the reversed bottom even if it is propped up. I think there are two reasons for using the tote upside down. The first is the the top is opaque and will not allow light through. The second is that it makes it easier to tend to the seedlings when the reversed bottom is removed.  BTW I like your mini greenhouse setup.
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Post  trolleydriver 4/11/2016, 4:30 pm

I finally got around to starting some seeds indoors that I probably should have started last week.

1. Pepper

  • Early California (sweet bell)
  • Large Red Cayenne
  • Jalapeno Mild


2. Tomato

  • Super Sweet 100
  • Big Beef
  • Roma VF


3. PakChoi - Cantong White

4. Marigold - Sparky Mixed

I used a wide variety of containers from my "vast" collection. I mostly used Starting Mix but some of the Marigold seeds are sown in MM.

On the left, tomatoes in a plastic clam shell container. The seedlings will be separated out and potted up. On the right, peppers in peat pellets and plastic containers. I expect these will be potted up later as well.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 5 IMG_1459_zps3lnlvfqr

Pakchoi in 2 inch peat pots with starting mix.
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 5 IMG_1458_zpspwmbmrgp

The Marigolds are sown in 9 cell plastic tray (no photo).

Overall view with plastic covers in place. I need more grow lights!
Second Year SFG in Canada - Page 5 IMG_1462_zpsjjbxdiyz
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Post  sanderson 4/11/2016, 11:49 pm

Nice. And yes, I would say you need another light in parallel.

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Post  Mimi2 4/12/2016, 8:39 am

Thanks for sharing your seedling work. I like your set up, and also your use of recycled containers. Do you put holes in the bottom and water from the bottom up?  I put my grow lights on in the evening, since evening electricity is relatively cheap here, but seems to work fine.  Have you tried that too?
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Post  trolleydriver 4/12/2016, 8:55 am

sanderson ... I have authorization from Mrs TD to use her dual tube hobby light to expand my system. It clamps onto the bench and can be moved up and down to different heights. It's not ideal but will allow me some expansion. If this seed starting indoors is a success then for next year I will consider a better setup. I'm not sure if it is best to go with another light in parallel (side by side) with the existing light or perhaps go with a multiple layer setup like Mimi's. The former would be easier but the latter would be a more flexible arrangement.

Mimi ... Yes I do put holes in the bottom of the containers if they are not already there. For example, I put holes in the bottom of the plastic clam shell container and then placed it inside the bottom of another container. My aim is to water from the bottom if possible. My lights are on during the day but you have a good idea to use them when the electricity rates are lower during the night.
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Post  Kelejan 4/12/2016, 1:21 pm

I am admiring all your work, TD.  For this year I am too busy with my wood chips to do anything else right now,  but perhaps another time.

How is the weather there in Ottawa? Is it still keeping you prisioner?


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Post  trolleydriver 4/12/2016, 1:27 pm

KJ ... When I looked out this morning it was nice to see that almost all of the snow has gone. Looking great for the rest of the week with lots of sun and high temps going from +7 C (45 F) tomorrow all the way up to +20 C (68 F) on Sunday. It's going to be great! I need to set up my "poor man's cold frame". I would like to have it on the front porch which is sunny and shetered but that will take some careful negotiation with Mrs TD.
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Post  trolleydriver 4/12/2016, 6:09 pm

Checked the compost bins today. The black plastic bin is still frozen solid in the centre. The bin I made last year out of plastic hardware cloth has thawed out and is good to go. I was able to clear a hole in the centre and stuff it with brand new kitchen scraps, used teabags, and torn up cardboard.
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Post  trolleydriver 4/13/2016, 8:29 am

When I closed down my SFG beds lats Fall, I charged each square with a trowel full of compost. I'm wondering if I should do that again before I plant the squares this year. Suggestions please.
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Post  Kelejan 4/13/2016, 8:43 am

trolleydriver wrote:When I closed down my SFG beds lats Fall, I charged each square with a trowel full of compost. I'm wondering if I should do that again before I plant the squares this year. Suggestions please.

I would put in another trowel full as it couldn't hurt. Also, some of the nutrients may have leached out if you did not use any mulch.
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Post  sanderson 4/13/2016, 4:50 pm

After winter, you may want a bucket or wheel barrow full on the beds. I think the spade full is for replanting right a way. ?? Bring the squares up to their original height. ??

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Post  trolleydriver 4/14/2016, 9:58 am

As of this morning, April 14, some of the Pakchoi seeds sown indoors on the afternoon of April 11 have started to sprout. Time to get them under the lights.

I have moved some onion transplants from under the lights and put them outside in a mini (and I mean mini) greenhouse that I bought last year at Ikea.
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Post  trolleydriver 4/14/2016, 3:14 pm

Mrs TD and I dropped in at a local Tim Horton's this afternoon. For the non-Canadians allow me to explain that Tim Horton's is a Canadian fast food restaurant known here primarily for its coffee. It seems that many Canadians are hooked on Tim Horton's coffee.

Anyway, the point of all this is that after ordering our coffee, I asked what they do with their used coffee grounds. The answer was "throw them away". My next question was whether or not I could have some for my compost.  The answer was "yes and we will give them to you for free" (free! I hope so 'cause I'm not paying for them). I went back with a large plastic bucket that they put under the counter at the coffee machines. I was told to come back tomorrow and it will be filled by then.

bounce bounce bounce
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Post  CapeCoddess 4/14/2016, 4:38 pm

Bring another empty bucket with you and swap them out.  That's what I do when collecting from Starbucks.

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Post  trolleydriver 4/14/2016, 6:14 pm

I'm on it CC. Thanks.
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Post  trolleydriver 4/15/2016, 2:34 pm

Picked up bucket #1 of coffee grounds today and left another bucket for them to fill. So far they seem happy to do it. I assume the filters are OK to compost.
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Post  sanderson 4/15/2016, 5:20 pm

Score! cheers That's really nice of them to do this.

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Post  trolleydriver 4/15/2016, 5:41 pm

SFG related activities today, April 15:

1. Started peas indoors in cardboard toilet rolls cut in half.

2. Took down the Christmas lights that were on the SFG trellis.

3. Removed the leaves (winter mulch) from both SFG boxes.

4. After removing the leaves I found that the tulips are growing nicely in the front corners of each box. There are 9 tulip bulbs per square and all are doing well. Also, box #1 has about 12 garlic plants peaking out of the MM. Sadly, the Leeks in box #1 did not do well over the winter.
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Post  p14shooter 4/15/2016, 6:06 pm

Hey TD,

Tulips in the SFG.  I was thinking that due to my deer troubles, but I did not want to waste a food square.  Is that square a complete loss or were you able to plant something else in that square once the green dies off in AUG?
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Post  trolleydriver 4/15/2016, 6:16 pm

p14 ... Last year I had marigolds in two corner squares and dusty miller in two other corner squares. These plants add some colour and variety to the SFG beds. As well, I believe the marigolds discourage some insects. This year I plan to follow up the tulips with marigolds and/or other flowers. I don't mind losing a few squares to the flowers even though we have a lot of flower beds elsewhere in the gardens.
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Post  sanderson 4/16/2016, 1:33 am

trolleydriver wrote:SFG related activities today, April 15:
. . .
2. Took down the Christmas lights that were on the SFG trellis.
. . .
The neighbors were probably saying, "About time!"  [I just took mine down in March   Embarassed ]

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Post  yolos 4/16/2016, 10:03 am

sanderson wrote:
trolleydriver wrote:SFG related activities today, April 15:
. . .
2. Took down the Christmas lights that were on the SFG trellis.
. . .
The neighbors were probably saying, "About time!"  [I just took mine down in March    ]

Mine are still up.  I have been using them as a heat source at night so the tomatoes stay a little warmer. Looks like two more nights below 50*F and then I will take them down.
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