Update on Seed Starts

Scorpio Rising wrote:Wow, York!  Nice boxes!  And your plants are lovin' it!  I re-read what I said about thinning, not always true to wait for true leaves, sometimes you just go ahead and thin early.  Not sure what I was thinking!  Didn't hurt your efforts, we'll done!

I transplanted all Saturday night into larger plastic cups with drainage holes and used my fresh new MM to supplement. The cukes/squash seemed to get a bit droopy but with the lights on them they've since stiffened up a little bit. Not all the way but I think they will recover. Going to start hardening off in about 3 weeks and plant out in about 4-5.

I went ahead and planted 3 squares yesterday of my cold weather plants, lettuce, spinach and carrots. Just to see what will happen.

Oh my goodness, what beautiful work you've done!  I'm super impressed!

I am starting to harden off plants to get ready for planting outdoors.

Here are some pics of some cukes, squash and tomatoes outside getting sun.

I have a question on the squash with the male flower already budding, it looks slightly yellow and there is some damage on the lower stems is this a concern?

The first leaves are no longer needed now that it has some more leaves. Remove it if it bothers you. Yes, the male flowers appear first, like young men at a bar after work.

sanderson wrote:The first leaves are no longer needed now that it has some more leaves.  Remove it if it bothers you.  Yes, the male flowers appear first, like young men at a bar after work.

   Good one!

Also, if you want to re-direct the plant's energy into establishing itself rather than trying to reproduce you can pinch the flower off. Then the plant can get more leaves and root development.

Scorpio Rising wrote: Also, if you want to re-direct the plant's energy into establishing itself rather than trying to reproduce you can pinch the flower off.  Then the plant can get more leaves and root development.  

Really, I did not think of that. I tried researching when the flowers tend to start blooming because I thought it was early? Also, it seems like the few leaves it does have are less healthy than the leaves on the plants with no flowers.

I couldn't find much information on this though.

thanks!

Now all of my squash and cukes leaves are turning yellow and bending and getting crispy? My tomatoes are doing awesome but why are my squash and cukes dying off? Is my MM not suited for them? Am I hardening off wrong? I have not been consistent when setting them outside because my work schedule varies

just did a soil test to see if I properly made MM and have a perfect PH of 7. So soil isn't a problem. maybe the conditions in the garage under lights? however everything is thriving.

Maybe I stressed them too much when hardening off, like I said in previous test my time left outside was not consistent. First day about an hour-and-half. Second day about 3hrs. Third day none it was raining. Fourth day about 3-4. 5th day out of town for work. 6th day (today) just put outside was going to try for about 5-6 and maybe I can plant out tomorrow?

any thoughts?

thanks for the help and input!

York, it doesn't sound like a hardening off thing to me. Might need a nitrogen boost. Did you test the MM for nitrogen? It won't hurt to rake a little blood meal into the top of the pots for a slow release N-hit. They are heavy feeders, large plants. And I would pinch the flowers until they are planted into the garden.

York, it is very difficult to start cucumbers and squash indoors and transplant them out. I went to a seminar once and the speaker said that can be done if they are planted out before the second set of true leaves show up. That being said, some people can do it in different ways but I'm not one of them. My suggestion is to direct plant some seeds right now  next to your transplants.

CC

CapeCoddess wrote:York, it is very difficult to start cucumbers and squash indoors and transplant them out. I went to a seminar once and the speaker said that can be done if they are planted out before the second set of true leaves show up. That being said, some people can do it in different ways but I'm not one of them. My suggestion is to direct plant some seeds right now  next to your transplants.

CC

I start all of my melons and cukes in Jiffy Pellets or Dollar Tree peat pots. They never know the difference when I transport them to the garden.

I could have sworn I posted this about 3 times already but it's still not here.

I used a peat pot my first year and also directed seeded next to where I planted it out, cukes I think it was.  The seeded one did fine but the peated one was stunted.  When I pulled it up at the end of the season the pot was still intact.  Are you supposed to tear the bottom off before planting?  

The following year I tried home made newspaper pots and tp tubes on annual flowers only but had the same problem, they wouldn't disintegrate.  

I'm doing something wrong...
 
CC

I had the same problem with two different kind of cukes and water melon last year. The ones I directly planted (after the first ones died) did fine. This year I didn't bother starting any of those as seedlings.

CapeCoddess wrote:I could have sworn I posted this about 3 times already but it's still not here.

I used a peat pot my first year and also directed seeded next to where I planted it out, cukes I think it was.  The seeded one did fine but the peated one was stunted.  When I pulled it up at the end of the season the pot was still intact.  Are you supposed to tear the bottom off before planting?  

The following year I tried home made newspaper pots and tp tubes on annual flowers only but had the same problem, they wouldn't disintegrate.  

I'm doing something wrong...
 
CC

Ooo, Cape, you may be onto something. My cukes in peat pots are much smaller than the volunteer that planted itself in the compost. Maybe gently opening the bottoms is a good call for these peat puppies. 

Scorpio Rising wrote:York, it doesn't sound like a hardening off thing to me.  Might need a nitrogen boost.  Did you test the MM for nitrogen?  It won't hurt to rake a little blood meal into the top of the pots for a slow release N-hit.  They are heavy feeders, large plants.  And I would pinch the flowers until they are planted into the garden.  

Scorpio, I tested for Nitrogen yesterday and it was in the low-med range. I'm going to get some blood meal and maybe that will help. Haven't tested for potassium or potash yet, will try that this afternoon because I'm just curious now.

Yes, you should remove as much of the peat pot as you possibly can without damaging the plant.  The peat pots do not disintegrate enough to let the roots freely expand and can stunt the plant.

This is how I do the transplant.  I do not use all that michroriza (sp) stuff though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWnFw-XaxNk

Here are some pictures of my garden at this point. Looking for thoughts and suggestions. Here are some things I'm considering doing now...
1. Trellising tomatoes and okra using Florida Weave
2. should I top jalapenos and banana peppers now or wait to see how they grow?
3. I had an aphid and ant problem on the poblano and serrano plants but used insecticidal soap and that seemed to work.
4. When should I harvest those peppers that have bloomed?
5. I'm building a V-shape trellis for the cantaloupes on the side. 

garden with George(dog) proof barrier

barrier removed for working space

habanero, banana peppers, toms, okra

biggest tomato plant

serrano peppers growing. Had small aphid problem sprayed with soap

poblano pepper - Had the most aphid and farming ants also sprayed with soap

jalapenos - should I top or just let continue growing?

Sorry for the long post but its a big update!
Thanks for everyone's input!!
York

Love your "George" proof barriers.  Short enough to tend the bed and removable at that!!  Dr. Bronner's Liquid peppermint soap is another option for aphids.  I'm inconsistent with pinching back peppers so I'm not the one to answer.

sanderson wrote:Love your "George" proof barriers.  Short enough to tend the bed and removable at that!!  Dr. Bronner's Liquid peppermint soap is another option for aphids.  I'm inconsistent with pinching back peppers so I'm not the one to answer.

Thanks! They've been pretty handy in keeping him out. Pretty easy to build as well and even adds some aesthetic beauty

Sanderson,

What about the tomatoes? should I start snipping suckers or just let the plant do its thing?

sanderson wrote:Love your "George" proof barriers.  Short enough to tend the bed and removable at that!!  Dr. Bronner's Liquid peppermint soap is another option for aphids.  I'm inconsistent with pinching back peppers so I'm not the one to answer.

+1 with Dr. Bronner's Liquid peppermint soap.  A little goes a long way too.  If that fails, Neem works as a last resort for me.

I pinch my peppers once when smallish to get them to bush up a bit.  Are you growing indeterminate tomatoes?  If so, pinch all suckers!

Nice set up!

I tried pinching back my peppers this year as an experiment.  I pinched back three and let three grow without pinching back.  The ones that were NOT pinched back have nice size peppers setting on but they only have the one main stalk and no side stalks.  The ones I pinched back have a nice thick main stalk and lots of side branches/stalks.  They are much healthier looking and vigorously growing and just now starting to set peppers.  From videos I have watched, what you are supposed to do is start your peppers real early and pinch back aggressively.  If you start seeds earlier, then you will have time for the peppers to branch out more and grow more before planting out.

YorkR88 wrote:Sanderson,  What about the tomatoes? should I start snipping suckers or just let the plant do its thing?

I never answered.  I'm not a tomato expert but it seems that with shorter, bushier, determinant tomatoes, mainly let them do their thing.  For taller indeterminants, generally remove suckers, maybe leave one or two if you want to train them upwards like the main stem. Again, others are more experienced than I am.