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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Registered: 03-2010
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Re: Seeds and planting
Well...since my herb seeds are either not doing well, or doing at all, I bought several herb plants today. I got my Basil, Rosemary, Dill, Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Tarragon...and a couple of others. I'll have to see if I can find the rest somewhere else.
I'm so discouraged....but, I think the seeds were old. Oh well.........
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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4/18/2012, 12:10 am
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TexasMadness
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Location: Austin, Texas
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Re: Seeds and planting
Seed starting is probably one of the biggest challenges of gardening. They can really be finicky. We've changed our seed starting mix nearly every time we've done a big batch. We are just refining it now, but the first few times, we completely ditched the old formula. And then you have damping off, fungal issues, too dry, blah, blah, blah. I wouldn't be discouraged!!!
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4/18/2012, 3:26 pm
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Queenyforever
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Location: Just north of the clouds...
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Re: Seeds and planting
Don't be discourage Saijen....just think of it as a test of your love and will power.
---
“Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up.”
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4/18/2012, 6:34 pm
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Rebecca Wraenna
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Registered: 02-2012
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Re: Seeds and planting
Seed starting can be discouraging.. but don't give up! Where did you start your seeds this year? On a window sill, under lights? I have a neighbor who says that using growing lights makes a huuge difference, I haven't tried it yet, and I know that my seedlings are not as tough looking as they could be. I start mine in a southern exposure window, on one of those four shelf covered in plastic greenhouse shelves. They do okay.. I am around to baby them more this year so I'm hoping for better results.
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4/19/2012, 5:09 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Seeds and planting
I really do think the biggest issue is that the seeds were old, more than anything else. BUT, I did use one of those tray type green house things with the soil discs that 'grow' when you pour warm water on them. DH and I have decided we'll continue to use the trays, but we'll remove the discs if theres any in it, and use our own mix...and just crumble the discs up into our flower beds or wherever.
Rebecca, I had them in that tray on a shelf near a window that gets a good bit of sunlight every day. It's a Southwest window, so gets some intense afternoon sunshine. I don't have a permanent place to start indoor plants, so doing a grow light isn't really an option. I would LOVE to have a small, walk in greenhouse outside where I could put grow lights and all that good stuff. DH and I have looked at some that just have enough room for like one person to stand in, and enough room to put shelving along the 2 side walls and the back wall. That would be all I'd need.
I've realized that the soil in those discs isn't the best stuff, either, so that's why we'd just do away with it and use a blend of potting soil, perlite and composted cow manure, with some of the dirt from where they'd be transplanted to mixed in as well. DH did that with some other seeds, and man, they are just going nuts!
Since I already bought most of the herbs, I may take out what was done in the tray, and do a mix like DH did, and retry some of the seeds of the stuff I've not gotten plants of yet. See if that makes a difference. If not, then I'll be more sure that the seeds are just old. I'll have my herbs, one way or the other!
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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4/19/2012, 11:02 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Seeds and planting
Old seeds - especially those not stored under ideal conditions - can be especially frustrating! We are trying to get rid of old seeds from the farm right now so most of them are going in my garden. Fortunately, they were stored pretty well but even so, four year old seed is not the best to start with! I usually don't plant very thick - I just put things in at the proper spacing. But this year, I'm planting close and planning on thinning if I get that much germination. So far too many seedlings hasn't been a problem though!
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4/20/2012, 4:07 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Seeds and planting
I asked DH if these seeds were stored in the basket on top of our fridge, or IN the fridge, and he said they were IN the fridge, so they should have been OK. I think they were purchased last year, but now that I think about it....none came up last year, either! So, wondering if the seeds were just a bad lot, or what. Wouldn't think that many varities would all be bad, though.
When I planted them, I put about 3 seeds per pot, so to be on the safe side, and they just did not come up at all. I still think some of it was that weird dirt/peat stuff they use in those trays. So, I'll try again with seeds and the mixture of potting soil, composted manure and perlite (just a dab) and see if they do any better.
I hope your seeds all do really well!
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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4/20/2012, 9:30 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Seeds and planting
I've never had luck with those expanding plugs. Only tried them twice but that was enough to convince me not to use them!
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4/21/2012, 1:00 am
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Seeds and planting
I won't use them again!
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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4/23/2012, 12:41 am
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Rebecca Wraenna
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Registered: 02-2012
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Re: Seeds and planting
I could never get the expanding plugs to actually expand like they were supposed to.
Today I started some spinach and more radishes in the lettuce table outside. Tomorrow, transplanting tomato and pepper seedlings into bigger pots. DH finished de-sodding the place I want another bed, and added some topsoil. Now, one more bed to dig! (And more blocks to buy so we can build it!)
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4/24/2012, 12:42 am
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