Latest round of sowing seeds

Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:09 am

Saturday evening, I sowed 306 Early Wonder tomato seeds in horticubes. They went into my grow chamber where the temps stay between 75-83, depending on the ambient temps. Dozens of them are up already. 2/3 are under a 400-watt, 5000K MH lamp, the other tray under a 105 watt, 5000K CFL bulb.

I have some mature tomatoes under a 600-watt MH that I am thinking about switching to a HPS bulb. That would free up my 72K lumens lamp so I can start another six-eight trays of plants. The goal is to move them to the GH as soon as I can, but we have freezing temps predicted for at least another week.

Lots of work to do tomorrow. Build a 16' long x 2' wide x 3" tall table that I can line so I can fill half full of rain water and stick the trays of toms in. Maybe find a way to be able to heat just that area, but yet allow heat to escape on warm, sunny days.

Mike

Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:37 am

Mike,

First I will say, You are a bad influence. :wink:

I started to build a sweat propagation chamber in my greenhouse today.

Go to the seed starting forum if you are interested. It should be up momentarily.

Water shelf that sounds interesting. :lol:

I'd like to see yours when complete.

How about heating it with soil cables. I'm thinking about bury heating cables in my pea gravel.

Eric

Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:02 am

Eric,

Saw the thread. Didn't really know what to respond! I've never worried much about the humidity, as until this year, I "mass sow" seeds in a tray, soak the mix and stick a plastic dome over the tray until the first seed pops up. After they germ, they go under lights, without heat, until they get big enough (~3") to transplant. But this year is different, given that I am growing maybe 100 times as many plants. But the idea is the same, except I'm trying to skip the transplant stage for everything except seedlings I want to sell.

But my chamber is probably the opposite of yours! 4x8' but only 30" tall. Heated, with a thermostat that sort of controls the temps. I have lights in it, simply because at this point in time, I don't have room to move all the plants under lights in a different place.

As early as it is for me, I have 1600 pea plants, 510 tomato plants, 200 peppers, and a bunch of other stuff I need to find room for. Plus, I need to sow another 2500 toms by next Wednesday, if possible.

The reality of what I am trying to do this year, compared to previous years, is smacking me across my head like a short 4x4 swung by Hammerin' Hank Aaron!

Mike

Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:23 am

The reality of what I am trying to do this year, compared to previous years, is smacking me across my head like a short 4x4 swung by Hammerin' Hank Aaron!

Hang in there Mike! Hope you have time to post more pics along the way.

The Sweat Chamber is the humidity dome and then out into the greenhouse with no heat or lights. I'll post some progression pictures.

Eric