Peas, Spinach, Broccoli and Swiss Chard

Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:36 pm

A few weeks ago I got some 200-cell nursery trays to experiment to see how seedlings will grow in them. Way too early to start seeds now, at least for real transplantation, but I am curious to see if they will develop.

I sowed 120 Sugar Snap Peas, 10 Swiss Chard (all I had left), 20 cells of broccoli and the other 50 cells were Spinach.

Of course, I can direct sow all of these but the germination rate can be spotty, especially in very early spring. I'm hoping to have about 500 peas, 250 broccoli, 500 Chard and Spinach plants, so germination success is important. Also, the markets open in early May here so any head start I can get will be a help.

Another reason for wanting to experiment with these trays is I need to find room for a bunch of plants so no way can I start them in 18 or 36-cell trays. I can get 32 trays in the front of the greenhouse and another 24 in the back so that is more than enough for what I plan to grow.

I plan to use 60- or 72-cell trays for plants to sell. I'm looking at charging $5 for six plants for things like tomatoes, peppers (except for a couple of superhots), strawberries, etc.

Mike

Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:11 am

Ya the seeds will grow in those small starter cells but you better plant them soon after like within 2 weeks at most.! The broccoli and chard may keep in the small pods a little longer! Thats a little high in price for 6 tomato plants. $2.00 is a better price or even $2.50! I have a place here I get a dozen tomatoes not hybrids for $1.99 a dozen but most places sell them in 6 or 4 packs. for $2 to $2.50 . Good luck!

Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:51 am

Bobberman,

For the last two years, I've been selling plants for $3 each (in 3" cells) and some plants (cotton, Angel Trumpets, Superhot peppers) for $5 each.

Can't say I have sold hundreds of them, usually about $600-700 per year.

Mike

Fri Jan 28, 2011 3:15 am

wordwiz wrote:Bobberman,

For the last two years, I've been selling plants for $3 each (in 3" cells) and some plants (cotton, Angel Trumpets, Superhot peppers) for $5 each.

Can't say I have sold hundreds of them, usually about $600-700 per year.

Mike

Ya I see alot of the big tomato plants selling for alot of money. Most people don't realize that most of the time a smaller plant will catchup with some of the bigger ones you buy! I am suprised that this one greenhouse still sell peppers and toms in those dozen cells. They sell alot at the flea marts. I use to sell tomato plants years ago when I had a real small solar green house but it did stay warmer than the bigger one!

Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:30 am

yea the 200 cells are for strictly germination. once they fill in the cells( which is fast) they go into the ground.

peas seem like they might be a bit big, at least for the trays i have. which ones did you end up getting?

Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:20 pm

This one

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8131-plug-flats-200-cellsflat-5-pk-.aspx

If these are too small, then I'll use the 128 cell ones instead. I figure I should know in about a month or so.

Mike

Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:39 pm

I checked this morning and the peas are exploding! By the end of the day, it looks like at least 1/3 of them should be up. My grow tray looks like a tiny gopher had been playing in it - soil mounding up everyplace! Not sure if the trays are too small or not but I should know by Valentines Day.

Everything in the tray is a cold-weather crop but I wonder how cold it can be? I would love to put the tray in my greenhouse next week. We still will likely have some nights in the teens but the normal low is about 23, rising to 29 by the end of the month.

Mike

Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:00 pm

that link reminded me, these are perfect for basil. we had so much basil last year it was not even funny. still have tons of frozen pesto but i cant wait until the summer basil is growing along.

i have snow peas growing outside right now, they have taken temps down to 21 degrees. they stopped growing, but once we got some warmer weather they exploded.

Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:36 pm

That's great. I won't have to worry about frost and I do have a 450 watt heater in the GH I can use on a real cold night. If I get real ambitious, I may just plant a couple of rows in the back of the GH. I won't need the space until May, if then.

Mike

Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:29 pm

Yeah, for some reason last year was a bumper crop of basil for me too. Lots of things didn't like our heat and drought, but (with added water) the basil did great. I still have a bunch of pesto in the freezer too.

Have seeds planted indoors (I have a thread going on that), but nothing planted outside yet... more snow coming in a couple days!