Hello peoples and welcome back to Spring! This is my 3rd year having a veggie garden. The last two years I planted "pre-grown" plants for my garden. This year I've decided to start with seeds! To start the seeds off I am currently using "Jiffy Professional Greenhouse" that holds 72 Peat Pellets. (I only used 38 of the pellets and also, I wasn't sure if I could just plant the seeds outside to begin with.) I originally was just going to plant the seeds in the totes and containers but my brother advised me to use the Greenhouse kit. So I did.
Well, so far, I have a few that have already sprouted and growing! I just planted all of the seeds on the 14 of this month. I would have never guessed that they would sprout that fast! So far, the ones that have sprouted are: 1 corn, 2 green onions, 3 green beans, 1 snap pea, and 1 pumpkin. They are growing A LOT FASTER than I ever anticipated! As of today, the corn and the pumpkin are too tall for the greenhouse kit.
So my question: Am I able to put them in a tiny pot and begin "training" them to be transplanted outside. Okay, well, nevermind. I still think it's too early to put them outside. Would it be okay for me to put them into small pots and leave them by a window plus my plant light. Or do they still need a greenhouse environment? I was thinking I could maybe make my 46 gallon fish tank (never used for fish) into a greenhouse. I could put saran wrap over the top to hold in the moister and then hang my plant light over it. Or something like that. Not only is it too early to put them outside but one of the plants, the corn, still has no leaves. Just a "pole".
So anywho, some advice and guidance would be great! Share all you want to. When I get back home after work, I'll do some more research. Like I said before, I really wasn't thinking I'd be at this stage yet! Thanks for all of your help!
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HyperFerret
- Full Member
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:50 pm
- Location: Arkansas, Zone 7
Hi there !
I think you are on the right track in the idea about the plastic wrap. It will duplicate the greenhouse effect just as well, plus give you better headspace for the plants. I have done that exact thing almost every year, using a fishtank as a nursery with plastic over the top. Take care about how close you put the grow light to the plastic
When the sprouts start to get sort of 'leggy' and appear to lean, you may want to consider removing the cover, or at least once or twice a day open the cover and just barely brush your hand over the sprouts. They need some kind of disturbance [wind or something] to encourage them to grow thicker stalks, else they will lay down flat and then they'll die.
As a side note - I would advise [for future gardens] to just put corn and bean seed straight into the ground once the last frost has past: those two plants, in my experience, are among the ones that seem to dislike being disturbed once they begin to grow. Not saying they won't do well, just I've noticed that it's hard to get the timing right on them [for me and my climate, at least.] Too early and the cold stunts them, too late and disturbing their roots stunts them. I've had best results with them to just sow them into the garden once it is warm enough. They seem to do better that way.
I think you are on the right track in the idea about the plastic wrap. It will duplicate the greenhouse effect just as well, plus give you better headspace for the plants. I have done that exact thing almost every year, using a fishtank as a nursery with plastic over the top. Take care about how close you put the grow light to the plastic
When the sprouts start to get sort of 'leggy' and appear to lean, you may want to consider removing the cover, or at least once or twice a day open the cover and just barely brush your hand over the sprouts. They need some kind of disturbance [wind or something] to encourage them to grow thicker stalks, else they will lay down flat and then they'll die.
As a side note - I would advise [for future gardens] to just put corn and bean seed straight into the ground once the last frost has past: those two plants, in my experience, are among the ones that seem to dislike being disturbed once they begin to grow. Not saying they won't do well, just I've noticed that it's hard to get the timing right on them [for me and my climate, at least.] Too early and the cold stunts them, too late and disturbing their roots stunts them. I've had best results with them to just sow them into the garden once it is warm enough. They seem to do better that way.
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HyperFerret
- Full Member
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:50 pm
- Location: Arkansas, Zone 7
See, I had originally planned on just sowing the seeds straight into the totes I have outside, but then I got scared out of it. Out of 5 corn seeds I planted so far only 1 has sprouted. This worries me seeing how they need to be planted in rows for pollination. (I planted 5, one extra incase I needed a "substitute" and here the "substitute" is the only one that grew. HA!) By-the-way, looking at the corn seed ... do I only need to remove some kernels from an ear of corn, allow it to dry out and then plant that next year? Here where I live, it's really hard to determine what the weather will do. Last year TONS of gardeners lost lots of crops due to late (and surprise) winter weather. Though, next year I think I might go ahead and plant them outside.
"As a side note - I would advise [for future gardens] to just put corn and bean seed straight into the ground once the last frost has past..." Just clarifying ... I'm planting mine in totes, not the ground - ground. Still applies?
I went ahead and kept the plants where they started in the house. Though, if it looks like I need to later then I'll go with the fish tank. Where I have them now is the only window that is cat free. Which is a East window, the sun rises right outside my window. Come to think of it, there's not any window on the South wall of my house. Which I've been told is where they need to be kept. Anywho, the main reason they are where they are now is, again, because that's the only cat free area.
Unfortunately, a few of my plants did get leggy.
My lettuce got leggy quick. Not to mention it grew on the exterior of the peat dirt wall. I transplanted it just incase it decided to come back. Five of my carrot seedlings are also leggy. I'll be transferring them tomorrow. All the plants mentioned in my earlier post were transplanted to pots the day after that original post. They, I think, are doing okay so far with maybe an exception of the corn. Never grew corn before so not entirely sure of what it's appearance should be at this time. It's now grown 2 blades of leaves, though, it might be a bit skinny.
Researching on "leggy veggie plants", I just found out that I'm suppose to use a small fan or "pet" them to build them up. So I've started that. Other than the fact that we are still getting nippy nights and sometimes days, when would you plant them outside? Meaning, if not for the weather, would I be able to plant any plant outside with them being tiny?
"As a side note - I would advise [for future gardens] to just put corn and bean seed straight into the ground once the last frost has past..." Just clarifying ... I'm planting mine in totes, not the ground - ground. Still applies?
I went ahead and kept the plants where they started in the house. Though, if it looks like I need to later then I'll go with the fish tank. Where I have them now is the only window that is cat free. Which is a East window, the sun rises right outside my window. Come to think of it, there's not any window on the South wall of my house. Which I've been told is where they need to be kept. Anywho, the main reason they are where they are now is, again, because that's the only cat free area.
Unfortunately, a few of my plants did get leggy.
My lettuce got leggy quick. Not to mention it grew on the exterior of the peat dirt wall. I transplanted it just incase it decided to come back. Five of my carrot seedlings are also leggy. I'll be transferring them tomorrow. All the plants mentioned in my earlier post were transplanted to pots the day after that original post. They, I think, are doing okay so far with maybe an exception of the corn. Never grew corn before so not entirely sure of what it's appearance should be at this time. It's now grown 2 blades of leaves, though, it might be a bit skinny.Researching on "leggy veggie plants", I just found out that I'm suppose to use a small fan or "pet" them to build them up. So I've started that. Other than the fact that we are still getting nippy nights and sometimes days, when would you plant them outside? Meaning, if not for the weather, would I be able to plant any plant outside with them being tiny?
I'm planting mine in totes, not the ground
Ah - container gardening. Such like the forum title implies. D'oh. I had a moment there. Sorry about that
...we are still getting nippy nights and sometimes days, when would you plant them outside? Meaning, if not for the weather, would I be able to plant any plant outside with them being tiny?
I think you can put most of them outside as soon as you feel the danger of a last, severe frost has passed by. As far as when that is... I have no idea anymore. Normally I put everything of mine outside the weekend of Good Friday or the following weekend. As you mentioned, the past couple of years have been a little difficult in early spring, and late winter weather seems to be coming later and later each year in my area, so this year I am waiting a couple of weeks longer. If the sprouts really take off though.. sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and put them out and hope for the best.
Of course, the good thing about containers is that if the need arises you can drag them inside for the night if the forecast calls for colder weather.
Ah - container gardening. Such like the forum title implies. D'oh. I had a moment there. Sorry about that
...we are still getting nippy nights and sometimes days, when would you plant them outside? Meaning, if not for the weather, would I be able to plant any plant outside with them being tiny?
I think you can put most of them outside as soon as you feel the danger of a last, severe frost has passed by. As far as when that is... I have no idea anymore. Normally I put everything of mine outside the weekend of Good Friday or the following weekend. As you mentioned, the past couple of years have been a little difficult in early spring, and late winter weather seems to be coming later and later each year in my area, so this year I am waiting a couple of weeks longer. If the sprouts really take off though.. sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and put them out and hope for the best.
Of course, the good thing about containers is that if the need arises you can drag them inside for the night if the forecast calls for colder weather.