striking your seedlings at the patch !!!

[Ganico]

That winter sowing idea does sound pretty interesting

Maybe even dig and ammend the holes in the winter, then use small plastic bottles with the bottoms cut off, and just plant the seeds in ground with the bottle covering each one
Not sure if you could ammend that early though

 

[Guest]

Ganico, any more ideas? i will deffently sow seeds direct into the ground.
i was thinking about this way:
prepared holes of course, sowing after the rain or something. in the evening would be the best thing.
to prevent soil from drying out and to keep some warmth i would use clear plastic from a cd box and put it on the spot where the seed is sown...
and then just throw some sticks on it...

i really like the idea of direct sowing (roots etc.)
why would you cut the bottoms of the cups?

 

[Ganico]

I think next time I'll just try to ammend the holes a couple months in advance, then come and sow a few non-germed seed direct in-ground. Then do the other few with newborn seedlings in peat pellets


If the seeds direct in ground would make it, I'd bet they'd do a lot better though. Cause that taproot is gonna just dive straight down, already be pretty deep before the sprout even pokes it's head out

 

[Guest]

i can't wait to try it out.
Ganico, don't forget about this thread when you will done it.
until then...peace

 

[pipeline]

I have germinated direct every year I've grown! Works very well.... Amend the natural soil in your hole, make a divet in the center, and add a handfull to a gallon of unfertilized seedling starting media.... This will be where the seeds are planted... I let it sit to decompose and let the animals get used to it for 2-4 weeks miniumum. Set up a wire or plastic netting and stick fence around the hole, and plant 2-4 seeds spaced at least 4 inches apart if possible.... Place a gallon milk jug with the bottom cut off, or a 2 liter or similar bottle with bottom AND top cut off.... You want rainwater in there for the seed! The hole on the gallon jug is likely large enough.... You may need a couple bottle covers per hole, and be sure to shove them into the ground/seedling media so they're stable!

Plant 1/4-3/4 inches deep before a significant rainfall event, and watch em grow!!!

When I first started growing, I would just turn over and break up the soil in a little rectangular area, sow a baggie full of seed, and scratch them in with my fingers.... It worked well every time! Watch the weather!

 

[guest123]

yes its ideal to be able to sow directly where the plants will grow ,, ive been lucky enough to do it on the odd occasion , but am plagued with rodents that know well the seed that magically appears out there .. hehehe
ill probably have another shot at doing some next season , as long as i have enough seed for experimentation ,, ill have to bait the rodents first once or twice to give myself a chance to get them up ...
probably worth a shot though ,,, i agree they do better in the long run if they dont have to be transplanted ....
heres some that i sowed directly in the ground .. i had to cover with burlap to keep the moisture in , but they were up in a few days ....

 

[Guest]

great infos.
as for the clear plastic bottles...
what if i leave the bottom for a couple of days with holes in it. just to make sure the moisture and heat stays there? and then when the seedlings appear i just cut the bottoms off?

 

[livenletlive]

make mini green house

make mini green house

hello,

i can't speak for anyone else, but i live in the southern part of usa and i sow my seeds in my little greenhouse that i take to my plant site and put together with rough cut barn planks and some clear plastic and a staple gun and drill. i sow the seeds about 2 inches from the sides and about an inch apart. i then usually have a little gallon sprayer on hand to wet the potting soil really well. I do this in about the latter part of Febuary and have plants that are anywhere from 12 to 14 inches tall and plant around mid march. i plant early because i see hardly any ill affects of the water issues that pop up in the summer months because plants have gotten a real good start. After all plants are planted I take down "greenhouse" and hide away from grow site for next season.

best of luck

 

[Guest]

Thank you Wallyduck. !!!!!!

The greatest aspect of these forums is that it allows a grower to be innovative and break new ground while informing others of their trials.

I have, like you, b een trying to do this successfully for several years and its always been iffy. Your design for the seedlings cage was my missing component. Wonderfully simple and obvious, but it took you to point it out. This process will allow me to get those plants away from the house sooner , which has been the goal.

Im headed to Lowe's for the materials and I have a project for this weekend. Thankyou for sharing. Ill think of you while smoking one of the 1/2 dozen plants that the rabbit or snails would have otherwise eaten that thanks to your suggestion, I am now smokin.

You'v e just increased my yield/seed ratio by 25%

 

[green-genes77]

This has been my method for years. I like to cut gallon water jugs in half, create the necessary ventilation and use them as little cloches for emergent seedlings. Protects from the elements, pests and weed encroachment. I have started as early as 4/20 at 5000 feet with this method with great success. Just don't leave them on too long. Then transplant...or as I do, don't.

 

[tokinjoe]

The main problem I have is my "patch" is several miles from where I live. It's hard with my work schedule, being a single parent and a college student to go there as much as I would have to in order to tend to seedlings. I build a small but simple greenhouse. It has chickenwire on all 4 sides to allow plenty of airflow and a plexiglass top. The bottom is a wood crate covered with a piece of treated wood. The evironment from the greenhouse to the grow spot isn't really different so once my plants reach 12-15 inches in height I transplant into the growspot into the holes I've dug or into the areas where I have to use containers. The probem I have here is we get sometimes heavy spring rains and if the seedlings are out without cover the spring rains beat the hell out of them, thus the plexiglass top.

 

[jmn2dmb]

Awesome information here, Ill be starting my seeds on sight here Im germing them now and will be then transplanting them into peat pellets and in a mini green house thanks to Home Depot then into 3 liter pots with 2 liter bottles cut up to keep some moisture in with them and then ill harden them off from there, Ill also be throwing 2 bag seed straight into the ground... mostly I have Lr2 and I also have 2 Afghans

 

[Guest]

Some of the best plants Ive had have been grown like this, the main benefit is that the seedlings have no stretch to them what so ever, they sit there 1 cm above the ground with 2 sets of leaves, and fat stalks like thick matches. I'm sure this helps later on in the season, you dont get so many branches snapping & breaking off, they also grow into their environment at the same rate as everything else arround them.
Cheers. good luck.

Heres what I mean.

 

[abuldur]

yep .....
Tested both methodes and it seems that when stricking on site you end up with bigger healthier plants.

For pests i usually surround the seedling with a little green plastic wall thingy they sell to stop weed growing in your vegetables .You can use almost any thing including wood.Then i cover it with glue (the type used to protect fruit trees from ants and caterpilar) think its made of pine sap.

Works grate, mice and insects cant get over it .
I am usually not cruel to animals but i must confess that seeing their remains still glued to the protective wall fills my heart with joy.
Later on when the main stem is hard enough ,i use tape that i put arround the stem at different hights (sticky side out ) does the same job.
Great for grasshoppers.

RESTECPA

 

[hamstring]

Wally
Wanted to say thanks again for the great info. Starting seeds at the patch is only way to go for some and good for all. I hope to get better every year one thing I learned for the northern climates is picking a good starting date with warm weather 70 deg F or above so your seeds will sprout and not sit in wet soil and rot.
Had good luck this year with your method just wish I could have started earlier than June 1st but you have to roll with what Mother Nature gives you.






PEACE

 

[guest123]

great to see hamstring ,, im not too far behind u here , think i started a little early ,, but sometimes depending on the year its a good time .. as we say down here ,, "ill just keep bangin em in "" ... lol .....

 

[ExEcutioner]

hmmmm security is first priority for me as all of my spots so far are city guerrilla spots

I live in desert climate as well.

Maybe i will make a hole a few inches deep, like a golf hole and insert the green plastic(around inside perimeter) with the pest type glue that was mentioned earlier in the thread by abuldur (nice Avatar)lol

My spots require hoping fences, but when im in, im in and out of sight(at 2 of the spots) and safe(as long as not seen hoping fence).

A FEW P'S COULD CHANGE MY LIFE. ANYONE WHO CAN HELP ME PLEASE PM ME OR GIVE ME TIPS IDEAS ETC.

IF YOU READ MY MESSAGE REPLY AND PLEASE OFFER ADVICE.

Im planting in 3 city spots next season, prob around Feb. I am going to do it, it just a matter of compiling all i need in this amount of time through my number 1 source you guys, and doing dry runs, preping holes etc.

Im doin it , i just wanna do it right the first time

 

[Dr Psycho]

I've successfull y started from seed here in Northern Canada , Here the problem is cold, frosty nights. I've used 2 methods One is cloches made from Plastic milk jugs w/ the bottom cut out. You bury the jug in the dirt with the seeds in the middle. leave the cap open for ventilation and all is well. You must pull the jug off as soon as the leaves get big enough to tuouch the sides. I find an inch or two of sterile seed starting mix on top of the soil you plan to grow in cuts down on damping off , 4 seeds per milk jug is a good rule of thumb usually 2 don't make it and one is male. I've never burned a seedling with this setup. The other Method is using Remay cloth. Remay is a light white breathable spun poly that you can place right on the ground weighted w/rocks of sticks around the edges to keep the wind from blowing it away it adds +4 C of temperature and due to it light wieght you can grow plants under it until temps get warm enough for them to be on their own. They just push it up as they grow It is great for hardening off seedlings or clones too. The drawback is that it's white, like a white flag surrendering to rippers or Chopper pigs!

 

[john cutter]

nt

 

[technine]

Great discussion here, lots of useful information. For me, starting indoors is out of the question and I'm always looking for ideas to get a couple weeks head start. I like the idea of using a cold frame to start young seedlings outdoors. So I did a youtube search...
I found a very useful idea for guerrilla growers that I am thinking of trying this season. It involves the use of hay bails and window frames. Here's the link to the video. Let me know what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzTpOGUwdhE