Okay, I’m gonna post an open question here.
This year the new thing I am doing to expand my gardening abilities is to grow my tomatoes and peppers from seed. I have heirloom seed varieties so I can save the seed. I have a small greenhouse for the first time which I hope will enable this to work for me. I’ve read up on it from books and internet sources but I could use any first hand knowledge.
I’ve got a homemade bottom heat box. I’ve got a greenhouse. I’ve got seed and I’m figuring on planting them soon as the time should be right in my part of Texas.
In the past I’ve attempted to grow these things from seed with no success. The first time, they froze in the house. (no heat in the house) The second time I used the tops of appliances for bottom heat but the appliances were located in very dark areas so they hadn’t much light. (and it was probably still a bit chilly) Now, I’ve got a greenhouse so they won’t freeze and I’ve got my homemade bottom heat box to give them that.
Anybody gonna tell me what more I need to do? Was gonna start them in soilless mix of peat, sand and vermiculite. Any better ideas?
How large is your greenhouse?
If it is too small, it will heat and cool too fast and not work as well.
I would add a little compost to your seedling mix, not a lot.
It was impossible for me to be totally organic here, so I do as well as I can, the best seed starter that I have used, is Walmarts Pro-mix potting soil /mix.
It makes the seed jump up and start right off, excellent starting material.
If you need more heat, consider those large soda and juice or milk bottles filled with water, the sun will warm them in the day time and they will release the heat as they cool, I have used barrels of water, with the seedlings on top of them in my greenhouses, for years.
I also sit a few bottles of water in with the young plants when I plant them out.
Don’t let the water collect in the seedling pots and rot the seeds. At night you can lay plastic over the top of the pots and take it off with the first sign of moisture collecting on it.
It is best to water from the bottom, or do as I learned to do, I use mostly styrofoam coffee cups to start seeds in, poke 3 small holes in the bottom, but when I plant, I leave a small area free of seed and put a mark on the lip, so I know where to water.
Like posting, a few is never enough, so there was no way of knowing where to water if I felt the need to pour it in the pot.
And you can write with a good ball point pen on the cup.
I always gathered up the used cups at meetings and rarely had to buy new ones, as they are usable for about 3 years.
Sun, heat and water and you will do fine.
On the small seeds, just barely cover them, 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch of soil on top, not as deep as you would outdoors.
Good luck and have fun.
We have posted cheese making several times, Tenth Amendment Champion, did a good one in December or about then, with photos, as my memory recalls.
Like planting seeds, it is easy, once you learn the tricks of it.
Hold out for your goats, they will laugh at you, my love of goats goes back to a rank billy goat, that I considered my friend, when I was only 3 or 4 years old.
I remember bringing him in the house, we were both looking at ourselves in the tilt mirror on the dresser, when all hell broke loose, my mother had found us and she did not like goats, and LOL, not in her bedroom.......
I asked my aunts several times and could never get them to stop laughing and tell me the rest of the story......I fear the billy goat attacked the mirror to get at the other goat.