I should be a spokesman for Espoma seed starter. Today, I transplanted two types of peas, two types of broccoli, and Saint Anne's Slow-bolting lettuce into larger pots from the paper cups, all had been growing in Espoma seed starter. The roots of these plants, except for the lettuce, were looonnng. Nothing up except two tiny pieces of green in two cups of the Jiffy seed starter and the rest of the Jiffy cups have absolutely nothing.
I should have more Espoma within three-four days and I'll replant Deck Corn seed and some cucumber ones and others to make up for the ones in Jiffy. The Deck Corn I grew in Espoma was so tall, they are in the greenhouse in larger pots. All the transplants I did today are now also outside in the greenhouse.
Tomorrow, I need to transplant cucumbers from the cups into larger pots and in a few days, do the same with carrots.
Johnny, I have a question:
I have a lettuce strip to plant and that goes into an on ground planter but I have to put new potting soil mix in that before planting. My question is, when do you think it is safe to plant it? What date for lettuce would you use?
Last year when I tried to grow lettuce from a strip, the squirrels and birds ate every seed which started my war against them. This time, there will be two layers of net over the seed with the net high enough, the killers can't reach in with paws or beaks and get to the seeds. I even had some up when the killers did their thing, and those were gone, too.
I plant lettuce year around. It does bolt quickly in the middle of summer, but you can get some salads out of it before it does.
/johnny
Marcella, I planted (drum roll please) Two Tromboncino Squash Seeds in the Black Gold Seed Starting Mix. It’s a correct “moon” day, so we’ll see what happens.
I also planted Armenian Cucumbers, Neon Lights Swiss Chard, Little Caesar lettuce, Little Gems lettuce, toy choi, wa wa tsai (dwarf Chinese cabbage), Chinese celery, zucchini (so the Squash Vine Borers will have something to destroy), Kale, Renegade Spinach, Early Long Eggplant, and two Aroma tomatoes.
Some of the things I planted are under the grow light, but the lettuce, chard, wa wa tsai, and toy choi are in the greenhouse. I moved the heat lamp under the shelves that I set those things. I draped a planket about a foot off the front of the shelf, and all the way to the ground on the outside wall..all well away from the heat lamp, so no fire danger. I hope it will work like a heat mat.
Of course, it’s supposed to freeze here tomorrow night, so, I envision myself, making many trips from the greenhouse to the house with all these new plantings.
My plant date for lettuce, spinach, and potatoes starts April 1. However, I am going to plant one bag now (as soon as I can get a bag of MR compost, and put a row cover over it, if the temps get too low.
We were in the 70s for the last 2 days. Worst case, I can drag the bag indoors, or hook up a 100 watt bulb, but I doubt that I'll need anything more than a row cover. Your plant dates are normally earlier than ours.
I turned under the rye/vetch cover crop for the potato bed today. It needs 3 or 4 weeks after turning before I plant the potatoes.
I still have some Jiffy Mix leftover to use up, but I'll eventually get some of that Espoma. I don't need much, since I don't really do much in the way of starting seeds.