Started seeds on Super Bowl. What was i thinking?!

browndude3649 · March 13, 2011

I started a tray full of seeds in my 50 degree garage(no heater pad, till last week(peppers wouldnt germ.)) on the super bowl thinking I get a head start. But then i realized a week later April 21st is Napa Valleys last proj. frost date. So Ive potted up the biggest seedlings that are good size or the roots are travelling around under the tray. I dont have a hot house, so i think i'm gonna have to haul my potted up crop in and out of my garage when all these guys are big enough. Man if the frost gets them atleast i have alotta places that sell some of the rare stuff i started in the garage.

So did I have a brain fart or am I ok? Suggestions?

browndude3649 · March 22, 2011

Update. I've potted up alotta toms and purple colif. Snow peas. Asian long bean and my cantaloupes are all but dead except for one, to harden off under patio outside. Crossing my fingers. Geez hardware stores have plants waaay bigger plants than my little seedlings. I sprayed liq plant food and actinovate in case seed/starter soil is devoid of nutrients.
Chili peppers and japanese eggplant dont have two sets of leaves so theyre staying in garage and on heat mat.

svalli · March 23, 2011

I sowed first peppers and tomatoes in February and our last frost day is sometimes in June. The greenhouse is not yet built and there is still over a foot of snow where it should go. The plants are growing indoors with lights and they are getting big.

If you do not have a hot house you can build a temporary one using the light weight row cover and some support structure. I used to use two wooden pallet collars stacked and a row cower on the top to keep the plants protected.

kevinrs · March 23, 2011

The snow peas would be planted out earlier than the rest, from http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seeds/vegseed/peas.htm you could direct seed as soon as now, and could transplant tomorrow. Direct seeding could have been done as soon as March 10.

robbyjoe01 · March 23, 2011

Sorry to hear your troubles but at least ya got heating mat which should salvage some of your work. Learn from this and go on (chalk it up to lesson learned). Its easy to jump the gun in winter.

browndude3649 · March 23, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbyjoe01

Sorry to hear your troubles but at least ya got heating mat which should salvage some of your work. Learn from this and go on (chalk it up to lesson learned). Its easy to jump the gun in winter.

Yeah this is my first spring garden.

browndude3649 · March 24, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinrs

The snow peas would be planted out earlier than the rest, from http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seeds/vegseed/peas.htm you could direct seed as soon as now, and could transplant tomorrow. Direct seeding could have been done as soon as March 10.

that's what i thought but a radio show http://www.ksfo560.com/sectional.asp?id=28755 i podcast and the "last frost date" data i looked at said april 20th is LFD, so i got kinda worried.
All my potted up patio stuff is still alive and coming back, but the hot wearther stuff is still iffy looking.

March 13, 2011	#1
browndude3649 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: napa valley Posts: 23	Started seeds on Super Bowl. What was i thinking?! I started a tray full of seeds in my 50 degree garage(no heater pad, till last week(peppers wouldnt germ.)) on the super bowl thinking I get a head start. But then i realized a week later April 21st is Napa Valleys last proj. frost date. So Ive potted up the biggest seedlings that are good size or the roots are travelling around under the tray. I dont have a hot house, so i think i'm gonna have to haul my potted up crop in and out of my garage when all these guys are big enough. Man if the frost gets them atleast i have alotta places that sell some of the rare stuff i started in the garage. So did I have a brain fart or am I ok? Suggestions?

March 23, 2011	#3
svalli Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Vaasa, Finland, latitude N 63° Posts: 838	I sowed first peppers and tomatoes in February and our last frost day is sometimes in June. The greenhouse is not yet built and there is still over a foot of snow where it should go. The plants are growing indoors with lights and they are getting big. If you do not have a hot house you can build a temporary one using the light weight row cover and some support structure. I used to use two wooden pallet collars stacked and a row cower on the top to keep the plants protected. __________________ "I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream." - Moomin-troll by Tove Jansson

March 22, 2011	#2
browndude3649 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: napa valley Posts: 23	Update. I've potted up alotta toms and purple colif. Snow peas. Asian long bean and my cantaloupes are all but dead except for one, to harden off under patio outside. Crossing my fingers. Geez hardware stores have plants waaay bigger plants than my little seedlings. I sprayed liq plant food and actinovate in case seed/starter soil is devoid of nutrients. Chili peppers and japanese eggplant dont have two sets of leaves so theyre staying in garage and on heat mat.

March 23, 2011	#4
kevinrs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Littlerock, CA Posts: 218	The snow peas would be planted out earlier than the rest, from http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seeds/vegseed/peas.htm you could direct seed as soon as now, and could transplant tomorrow. Direct seeding could have been done as soon as March 10.

March 23, 2011	#5
robbyjoe01 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 30	Sorry to hear your troubles but at least ya got heating mat which should salvage some of your work. Learn from this and go on (chalk it up to lesson learned). Its easy to jump the gun in winter.