The Scatterbrain Handbook of Seedstarting

Innoma · February 27, 2006

Well, now I've gone and done it....

I generally start seed in a 60-cell greenhouse kit and sow blocks of 6 of one variety and then map out the entire tray's contents rather than labelling each individual cell. Since each block of 6 cells is a separate unit, this 'map' works great, provided you don't inadvertantly shuffle the cells around.

The plan was to set each individual block in a shallow tray of water for a few minutes and then return it to its correct position and orientation, but naturally, the first time I go about doing this, I'm struck dumb by visions of blemish-free beefstreak tomatoes, and when I gather my wits, I realized I've shuffled things around more thoroughly than a Las Vegas blackjack dealer!

This wouldn't be quite so bad if each section of 6 were all one variety and if each of the 10 sections contained a different variety, but I had to double up on some, or plant 3-and-3 of some varieties in others - I'll never be able to sort out that mess!

What makes it doubly distressing is all my detailed notes of germination rates and times are now useless, not to mention the fact that I could easily end up planting way too many of one variety and not enough of another.

As I get ripe fruit later in the season, I'm sure I'll be able to tell Aunt Ruby's German Green from Paul Robeson, but how will I tell Arkansas Traveller from Momotaro., etc, etc?

And here's the kicker - its not the first time I've done this.

I swear, sometimes I so organized I'm positively scatterbrained!

February 27, 2006	#1
Innoma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: CA, Zone 9 Posts: 33	The Scatterbrain Handbook of Seedstarting Well, now I've gone and done it.... I generally start seed in a 60-cell greenhouse kit and sow blocks of 6 of one variety and then map out the entire tray's contents rather than labelling each individual cell. Since each block of 6 cells is a separate unit, this 'map' works great, provided you don't inadvertantly shuffle the cells around. The plan was to set each individual block in a shallow tray of water for a few minutes and then return it to its correct position and orientation, but naturally, the first time I go about doing this, I'm struck dumb by visions of blemish-free beefstreak tomatoes, and when I gather my wits, I realized I've shuffled things around more thoroughly than a Las Vegas blackjack dealer! This wouldn't be quite so bad if each section of 6 were all one variety and if each of the 10 sections contained a different variety, but I had to double up on some, or plant 3-and-3 of some varieties in others - I'll never be able to sort out that mess! What makes it doubly distressing is all my detailed notes of germination rates and times are now useless, not to mention the fact that I could easily end up planting way too many of one variety and not enough of another. As I get ripe fruit later in the season, I'm sure I'll be able to tell Aunt Ruby's German Green from Paul Robeson, but how will I tell Arkansas Traveller from Momotaro., etc, etc? And here's the kicker - its not the first time I've done this. I swear, sometimes I so organized I'm positively scatterbrained!