Starting Today

[bigpinks]

Underway on my truck tailgate. Nice big flat place for the trays, water seed starter mix and my beer can. Doing 18 4" sq cups of Orange Slice, Big Beef, Big Pinks and Hillbilly. 72 cups but not equal numbers. 23 ea of pink and the yellow/red and 13 ea of the red and the orange. Usually they are all under the shop lights within 3 to 4 days. 3 weeks later I take them outside when they are approx 8-10 in tall above the mix(Jiffy). Works great but about 10 yrs back I did have scum on the top of the cups...maybe damping off. Didnt hurt anything but I take a chance by watering from the top. Hope to have them in my side yard 40' by 40ft by May 15 possiby before depending on the forecast. Maybe harvest 250 of the pink and Y/R that will avg 16oz. Have had 40oz pink and 32oz y/r. 90% goes to my sisters, neighbors and 2 local libraries that search for my fav novels. But I love the big slicers and eat them to excess(salt) with bacon and egg on toast. Good luck to 2019 tomatovillians. And everyone else not owning up to that monicker.

p.s. I weigh the biggies on Paula Deen scales because I use to fish a lot if you get my drift?

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by bigpinks

Underway on my truck tailgate. Nice big flat place for the trays, water seed starter mix and my beer can. Doing 18 4" sq cups of Orange Slice, Big Beef, Big Pinks and Hillbilly. 72 cups but not equal numbers. 23 ea of pink and the yellow/red and 13 ea of the red and the orange. Usually they are all under the shop lights within 3 to 4 days. 3 weeks later I take them outside when they are approx 8-10 in tall above the mix(Jiffy). Works great but about 10 yrs back I did have scum on the top of the cups...maybe damping off. Didnt hurt anything but I take a chance by watering from the top. Hope to have them in my side yard 40' by 40ft by May 15 possiby before depending on the forecast. Maybe harvest 250 of the pink and Y/R that will avg 16oz. Have had 40oz pink and 32oz y/r. 90% goes to my sisters, neighbors and 2 local libraries that search for my fav novels. But I love the big slicers and eat them to excess(salt) with bacon and egg on toast. Good luck to 2019 tomatovillians. And everyone else not owning up to that monicker.

p.s. I weigh the biggies on Paula Deen scales because I use to fish a lot if you get my drift?

Do you pick up each individual cup to water? I use approximately 3" round yogurt cups. When seedlings are small, I water each individually, picking the cup up, tilting it a little, and while rotating it, water it only at the edge. I "try" for nothing near the stem. I also bottom water, as it's two cups stacked together. The top one has two drainage/uptake holes having wicks made from cutting up a cotton mop. I do have to pull the top cup up to let in water to the bottom one, and it's very time consuming. Once I judge the stems thick enough, I can top water a whole tray at one time.

[bigpinks]

Originally Posted by Tormato

Do you pick up each individual cup to water? I use approximately 3" round yogurt cups. When seedlings are small, I water each individually, picking the cup up, tilting it a little, and while rotating it, water it only at the edge. I "try" for nothing near the stem. I also bottom water, as it's two cups stacked together. The top one has two drainage/uptake holes having wicks made from cutting up a cotton mop. I do have to pull the top cup up to let in water to the bottom one, and it's very time consuming. Once I judge the stems thick enough, I can top water a whole tray at one time.

I move a whole flat and gently water away from the stem. I give sparingly to avoid damping off and increase if/when they start to grow sideways. I can water all 72 in about 20-30 minutes. Then skip a day. Only 3 weeks in the basement so I'm still starting a little early as far as our last frost day. But like a good Boy Scout I like to be prepared for a nicer than usual May if it happens.

[bigpinks]

85 today here along the Ohio River. Changed over and bought Daisy Flats so I can water from the bottom. Also found 6' sharpened oak stakes yesterday just 20 miles from my home. Bought 60 to supplement my supply and am raring to go. Some of my 72 plants are just starting to show their true leaves and I have moved them an inch or two from the lights. So far so good. Waiting for a neighbor to bring his tractor to till the plowed ground. Love this time of yr. Gardening and baseball, spring football etc etc. Now if the hummers and martins would just make an appearance I could sit outside and relax for a few days.