Dense Planting Illustrated - WARNING - Pic Heavy! Latest video 3/17 - transplanting - Page 4

Tomstrees · February 27, 2006

Craig,

I just had a sigh of relief after reading the above post ...
I just started this weekend ; so I'm thinking along or there abouts the same as you for start dates ~

Tom

**nctomatoman** · March 4, 2006

My flats of seedlings catching some rays (48 degrees and breezy outside)

Close up of peppers

Close up of tomatoes

Side view

There are roughly 6000 seedlings here - transplanting starts today!

Craig

JerryL · March 5, 2006

That’s amazing. 6000 plants. I can’t even imagine potting up 6000 plants.

I do 250 – 300 and feel really stressed.

Miss_Mudcat · March 6, 2006

Craig, Again I thank you SO MUCH for posting the "how-tos" for your method of seed starting. I started over 1,000 tomatoes today, and that's a REALLY BIG DEAL for me as I have never started more than 40! I still have my doubts about the transplanting, but TOO LATE, it is a done deal!

Speaking of... How's transplanting going? Should I even ask? I was so tired today just from the sowing; I can imagine you must be EXHAUSTED!

Best Wishes to you,
Lisa

**nctomatoman** · March 6, 2006

Hey Lisa - transplanting has just begun! It is a nice therapeutic activity - I will have to time myself again, but I think that 100-150 pots per hour is about right - though when my wife helps it is faster. It is going to take me weeks! I am part way through my first flat of hot peppers. I am taking good information with regard to germination percent - leaf shape etc - so will post lots of info later on.

tylenol · March 7, 2006

Craig,

Thanks for sharing !!

Rob

Miss_Mudcat · March 7, 2006

I look forward to your report, Craig. I always approach projects with the desire to keep good records, but I'm so melancholy that when it comes to actually doing it, I get VERY overwhelmed. During sowing yesterday, I tried my best to be careful and take good notes, but I had a few incidents.

Which reminds me...

QUESTION: Do you ever have stray seeds that jump into the other cells? I can't imagine 6000 seeds and no mistakes. I guess what I'd like to know is, do you have some method of keeping the seeds where they belong during sowing?

Lisa

**nctomatoman** · March 7, 2006

Good question, Lisa - all I can say is that I am very careful leaving enough "depression" for each cell (depth below the top of the ridge), then cover with mix and just use mist spray to wet, until they emerge - but there is always a chance for a "jump". However, in all my years of doing this, I've had very, very few of those that I've noticed (usually looking at potato/reg leaf neighbors, or purple leaf/green leaf peppers). The biggest risk is a seed falling from my hand into another cell when planting - I tend to catch those and thus can pluck out the erroneous seed.

Yes, the record keeping is intimidating - but is analagous to my real job, where I end up tracking minutes, actions, project plans, etc. So is nothing new for me - plus at least the gardening record keeping task is fun!

travis · March 7, 2006

"There are roughly 6000 seedlings here - transplanting starts today! " [Craig]

Totally radical!

I tried a very limited version of Craig's method and I'm convinced that it's only for the nimble-fingered tedium glutons. NOT ME.

And my cells only had about 6 - 8 seedlings per. I potted up one 72-cell flat last night and it drove me NUTS. About 25% of the seedlings ended up in the trash.

The rest of my flats will be planted 2 - 4 seeds per. (I never was all that good at finger pickin' a guitar either!)

Peace in the potting room. PV

**nctomatoman** · March 9, 2006

Lots of progress over the past week - all hot peppers, most sweets and tomatillos in 4 inch pots - eggplant today, we start tomatoes tomorrow. A few pics -

Armed and ready after a drive to the supply store -

Empty cells are good! Sign of progress...

Pop out a cell of hot peppers and this is what you get -

Half are out here - half settling in the garage for a day. These are the hot peppers.

**Lee** · March 9, 2006

Boy are these guys going to LOVE the weather for the next few days! It's supposed to get into the 80s by Sunday!

Lee

Miss_Mudcat · March 11, 2006

Craig,

What do you do with all of those flats of plants when a downpour comes? We've had so much rain of late, that's all I can think about.

Lisa

clay199 · March 11, 2006

Craig,
What is all that useless looking green stuff between the house and the flats of pepper? Whatever it is, it sure doesn't good or useful.

**nctomatoman** · March 11, 2006

Lisa, when it downpours....great! Toughens them up, they love it - and show it once the sun returns. Using nice, fluffy soilless mix is the key - it does not compact and drown the seedlings like ordinarly potting soil.

Clay - yes, but if we get rid of that green stuff, the neighborhood complaints would follow!

By the way - all hot peppers, sweet peppers, eggplant, tomatillos are transplanted, and the tomatoes have begun.

clay199 · March 12, 2006

The least you should do if you have to keep a lawn is to refuse to water it for a week after using your lawn mower at its lowest setting...

February 27, 2006	#46
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	Craig, I just had a sigh of relief after reading the above post ... I just started this weekend ; so I'm thinking along or there abouts the same as you for start dates ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

March 4, 2006	#47
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Progress report - pics from today My flats of seedlings catching some rays (48 degrees and breezy outside) Close up of peppers Close up of tomatoes Side view There are roughly 6000 seedlings here - transplanting starts today! Craig __________________ Craig

March 5, 2006	#48
JerryL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: S.W. Ohio z6a Posts: 736	That’s amazing. 6000 plants. I can’t even imagine potting up 6000 plants. I do 250 – 300 and feel really stressed. __________________ Jerry

March 6, 2006	#49
Miss_Mudcat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Central Georgia Posts: 366	Craig, Again I thank you SO MUCH for posting the "how-tos" for your method of seed starting. I started over 1,000 tomatoes today, and that's a REALLY BIG DEAL for me as I have never started more than 40! I still have my doubts about the transplanting, but TOO LATE, it is a done deal! Speaking of... How's transplanting going? Should I even ask? I was so tired today just from the sowing; I can imagine you must be EXHAUSTED! Best Wishes to you, Lisa __________________ Farmers don't wear watches; they work until the job is done!

March 6, 2006	#50
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Hey Lisa - transplanting has just begun! It is a nice therapeutic activity - I will have to time myself again, but I think that 100-150 pots per hour is about right - though when my wife helps it is faster. It is going to take me weeks! I am part way through my first flat of hot peppers. I am taking good information with regard to germination percent - leaf shape etc - so will post lots of info later on. __________________ Craig

March 7, 2006	#51
tylenol Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Chatsworth,Calif. Posts: 117	Craig, Thanks for sharing !! Rob

March 7, 2006	#54
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	"There are roughly 6000 seedlings here - transplanting starts today! " [Craig] Totally radical! I tried a very limited version of Craig's method and I'm convinced that it's only for the nimble-fingered tedium glutons. NOT ME. And my cells only had about 6 - 8 seedlings per. I potted up one 72-cell flat last night and it drove me NUTS. About 25% of the seedlings ended up in the trash. The rest of my flats will be planted 2 - 4 seeds per. (I never was all that good at finger pickin' a guitar either!) Peace in the potting room. PV

March 9, 2006	#55
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Lots of progress over the past week - all hot peppers, most sweets and tomatillos in 4 inch pots - eggplant today, we start tomatoes tomorrow. A few pics - Armed and ready after a drive to the supply store - Empty cells are good! Sign of progress... Pop out a cell of hot peppers and this is what you get - Half are out here - half settling in the garage for a day. These are the hot peppers. __________________ Craig

March 9, 2006	#56
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Boy are these guys going to LOVE the weather for the next few days! It's supposed to get into the 80s by Sunday! Lee

March 11, 2006	#57
Miss_Mudcat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Central Georgia Posts: 366	Craig, What do you do with all of those flats of plants when a downpour comes? We've had so much rain of late, that's all I can think about. Lisa __________________ Farmers don't wear watches; they work until the job is done!

March 11, 2006	#58
clay199 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Beyond Hope, British Columbia Posts: 201	Craig, What is all that useless looking green stuff between the house and the flats of pepper? Whatever it is, it sure doesn't good or useful.

March 12, 2006	#60
clay199 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Beyond Hope, British Columbia Posts: 201	The least you should do if you have to keep a lawn is to refuse to water it for a week after using your lawn mower at its lowest setting...