Started Seeds For 2013 Season Today

rnewste · January 11, 2013

Mostly repeat Varieties but a few new ones this year:

Berkeley Tie-Dye

Berkeley Beauty King

Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye

Better Boy Hybrid (VFNASt) 75

Big Beef Hybrid (VFFNTASt) 73

Big Daddy

Bloody Butcher

Brandywine from Croatia

Cowlick’s Brandywine

Desters

Dona F1

Early Large Red

Goose Creek

Jetsetter Hybrid (VFFNASt) 64

MarNar (1 F2; 1 F4)

Momotaro Hybrid (VFNSt) 70

Parks Whopper Hybrid (VFFNT) 65

Supersonic Hybrid (VFFN) 79

Tastywine F6 (Dwarf Project)

Rather than the Rapid Rooters, I am trialing the new self-watering seed starting system from Burpee. The grow compartment sits on a wicking mat which pulls up water from the lower tray to keep the grow media moist:

It uses compressed pellets which expand to fill each slot when warm water is applied. You can see one of the compressed pellets in the bottom of the above photo.

I have the enclosure sitting on a heat mat:

So far, I've been pleased with the system:

http://www.burpee.com/seed-starting/...Id=2211&trail=

Worked well starting seedlings for my (aborted) Winter InnTainer project.

Raybo

ContainerTed · January 11, 2013

Can't keep a good man down. Raybo, how are you doing??? Looks like a good list for your return.

You've been in our thoughts and prayers.

JamesL · January 11, 2013

Plants: Take your marks. Ready, set, Grow!
Raybo,
May your 2013 season be as successful as years past!

sprtsguy76 · January 11, 2013

Hmmmm. I like it the tray. Anything that helps with cutting down on watering time is interesting to me. I might have to try one! Raybo is there some sort of reservior at the bottom that you fill like a swc??

Damon

snooks · January 12, 2013

This looks interesting. The description was unclear to me. Is the dome also included in the kit you ordered?
Jan

Diriel · January 12, 2013

Raybo,

I used those for 2012 and had decidedly mixed results. Good luck sir!

rnewste · January 12, 2013

Damon,

Yes, there is a lower tray that you fill with water, then the mat wicks it up to the underside of the seedling base. I fill about once per week.

Jan,

A 4 inch dome is included in the kit. I had the larger dome from last year. I'll remove it when the seedlings get 3 inches tall when they go under the lights.

Raybo

ginger2778 · January 12, 2013

Raybo ,
I hope you have more success with it than I did the year I tried it.
My seedlings ended up puny, and the roots grow much longer, right through the individual cells, compared to the expandable peat pellet seed starters. Those roots were extremely hard not to tear when transplanting.
I went back to the jiffy ones and got my same good results again.

ginger2778 · January 12, 2013

Raybo ,
I hope you have more success with it than I did the year I tried it.
My seedlings ended up puny, and the roots grow much longer, right through the individual cells, compared to the expandable peat pellet seed starters. Those roots were extremely hard not to tear when transplanting.
I went back to the jiffy ones and got my same good results again. Glad to see you back and healthy again.

rnewste · January 12, 2013

Ginger,

My seedlings I started in September grew to about 10 inches tall in the system before I dumped them in late November after the aborted InnTainer plans. I fertilized them in early November which likely helped their development.

In any event, I post my results - good, bad, or otherwise.

Raybo

ginger2778 · January 12, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnewste

Ginger,

My seedlings I started in September grew to about 10 inches tall in the system before I dumped them in late November after the aborted InnTainer plans. I fertilized them in early November which likely helped their development.

In any event, I post my results - good, bad, or otherwise.

Raybo

10 inches is excellent. I would say your results were definitely better than mine.
-Marsha

Diriel · January 12, 2013

I agree, far better than my results.

Redbaron · January 13, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

10 inches is excellent. I would say your results were definitely better than mine.
-Marsha

matertoo · January 13, 2013

Raybo:

I am estatic to see that you're back in the mater patch after your recent stroke. You have been in my prayers since I learned of your stroke.

I had open-heart surgery (5 bypasses) last January (2012), so I misssed this past mater season. I am getting ready to get my plants started on February 13th, which is my start date here in LA.

Happy matering,

Paul

Deborah · January 13, 2013

Ray, I have only one question: WHEN DO WE EAT???

January 11, 2013	#1
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Started Seeds For 2013 Season Today Mostly repeat Varieties but a few new ones this year: Berkeley Tie-Dye Berkeley Beauty King Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye Better Boy Hybrid (VFNASt) 75 Big Beef Hybrid (VFFNTASt) 73 Big Daddy Bloody Butcher Brandywine from Croatia Cowlick’s Brandywine Desters Dona F1 Early Large Red Goose Creek Jetsetter Hybrid (VFFNASt) 64 MarNar (1 F2; 1 F4) Momotaro Hybrid (VFNSt) 70 Parks Whopper Hybrid (VFFNT) 65 Supersonic Hybrid (VFFN) 79 Tastywine F6 (Dwarf Project) Rather than the Rapid Rooters, I am trialing the new self-watering seed starting system from Burpee. The grow compartment sits on a wicking mat which pulls up water from the lower tray to keep the grow media moist: It uses compressed pellets which expand to fill each slot when warm water is applied. You can see one of the compressed pellets in the bottom of the above photo. I have the enclosure sitting on a heat mat: So far, I've been pleased with the system: http://www.burpee.com/seed-starting/...Id=2211&trail= Worked well starting seedlings for my (aborted) Winter InnTainer project. Raybo

January 11, 2013	#2
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Can't keep a good man down. Raybo, how are you doing??? Looks like a good list for your return. You've been in our thoughts and prayers. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

January 12, 2013	#10
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Ginger, My seedlings I started in September grew to about 10 inches tall in the system before I dumped them in late November after the aborted InnTainer plans. I fertilized them in early November which likely helped their development. In any event, I post my results - good, bad, or otherwise. Raybo Last edited by rnewste; January 12, 2013 at 07:19 PM.

January 11, 2013	#3
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Plants: Take your marks. Ready, set, Grow! Raybo, May your 2013 season be as successful as years past!

January 11, 2013	#4
sprtsguy76 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Santa Clara CA Posts: 1,125	Hmmmm. I like it the tray. Anything that helps with cutting down on watering time is interesting to me. I might have to try one! Raybo is there some sort of reservior at the bottom that you fill like a swc?? Damon

January 12, 2013	#5
snooks Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 6	This looks interesting. The description was unclear to me. Is the dome also included in the kit you ordered? Jan

January 12, 2013	#6
Diriel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central OK, USDA-7a / AHS-8 Posts: 157	Raybo, I used those for 2012 and had decidedly mixed results. Good luck sir!

January 12, 2013	#8
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Raybo , I hope you have more success with it than I did the year I tried it. My seedlings ended up puny, and the roots grow much longer, right through the individual cells, compared to the expandable peat pellet seed starters. Those roots were extremely hard not to tear when transplanting. I went back to the jiffy ones and got my same good results again.

January 13, 2013	#14
matertoo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: LA (Lower Alabama) Posts: 354	Raybo: I am estatic to see that you're back in the mater patch after your recent stroke. You have been in my prayers since I learned of your stroke. I had open-heart surgery (5 bypasses) last January (2012), so I misssed this past mater season. I am getting ready to get my plants started on February 13th, which is my start date here in LA. Happy matering, Paul

January 13, 2013	#15
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	Ray, I have only one question: WHEN DO WE EAT???