Seed Starting. Peppers and Onions. LED Lights. 1.25.19

Germinating Onion and Pepper Seedlings.  1.25.19

 Here are the seedlings so far.  I've been starting them in seedling 6-packs.  I put the 6 packs into a cheap bread-loaf sized plastic bag and sit them on a seedling warmer mat until they germinate.  Then they come out of the bag and are just under the lights.

Despite the weird color when the lights are turned on, the plants seem to be growing normally.  Turn off the lights, and the leaves are a normal green.

Germinating Onions Seedlings.  1.25.19

LED Seedling Set-up/  1.29/18

 I may set up one of the old CFL fixtures, because I don't want to spend too much on LEDs and I have more seedlings to start.

The onion varieties are Red Westerfield, Stuttgarter, and some old seeds from Blush Pink or something like that.  I also bought some WallaWalla seeds that I started a few days ago.

Seeds Planted Today.  1.25.19

 I planted some Tabasco and Thai pepper seeds earlier, which have partially germinated.  The seed warmer mat dries them out a little too fast for me, so I took that out.  If no additional Tabasco and Thai seedlings emerge, I think I have enough.

Today I planted additional pepper seeds - "Craig Jalapeno", a Jalapeno from the store, Banana, Ring Of Fire cayenne-type, and regular Cayenne, and a Korean Pepper. Most are from Baker Creek Seeds.

Above Onion Seedlings, Turned Off LED Lights.  1.25.19

The last photo shows some of the onion seedlings, just turning off the LED light to take the photo.

Starting The First Seeds. 1.10.18

 Today is officially the first day of this year's garden season.  The reason - I began the first seed starting.

Onion seeds can be started very early.  I want them to be at least  inches tall before setting out, and I have set out onion plants in March or April.

Peppers grow slowly for me.  I wanted to start the most tropical, slowest growers, now.  So that's the Thai and Tabasco.  I'm curious to see whether those "Low Germ" Thai peppers will germinate.  If not, the backup plab is to buy a packet or plants, if too late for seeds.

This year, I used the little six-packs, and commercial peat and perlite based seed starting medium.

These 6-packs are in plastic bags to retain moisture and warmth.  They are on a seed starting mat with pre-set temperature I think in the low 80s.

Today's Kitchen Garden Yield. 9.21.14

Kitchen Garden Yield.  9.21.14

Fingerling potatoes, Asian Pears, more Tomatoes, various winter squash, a yellow summer squash, okra, various peppers, containerized Thai and Tabasco peppers, and probably some things I forgot.

This is one of our best garden yields ever, for this time of year.  Very happy with the result.

Late Winter Gardening. Start seeds for onions, peppers, oregano. 2.22.14.

"Flagpole Giant Green Onion" seeds

Greek Oregano Seeds

Peppers are germinating

My garden calendar for this week said to plant onions.  These were from Fred Meyer, "New Dimension Seed" "Flagpole Giant Green Onion".  They do not make bulbs, so are used as scallions year-round.  Something else to try in my raised beds.  Planting a used 6-pack.  I may be able to cut like a cake, when grown, for 4 sections per cell, 24 total.

The Greek Oregano seeds were as fine as sand.  Maybe finer.  Last year I grew catnip and lemon balm from similar size seeds.  Might grow.  Barely pressed them into the surface of seed starting medium.  Did not cover them.

The peppers are germinating.  I continue to keep them on seed starting warming mat.  So far the following have germinated:  Tabasco, Long Red Cayenne, Fish Pepper, Sweet Banana Pepper. Not all of the seeds of each.  Only one or two of each.

Flush with that success, I added another pot of seeds to start.  This time, "Hot Lemon".   There are others in my collection, but I think I will just start some more "Fish" because the variegation is nice and they would make a nice gift.  Later for those.