Re: Seed Starting
Kevin, Thanks for the checklist - how can you tell with just one true leaf
which direction the vine will want to go (this is the stage I am at now with
one of the seeds you sent me over the winter. Thanks, Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: <Pumpkinpirate1@aol.com>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 6:26 AM
Subject: Seed Starting
> List
> I just wanted to share some info about seed starting maybe it will help
some
> of the Newbies !!!
>
> 1. First I take a custard dish or small bowl and fill it with fresh
clean
> Tap water and let it stand over night.
> 2. Next I take my seed and write its weight directly on the seed with
a
> Unibal pen or good quality ball point pen.
> 3. next step is simply drop the seeds in the water.
> 4. If it is a tan seed I let it soak for 15 minutes on each side for a
> total of 30 minutes 10 minutes for white seeds for a total of 20 minutes.
> 5. I then take a small flat Tupperware (size of a sandwich) and fill
it
> with Vermiculite. I then put in one tablespoon of fresh water for every
two
> cups of vermiculite and stir it till it has broken up and is evenly
dispersed.
> 6. I place the seeds in the Vermiculite and place the lid on tight and
> float it in my fish tank that has been warmed up to 85 Degrees using the
> aquarium heater.
> 7. I start checking the seeds after 24 hours most seeds germinate
(seed
> poking out of shell) for me between 24 and 36 hours.
> 8. After they have germinated I CAREFULLY place them in a one gallon
pot
> that has been cut in half top to bottom and Duct taped back together. This
pot
> is filled with moistened seed starting mix, Mycorrizal Fungi and Soil
Guard.
> As I put my seeds in the pot one at a time I write on the Duct tape the
seed
> info and starting date.
> 9. Depending on weather I usually keep the plants at night on top of
the
> aquarium in the house with two bulb lights on them for temperature and
light
> and during the day out on my front porch in direct sunlight. after I can
tell
> which way the first true leaf will fall I put them in the patch and try
to rig
> something up to keep them warm like a 150 watt flood lamp directly two
feet
> above the highest point of the plant or a plastic Cloch.
>
> This year I started around 55 seeds all came up but one and that seed
had
> serious issues due to its previous care while storing it. Plus over my
last
> few years I have started well over 500 seeds total and even though most of
> those were just to fine tune my technique once I got it right I was 100 %
till
> that ONE DARN SEED !!!! I am even 100% on Longourd, Miscellaneous Gourds,
> Marrow's, Sun Flowers, Pepo Pumpkins, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Corn ETC
ETC..... If you
> Noticed NO SANDING which I have found to be Futile and no seed fungus/mold
> treatments as the seeds germinate before they get a chance to Mold I truly
> believe in this Technique and So do my close friends !!!
> This technique is SIMPLE, EASY and even with my working 60 hours a week
> Plus it the BEST way I have ever started seeds !!! All my plants had a
great
> START and I would suggest to anyone if you don't have an aquarium spend
the $40
> for a 15 Gallon (or larger) tank and $20 for a Decent heater and Give it a
try
> it sure will save you the heart ache and money spent on the seeds, one
time
> investment and will serve you right your whole growing experience!!!
> Hope this has helped a little and Good luck on your season !!!!
>
> Kevin Smith
> Pumpkin Pirate ~~~~ PS Looks Like Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the
> Black Pearl WILL BE AWESOME !!!!!!
>
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