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Electric Blanket and germination

Hi All,

My seeds are sprouting away on our kitchen table. I have lost count but I
know I have well over 200 starts. My P&P giant Bushel Gourd seeds are
sprouting. 
Yea!!! all my true gourd seeds are popping up too.

A lot of my problem last year was poor germination. I figured out that the
temperatures, even in the house were not warm enough for seed germination.
I had talked to a lady owner of a local nursery here in the area. She had
bought a used electric blanket and sat her seed trays on the blanket. It
would hold a lot of trays.

With that, here is what I did:

Reinserted the extra leaf in my dinette table. 
Placed the electric blanket on the table. 
Sat all the trays on the blanket. 
I removed 2 thermometers from different locations in our home and placed
them along side the seed trays. These aren't expensive thermeters but was
better than nothing.
I was surprised to find that I had to set the temperature controls of the
electric blanket to the setting of 9 to achieve 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
On the fourth day seeds started sprouting. I just hope that the weather
warms up here so that I don't have to coddle these little jewels.

We are having 50 degree(F) nights and high 70s(F) during the day. 

I swore last year not to start seeds indoors. Packing in and out 8 seed
trays for hardening off the plants, gets to be a real hassle. Because I
have large giant gourd seeds, I will need all the growing that I can get
not to mention the giant pumpkin seeds too.

We have a perfect location for our giant pumpkins. We have a large Silver
Maple Tree along the side our gourd patch. It will provide afternoon shade
for the pumpkin. Another local nursery owner, who is into giant pumpkins
and gourds, said this is perfect. According to Jack LaRue, we have the
worse area for growing giant pumpkins because of our intense heat. So maybe
between the 2 experts, Jack La Rue and our nursery owner, we have a chance.

Well that is it. I have to go count my new seedlings ~grin~

Happy growing to all of you,
Jeanie



Gourds By Jeanie 
jdixon@oneworld.owt.com
http://www.owt.com/users/jdixon
Pasco, Washington USA
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