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seeds inside

-- [ From: nonayobusiness * EMC.Ver #2.3 ] --

Hello you all.  I am about to start my seeds, because I don't want them
ready too early, up here in NY.  I will be using a homemade seed condo that
is just about the same in dimensions to the expensive one you see in the
backs of all the seed catalogues.  The only differences are that mine is
made of wood and is held together with screws, so after I finish starting
seeds we can take it apart and put it in a crawl space or something. Also,
it has 3 shelves instead of the 2 you usually see, because I figured if
it's going to take up all this room on the floor, I might as well get my $
worth, vertically.  It is big enough to hold a bunch of those black plastic
seed trays.  I will put shop lights over each shelf, and my husband did
something where they will all be plugged into one big outlet that is
attached to the side. I'll put one automatic timer there, and all the
lights will go on for at least 18 hours, by themselves.  The shoplights
will be suspended from the chains they come with, from screws above
them..For anybody who's doing this for the first time, turn on a fan now
and then (like at least once a day for a while) GENTLY!!!!  This is good
because you will have less fungal problems like damping off, and also, the
plants will have stronger stems.  Keep the lights just above the tops of
the seedlings.  Also, set up your seed starting in a cool room. Warm for
germination, and then cool to grow.  They won't be so spindly, then.  I
always have used a warm and a cool white in each fixture, but now, they
have all these things that don't say what's in it, like "Bathroom and
kitchen natural daylight," and stuff like that.  So I'm trying one of these
and one cool in each fixture.  You should change the tubes every year or so,
because even though they still look OK to us, apparently the tubes stop
giving of the maximum amount of light after a not so very long while. 
Perhaps somebody else can say more...I have crocuses , Johnny Jump Ups, and
Heather blooming, and I am pretty happy about it!  Aha!  I just remembered
something that I'm sure somebody here will be able to help me with. The
rhubarb that I planted 3 years ago from seed is going to be ready to
harvest this year.  When should I do it, how much should I take from each
plant, how should I cook it, etc?  All suggestions will be WELCOME!  It's
coming up now, super bright red.  The stalks are only about 2" so far, and
we're just waiting to do something with it!
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