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Old 17-05-2020, 06:41 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
Ralph Mowery Ralph Mowery is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2006
Posts: 61
Default Rollin' right along ... now

In article , says...
Is there something about the potting mix that the squash seeds do not
like ? Maybe they need to just be put in the garden soil ?


I've never started squash seeds indoors . BUT every time I've used
those peat pots has been a disaster . Same with the little discs that
grow into a little "pod" when you wet them . It's probably not your
potting soil .

For tomatoes I started some inside and the plants were about 18 inches
tall. Put some outside after the first week of April. April 17 is the
average last frost date for the middle of NC. The forcast was for no
lower than 40 deg at night for the week before. Then in the 2nd week of
March some areas around here had frost. I tried something I read about
and put a lot of water during the day around the tomatoes. The 6 larger
and 8 smaller ones made it without any problem.





My seedlings were out on the deck getting more sunlight , I have
problems with plants getting tall and spindly sitting in the window .
That part of the deck is enclosed with plastic so I can use it for
construction related work . I knew it was going to freeze , so I put the
seedlings all in a box with a gallon jug of water to help moderate the
temps , but it wasn't quite enough and a few plants got frosted .



Good to know that others have trouble with those seed pod things. I
never used those, but my friend did and no squash came up at all. I
used the 'paper cup'type with potting soil. Not really soil, but some
kind of ground up coconut shells from the description.

I do not have much of a garden, just about a dozen tomato plants, a few
squash and some years cucumbers and cantalopes. I start about 6
tomatoes inside eairly and a month or so later some more. Just in the
bedroom. There is a north facing window that I open the curtains during
the day for sun. After they start and the weather gets warmer I move
them to the attached garage and it has a window that gets lots of sun.
They are transferred to some pots about the size of gallon milk jugs and
regular potting soil. They do grow tall and spindly on me doing it that
way. I then plant them deep in the ground around the middle of April
(recommended last frost here April 17). They usually do ok as far as
growing.