On Mar 24, 1:42*pm, Charlie wrote:
On Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:25:58 -0700 (PDT), bungadora
wrote:

I use those 'clam shells' from the produce aisle. I put a paper towel
on the bottom so the soil doesn't all wash out, fill them with seed
starting mix and put them on the mat. *

Great idea!

They are under lights for now. *I need to figure out a way to raise
the trays because they should be closer to the lights and I can't
adjust the shelves.

Same here. *What I have been doing is setting the seedling flats, or
whatever container, on top of upside down empty flats. *For flats I use
cheap plastic cat litter trays with 1/8 inch hole drilled in the bottom
and stack them in another that isn't drilled, to catch drainage and
also to water from the bottom.

Thanks. After thinking about it a bit I put a plastic tub of Christmas
decorations under the drain trays. That should do them for a week or
two.Then I'll have to find something about 4 inches tall.

As soon as the daytime temperature gets to be
about 10C, I will start putting the seedlings outside and taking them
in at night. I have a planter with a frame overtop with a rollout
cover of plastic sheeting. I am planning to try insulating the cover
with bubble wrap, and putting containers of water around the edge of
the planter as a heat source.

Another good idea, the bubble wrap and water containers.

I think it is really important to get them into full natural light
conditions as soon as possible, even if it is a little cool. In fact,
while they are adjusting to natural light, it being a little cool is
probably an asset. The lights only get them so far, and then they need
more.

I'll start leaving them out overnight,
covered, after a couple of weeks if the night time temperatures are
high enough. Then I'll do my transplants after everything has hardened
off, probably in late May or early June unless the plants are dwarves
or determinate varieties that do well in containers which will be
planted earlier. *If we get snow in June or something ridiculous like
that, I can still bring them indoors. Kosy Kotes/walls of water go
around the ones planted in the ground as long as they fit inside. *And
if they're in the ground, I put them right next to the house to keep
them warmer. The night time temperature is usually above 15C only
during July, and not reliably, which really affects growth and
production.
Dora
Zone 3a

Wow, it's started, that hunger for a real tomato.
Well, I can't be too impatient. Most of the time they don't ripen
until September. I've been told pruning makes a difference, so I'm
going to be a bit more rigorous about that this year. I've also been
told to cut back on the watering & let them dry out once they are in
the fruit production stage (August). It's supposed to make them
sweeter. We'll see.
Dora