I am getting anxious to start seedlings.

most of you mentioned i shouldnt plant until the ground is above 70
deg, how does one test? bury a thermometer?

also, most of you said i should start by planting in my starter tray
4 weeks before planting in the ground. how do i predict that the
ground will be 70 degrees in four weeks?

also, would it hurt for the seedlings to be started early? how early?

I've heard of trying to pre-germinate before planting in starter
trays, can someone recommend a method?

In article .com,
"Tater" wrote:

I am getting anxious to start seedlings.

most of you mentioned i shouldnt plant until the ground is above 70
deg, how does one test? bury a thermometer?

also, most of you said i should start by planting in my starter tray
4 weeks before planting in the ground. how do i predict that the
ground will be 70 degrees in four weeks?

also, would it hurt for the seedlings to be started early? how early?

I've heard of trying to pre-germinate before planting in starter
trays, can someone recommend a method?

I'd try to find Crockett's Victory Garden. 1977
Library of Congress # 77-72669

There is no ISBN # and is out of print however perhaps extended family
has a copy.


Bill

http://gardening.about.com/od/garden...edStarting.htm

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8703.html

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

On 2007-03-25 14:33:13 -0400, "Tater" said:

I am getting anxious to start seedlings.

most of you mentioned i shouldnt plant until the ground is above 70
deg, how does one test? bury a thermometer?


Soil thermometer. The type of plant determines soil planting temp.
Tomatos and Peppers like very warm to hot soils for instance. Peas, on
the other hand can be planted as soon as the soil is workable and no
longer frozen.



also, most of you said i should start by planting in my starter tray
4 weeks before planting in the ground. how do i predict that the
ground will be 70 degrees in four weeks?


Read the BACK of the seed packet. All you need to know is there.



also, would it hurt for the seedlings to be started early? how early?


Read the back of the seed packet!

"William Wagner" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
"Tater" wrote:

I am getting anxious to start seedlings.

most of you mentioned i shouldnt plant until the ground is above 70
deg, how does one test? bury a thermometer?

also, most of you said i should start by planting in my starter tray
4 weeks before planting in the ground. how do i predict that the
ground will be 70 degrees in four weeks?

also, would it hurt for the seedlings to be started early? how early?

I've heard of trying to pre-germinate before planting in starter
trays, can someone recommend a method?

I'd try to find Crockett's Victory Garden. 1977
Library of Congress # 77-72669

There is no ISBN # and is out of print however perhaps extended family
has a copy.
Bill

Yeah - that's a great book, as long as his advice on chemicals is pretty
much ignored. It might be what killed him - he sprayed every damned thing.

www.powells.com often has decent used copies of the book. And, the OP might
want to higher a private detective to find out if there's a library in his
town.

William Wagner wrote in news:not-to-
:

In article .com,
"Tater" wrote:

I am getting anxious to start seedlings.

most of you mentioned i shouldnt plant until the ground is above 70
deg, how does one test? bury a thermometer?

also, most of you said i should start by planting in my starter tray
4 weeks before planting in the ground. how do i predict that the
ground will be 70 degrees in four weeks?

also, would it hurt for the seedlings to be started early? how early?

I've heard of trying to pre-germinate before planting in starter
trays, can someone recommend a method?

I'd try to find Crockett's Victory Garden. 1977
Library of Congress # 77-72669

There is no ISBN # and is out of print however perhaps extended family
has a copy.


Bill

http://gardening.about.com/od/garden...edStarting.htm

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8703.html


Check out: www.fetchbook.info
when searching for books. I use them to find ANY book I'm looking for.
They give you prices from all available sellers. (And often carry
Canadian and UK book sellers.)

http://www.fetchbook.info/Crockett%2..._Garden._.html

On Mar 25, 2:33 pm, "Tater" wrote:

I am getting anxious to start seedlings.
I've heard of trying to pre-germinate before planting in starter
trays, can someone recommend a method?

I put a few seeds wrapped in a damp paper towel, placed in a small
plastic bag (a Baggie is good) and leave on my TV cable box for three
days. I do this with tomatoes and peppers. When you open the bag
you'll see the little seeds sprouting. If this hasn't happened, you
can put them back on the box for another day or so or you can just
plant the swollen little seeds. Good luck!

In article .com,
"ctlady" wrote:

On Mar 25, 2:33 pm, "Tater" wrote:

I am getting anxious to start seedlings.
I've heard of trying to pre-germinate before planting in starter
trays, can someone recommend a method?

The best advice that I got on the subject of germinating, came from "The
Cook", who posts here regularly. I can't find her exact words but
essentially she said you need four things, (1) a simple water proof hot
pad, (2) a water tight tray for your flats or six packs to sit in (with
a transparent cover if possible), (3) sterile germination medium to
sprout your seeds in and, (4) florescent shop lights (cheap) or grow
lights (expensive).

In my case I bought a starter tray from a nursery. It has a transparent
top, which lets light in and hold in the warmth, and 72 cells to start
the seeds in. The germination medium, in my case, is called "Black Gold".
I have an old hot pad with controls that say low, medium and, high. I
only use low. Mix up the germinating medium with some water. Load your
tray with the damp medium and the seeds that you want to sprout and hang
the light fixture as close as you can to the germination cells.

That should do it. Read the seed packet for more information on the
plant tat you are trying to germinate. Some require light, some don't.
Some like to spend a week in the refrigerator on a paper towel, most
don't. Some, like anise, take three to four weeks to germinate.

Except for peppers, a little peat moss (acidic) sprinkled on top helps
by holding moisture.

Once the tray has sprouted, turn off the hot pad and adjust the light
fixture to keep it as close to the plants as possible, without touching
them. Give the seedlings 10 - 14 hrs of light/day (I rotate two trays in
and out.).

This system as worked like a charm and lets me grow plans not offered by
local nurseries and only takes up about four feet on top of a book shelf.

Happy gardening,

- Bill
Cloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

After a few weeks, set the plants outside during the day for
progressively longer periods (hardening off). At about the third leaf,
if your past the last frost, you can plant.