First Day of Planting

I am determined to grow a plant from a seed this year.

Last night I consulted my wife's uncle Ralph in Arkansas.  He grew an 85 pound watermelon last year that was sweet and delicious.  He said looking at the Farmer's Almanac today and tomorrow was a good day for planting seeds. 

March 2011
22nd-23rd Excellent Time For Planting Root Crops That Can Be Planted Now, And For Starting Seedbeds. Good Days For Transplanting.

I looked at the Old Farmer's Almanac for my region and it gives the best time to plant crops year round.  So yesterday I scrapped all of my seed pots and just dumped them, unlabeled into my green hoop house.

I read the instructions on the back of the Jiffy Mix bag and followed them to the letter, I believe.  Here is how I am attempting to grow cilantro and onions, beginning March 22nd, 2011.

Step 1:  A got a potting tray from the feed store up the street and loaded it with the Jiffy Mix.  It is really light and fluffy, almost like saw dust.  So far so good.

 

 

Step 2:  I watered the Jiffy Mix until it drained through the bottom of the tray.  Apparently, having good drainage is really important to get the seeds to germanate.  I had been attempting this with the paper egg carton materials without any success.  I neglected to put holes into the egg crates so they could drain and I did not have it very wet.  Whenever I checked it in the morning it was completed dried out. 

Step 3:  I added the cilantro seeds to the seed tray.  The package said to push the seed about a 1/4 of an inch into the the soil mix.  So I did that.  I didn't make a really deep hole.  But I believe I achieved the depth that was required to plant the seed. 

Step 4:  I covered the seed with more of the Jiffy mix and used a spray bottle to make it damp.  I didn't get too much water this time.  When I used the egg carton, I probably soaked it.  Here I am confident that I've gotten it right.

Step 5:  I covered my newly seeded tray with plastic wrap and poked a series of air holes with a toothpick.  Previously with my egg carton trial, I did not cover it at all.  This explains why it was all dried out in the morning. 









Last step was to place it in a warm place out of direct sunlight and wait for the first signs of life to appear.  So, I placed the tray into my hoop house.  Now, I concerned that if this isn't direct sunlight my other plants are getting what they need.  However, if it is direct sunlight the seed tray may not germanate.  I guess I'll find out in about 10 days the results of this experiment.

I also planted some onions in a seed tray that used potting soil that had been mixed with black cow manure.  This is a test to see which will grow the faster, if at all.