Garden question

[kirk1701]

Didn't know exactly where to put this and is a little off topic for this forum so here it goes.

Always plant a garden every year but thinking of planting a lot more from seed this year. I want to start now, plant some tomatoes inside along with some peppers so I'll have some ripe come 4th of July :cool2:

I bought a pack of the small foam planting pots at wally word which would be good for "Small" plants but the ones I start now will have bigger roots and need more room for the roots to spread.

We have a garbage bag full of plastic coffee containers which I'm thinking about using, drill some holes in the bottom and keep inside for the next two months till I set them out in the garden. I'm told planting in plastic will smother the roots; any truth to this? :confused:

I ask because I know I've bought tomato plants in years past for $6 each which were in plastic containers???

[Marcos]

Didn't know exactly where to put this and is a little off topic for this forum so here it goes.

Always plant a garden every year but thinking of planting a lot more from seed this year. I want to start now, plant some tomatoes inside along with some peppers so I'll have some ripe come 4th of July :cool2:

I bought a pack of the small foam planting pots at wally word which would be good for "Small" plants but the ones I start now will have bigger roots and need more room for the roots to spread.

We have a garbage bag full of plastic coffee containers which I'm thinking about using, drill some holes in the bottom and keep inside for the next two months till I set them out in the garden. I'm told planting in plastic will smother the roots; any truth to this? :confused:

I ask because I know I've bought tomato plants in years past for $6 each which were in plastic containers???

You'll be OK so long as you transplant them outside before they get too root-bound in the plastic.

Probably the biggest problem with starting plants indoors from my experience is rhizoctonia root rot, or "damping off disease".
To help prevent this, it's really important that you use NEW, CLEAN potting soil, you DON'T over-water, and that they get ample amounts of sun every day.

[kirk1701]

You'll be OK so long as you transplant them outside before they get too root-bound in the plastic.

Probably the biggest problem with starting plants indoors from my experience is rhizoctonia root rot, or "damping off disease".
To help prevent this, it's really important that you use NEW, CLEAN potting soil, you DON'T over-water, and that they get ample amounts of sun every day.

Thanks Marcos, I'll give the new soil a try (Miracle Grow Potting Soil) as we have that root rot every dam year :waving:

[Dreams To Designs]

Kirk, i plant all my herbs & vegetables in containers, most often in plastic nursery containers as inserts in decorative containers. A good well drained potting soil is imperative, with or without fertilizer. In a container you will have to fertilize and monitor the watering closely, but from seeds to seedling to full grown plants will grow just fine in plastic containers filled with potting soil.

One of the big selling points by most seed starter companies to use peat or coconut fiber pots is you can plant the entire plant and starter pot so as to not disturb the roots. Clean and sterile containers as well as a quality potting soil will give you great success.

Kirk

[kirk1701]

Kirk, i plant all my herbs & vegetables in containers, most often in plastic nursery containers as inserts in decorative containers. A good well drained potting soil is imperative, with or without fertilizer. In a container you will have to fertilize and monitor the watering closely, but from seeds to seedling to full grown plants will grow just fine in plastic containers filled with potting soil.

One of the big selling points by most seed starter companies to use peat or coconut fiber pots is you can plant the entire plant and starter pot so as to not disturb the roots. Clean and sterile containers as well as a quality potting soil will give you great success.

Kirk

Thanks Dreams To Designs,
Think I'm going to plant a few today

[Dreams To Designs]

If this is going to be inside, light will be a big factor for long term. Most lighting will be ineffective for indoor growing and the plants will get thin and spindly. You can easily start seeds and raise decent seedlings with inexpensive fluorescent lighting, but don't go for the expensive grow bulbs. For seed starting, seedling and general vegetative growth, buy daylight lamps rated around 6500K. These lamps will provide the correct spectrum of light for healthy indoor vegetative growing. If you wish to continue growing indoors, great for the long winter, when the plants prepare to bud of flower, you want to switch over to lamps with a rated temperature between 2700K & 3000K. The 6500K lamps will always be much bluer, or cooler than the warm tones of a 3000K lamp. The K refers to the temperate rating in kelvin in relation to color temperature. Color temperature is achieved by heating a piece of carbon to a specific color and measuring the temperature in kelvin to correspond to that color. When a piece of carbon is heated to 6000K, the light is produces is very blue-white, if heated to only 3000K the glow is more yellow or red.

Kirk

[Littleriver]

Kirk1701

Ripe by the 4th of July still could be a problem if spring does not get here soon.
You will still have to worry about the ground temps and late frost.:cry:

[kirk1701]

If this is going to be inside, light will be a big factor for long term. Most lighting will be ineffective for indoor growing and the plants will get thin and spindly. You can easily start seeds and raise decent seedlings with inexpensive fluorescent lighting, but don't go for the expensive grow bulbs. For seed starting, seedling and general vegetative growth, buy daylight lamps rated around 6500K. These lamps will provide the correct spectrum of light for healthy indoor vegetative growing. If you wish to continue growing indoors, great for the long winter, when the plants prepare to bud of flower, you want to switch over to lamps with a rated temperature between 2700K & 3000K. The 6500K lamps will always be much bluer, or cooler than the warm tones of a 3000K lamp. The K refers to the temperate rating in kelvin in relation to color temperature. Color temperature is achieved by heating a piece of carbon to a specific color and measuring the temperature in kelvin to correspond to that color. When a piece of carbon is heated to 6000K, the light is produces is very blue-white, if heated to only 3000K the glow is more yellow or red.

Kirk

No, I will keep the plants inside overnight and on cold days when its cloudy by they will get put outside during the days till around mid May when I set everything I've raised from seed out in the garden.

Already started and yu know what, didn't need the plastic coffee containers :drinkup: had a bunch of empty pots from where we purchased plants last year that we saved.

Kirk1701

Ripe by the 4th of July still could be a problem if spring does not get here soon.
You will still have to worry about the ground temps and late frost.:cry:

Yep I know, like I said they get brung inside overnight till mid may. :drinkup:

[Littleriver]

kirk1701

Let us know how the tomato growing goes.

[kirk1701]

kirk1701

Let us know how the tomato growing goes.

Tomatoes just sprouted today :cool2:

http://www.nxportal.com/forums/uploads/monthly_03_2010/post-32-1268505195_thumb.jpg

http://www.nxportal.com/forums/uploads/monthly_03_2010/post-32-1268505209_thumb.jpg

[kirk1701]

Already got onions out to go with that hot chilly come next December will be tasty :drinkup:

Which are bound to stink up LawnSite real good so no one will dare enter

http://www.nxportal.com/forums/uploads/monthly_03_2010/post-32-1268516947_thumb.jpg

http://www.nxportal.com/forums/uploads/monthly_03_2010/post-32-1268516958_thumb.jpg

Also in the mail as of yesterday:
2 FUJI APPLE LI'L BIG DLX
2 LIBERTY APPLE LI'L-BIG PREM
1 ELBERTA PEACH SD DLX <<<Have 3 started from last year :walking:
1 MARS SEEDLESS GRAPE
1 Concord SEEDLESS GRAPE<<<Set out today!!

Already here and set out this past week:
4 DWARF NORTHSKY BLUEBERRIES
4 KA-BLUEY BLUEBERRY-JUMBO

http://www.nxportal.com/forums/uploads/monthly_03_2010/post-32-1268518173_thumb.jpg
Here's where we put the Blueberries, I'll post back in August what they look like.

We put them in the front because of the deep red foliage is beautiful come fall
http://www.nxportal.com/forums/uploads/monthly_03_2010/post-32-1268518357_thumb.jpg

[Littleriver]

Thanks for the pics. Be sure to keep us updated.

[kirk1701]

We'll, uhh don't get this one

The Tomatoes got about 5" tall and was bending over to the bottom of the pot so I decided to try an brace them till they got taller.

They all died after I tried to brace them :confused:

[Littleriver]

Sorry to hear that, If the tomatoes were already laying down that had something going wrong before you braced them up. You better get some more started if you going to make that 4th of July sandwich.:waving:

[kirk1701]

Sorry to hear that, If the tomatoes were already laying down that had something going wrong before you braced them up. You better get some more started if you going to make that 4th of July sandwich.:waving:

Oh I already did :drinkup:
I think part of the problem has been no sun, less days outside here

[Littleriver]

Tell me about the NO SUN thing. We finally get rid of the snow here and now all we can get is thunder storms and rain. I know I should not complain as we have been in a severe drought here for the last few years.
I have a few plants that just sprouted today. :usflag:

[Littleriver]

Kirk1701

How the new plants doing ? Mine are not looking so good this year either.