The Fungus Among Us
Odd coloring to the tomato leaves isn't a great sign.
Denver’s silly shocking snowstorm of 2012
Silly pansy
There’s that really old saying: if you don’t like the weather in Colorado, wait 5 minutes. Or, as the case has been, wait an entire month.
The second March began Colorado was baked in 60+ degree weather and not an ounce of moisture to be seen anywhere (March is typically our snowiest month). on April 1st we reached a high of 82 degrees (a record) I was completely sunburned and working on gardens the whole day. The next day it was overcast, 40, and windy. The day after that – an inch of snow all over everything.
Fortunately, we still had room inside the house for our army of tender seedlings. Most of yesterday was spent making sure everyone had an equal share of time under the modest grow-lamp.
Peas
And today? Sunny, gorgeous, and a bit muddy.
Rows of green
Fortunately, none of our cold-hearty plants suffered. Frankly, I think they liked it.
How has the weather been in your area? Any crazy Spring weather stories to share?
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read moreGarden Update | March 10, 2012
Nothing terribly interesting to report. Lots of new seedlings taking root, second leaves showing up on several of the tomatoes. Lesson learned: start peppers about a week or two before starting anything else. Tomatoes come up fast, everything else doesn’t.
Today we’re gearing up for the dreaded shed-moving party this afternoon. When we moved in last year, we had to construct the shed rather quickly before the spring rainy season soaked all of our tools and bikes. As a result, the shed hasn’t been sitting on much of a foundation over the past year, and the melting snow and lingering mud have caused it to slowly start to sink.
This'll be great, I'll get you tickets.
The aim today is to get the entire shed up onto a few pallets I acquired. Really, I just want to be able to open the shed doors when there’s snow on the ground and not have to deal with a constant puddle of water on the floor.
Otherwise, here’s what’s happening on the grow table right now:
Tomato
Peppers (a few of the dozen or so varieties planted.
Tomato seedling with second leaves
Everything!
How are your garden plans coming along? I know if you’re in Denver, you’ve got a beautiful weekend to work with. Keep me posted!
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Mold in the seed trays
Peppers finally starting to sprout
Had a slight bit of a problem this last week with mold in a few of the seed trays. If you’ve started seeds, you might have encountered it as well – instead of bright green seedlings the only growth your seed starting setup is harboring is that of a very fine, cotton-like mold.
You’ll have to forgive my lack of photo. For the life of me, I couldn’t get a clear shot of the mold. When it comes to the mold, you’ll know it when you see it.
It’s no surprise that this happens. In order for a seed to germinate they need warm, wet conditions – the same conditions mold loves. The spores can come from just about anywhere and can usually be prevented by sterilizing your seed trays before using them.
Thankfully, this is a very easy fix for this common problem. H2O2 – Hydrogen Peroxide. The stuff you buy at the grocery store for a buck. Put some in a spray bottle and treat the problem areas with it.
Why does this work? Is this dangerous for the seedlings?
Rainstorms clean the outdoors, in more ways than the obvious. Ever notice the ozone smell after a spring storm? That’s no accident. Commonly, the rain picks up excess oxygen from the ozone layer before it falls to earth (H2O + O = H2O2). In nature, the slight hydrogen peroxide compounds found in rain water clean and re-oxygenate the soil. It’s nature’s fungicide and keeps systems in balance.
Doesn’t hurt the seedlings, but hydrogen peroxide shouldn’t be used as a substitute for good ol’ water.
In the meantime, here’s some pictures of our current seedlings.
Thyme
Cauliflower and Thyme
Eggplant Sprouts
Basil
A micro-forest of seedling tomatoes
I update my Flickr photostream pretty regularly with photos from my garden. Follow me there!
Learned tricks when starting seeds
One day, a tomato
When we started seeds last year for our first garden, it was a labor of love. We had seeds we picked up form a local vendor, more or less a variety pack. We tried using the Jiffy Peat pellets and a seed-starting mix. Seeds went in the soil and we didn’t exactly take a lot of care in remembering what seeds went where.
In the mornings I moved the trays to the east window of the apartment, and then made sure I was home at around 2 so I could move them to the west window.
Looking back, it was a pain in the ass.
Fortunately, I was able to keep this in mind as we were starting the seeds for this year’s garden.
- Label. Clearly. Ideally with something that is mostly waterproof. Also keep in mind there is a chance that the seedlings will get moved around or will be transplanted to something bigger. Make sure there is a way to consistently keep track of which seedling is what. Each variety of plant demands different quality of soil, growing conditions, etc. Like children, at their young age all plants pretty much look the same.
- Keep a calendar. Not only on what you’re growing, but when it was started. You’d be surprised how quickly weekends past. Remembering key dates will help you plan ahead – not only for this garden season, but for the next as well.
Basil
- Surface sow? Contrary to popular belief, burying seeds is bad practice. Surface sow means planting on top of the dirt, maybe covering with a very light layer of soil. The key is to give your seed plenty of room to expand.
- Light and Heat – in order to germinate properly, seeds will need a warm, wet environment. Then they will need light. Don’t skimp on either. If you don’t have good window space, invest in a decent UV lamp. If you’re in Denver, check Craigslist for lamps from a dispensary/nursery that might be going out of business. LOTS of indoor hydroponics happens here.
- Keep a spray bottle around. Every seed needs moisture to get the process going. Mist daily.
Tomato
- Create a greenhouse effect. For at least the first few days of germination, covering your seedlings with a plastic hood can help the soil retain heat and moisture. Once first leaves start to establish on the seedlings, they will require more fresh air.
- Keep the trays and plastic hoods for next year. No sense in letting anything go to waste.
- Take pictures. After all, why wouldn’t you show this off?
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