The Garden of Woz...

[Ginger2778]

Ah, I do the same with the report of approximately 2 week old seedlings.

[GoDawgs]

Whwoz, it sounds like you're up and running! And here I am winding down. Actually, I think I'm looking forward to some gardening time out.

[Ginger2778]

Whwoz, it sounds like you're up and running! And here I am winding down. Actually, I think I'm looking forward to some gardening time out.

Yep, I get that way every season, and I actually get sick of tomatoes for a few days too.

[Whwoz]

These would be roughly 2 weeks old at time of repot. Some I should have done earlie ras they are probably a bit low in light where i start them for some of the day, faces due East so it gets morning light but in shade from 1 pm onwards, tends to make some a bit leggy, but I repot them deeper so only half an inch of stem above ground. Thinking of moving to one 2 inch pots per variety next year to allow me to repot as needed rather than wait until tray ready.

Ah, I do the same with the report of approximately 2 week old seedlings.

[Whwoz]

Whwoz, it sounds like you're up and running! And here I am winding down. Actually, I think I'm looking forward to some gardening time out.

Yes GoDawgs, looking forward to new tomato season here. Actually been tempted to write in the "What tomato are you impatient to have ripen?" thread 'Any tomato' but as they are still months off yet, maybe not totally appropriate

[Whwoz]

Picked first of the Broccoli heads today, along with some sweet peas for the rest of families dinner while I am at work.

[Whwoz]

Tomato seed turning up here at ridiculous rate. On behalf of Mcsee, whom some of you would know from TV, I sent out an offer of Sweet Ozark Orange seed on his old Ozgrow forum (he sold it to someone else when they went travelling for a while and for some reason is no-longer welcome)

It seems that for every packet I sent out, I have received about 4 back, with seed also coming from Volvo (always welcome) here plus an offer of an entire collection of tomato seed from someone who has a lot of good paste or drying varieties. I think I either need to extend the extension or more likely move to a strict prune and topping system.

[Ginger2778]

Funny how the seeds stash just has a way of growing.

[Whwoz]

For those of you who are curious about how this Aussie germinates his seed. I do not use lights or germinate indoors, I was fortunate enough to pick up a small polycarbonate glasshouse a few years back and this serves me beautifully. Locate this on the east wall of the house with a 2 punnet tray size heat pad (thermostatically controlled) in it (punnet trays are 16 x 12 inches/400 x 300 mm in size).

Facing East.jpg

Polyhouse.jpg

Seeds are sown into 24 cell trays that come with covers which are narrower, about 225mm wide. In the middle I can place multicell punnets, takes about 5 and then cover with plastic sheet.

Inside polyhouse.jpg

I have plenty of standard punnet trays but they do no work as well in this system as they keep the bottom of the punnets off the mat preventing direct heat transfer. Thinking that I shall cut the bottom out of two ( I have covers that suit) and use 50mm/2 inch pots instead of the multi cell trays. This will allow me to pot up individual varieties as soon as they are ready without removing slower germinating varieties off the heat and prevent some of the leggyness that occurs with uneven germination.

Do not normally have beans in polyhouse, but they were freshly repotted and with the possibility of frost about, saw not point in taking a chance.

[Ginger2778]

Nice system! I start my seeds on Thursday, it's a feels like temp of 102F! No need for a heat mat.

[Whwoz]

Thanks [mention]Ginger2778[/mention], certainly has worked well for me the last couple of years even with temperatures barely making it into the low 40's F some days and the odd frosty night. Sometimes I wish I had two of the heat mats and polyhouses but one must make do at times.

Your sowing at 100F must give them a good kick-start.

[Ginger2778]

They are 8-10 inches tall after 6 weeks. The actual temp is 92F. That 100 is just the feels like.

[Whwoz]

Still warm enough. Would love to have plants that tall after only 6 weeks.

[Ginger2778]

Still warm enough. Would love to have plants that tall after only 6 weeks.

It is convenient.

[Whwoz]

Here is what I move the seedlings into after potting up. They got blown about a bit with the wild wind the other day, but fortunately no real damage to covers, frames or plants. These face due north (yes house was aligned by compass) and warm up beautifully during the day. The cover of the left hand one was blown around corner of house and half way down east side, the other two covers were lift up and blown back against the wall.

IMG_5640c.jpg

I keep watering cans full of water in there with the seedlings to warm up water so as not to chill seedlings when watering

IMG_5644a.jpg

A couple of misses and a few extras in one or two pots, but mainly looking good

[Nico]

Good work Whwoz, everything looks great. I also use a mini greenhouse similar to yours, the only thing that I had to open the side windows and place a fan so that the plants had extra air flow and were not affected by fungi.

[Whwoz]

Nico, the mini greenhouse's of mine are not sealed and sitting on the slatted deck there is some airflow through them normally.

They are looking great, although I am still swearing at Leitor, have had two germinate, but both have lost there heads, first was a helmet head that never cleared the seed coat, the second was looking good then lost its head. Also have a couple of other Spanish varieties going from seed imported when it was legal. There is more of that seed supposed to be coming my way but person who has it is not always reliable I am told. Will let you know what varieties if I can get my hands on it.

Good work Whwoz, everything looks great. I also use a mini greenhouse similar to yours, the only thing that I had to open the side windows and place a fan so that the plants had extra air flow and were not affected by fungi.

[MsCowpea]

Whwoz, do you pot up your tomatoes to bigger pots or can they go straight into the garden from that size container which looks to be about 5 centimeters (2 inches?).

[Whwoz]

[mention]MsCowpea[/mention] , I plant directly from the pots shown, most of which are 2 inch with a few 2.75 inches in back left hand corner, straight into the ground.

[MissS]

I also often plant my plants into the ground from that size container. It works well for me and the plants seem happy.