My Herbs de Provence replacement seed order arrived today, proving again that Seeds of Change has a very reliable shipping service. Only three of the six packets were shipped, though. The Greek Oregano is on backorder, and I'm going to have to find another seed source for the rosemary and thyme. Apparently they are no longer available through Seeds of Change.
Tray 2 is now two-thirds complete, though, which is exciting. I planted six slots each of the Syriaca Zaatar Marjoram and Dukat Dill in the same section as the Pimientos de Padrón. I put the Garden Sage next to the pepper seeds, and in the center of the tray I replanted some tarragon. Only three of the tarragon seeds in tray 1 germinated, and I think it was because they didn't get warm enough. Their package says they need 70F and are supposed to be planted 1/4" deep. I just put them on the surface of the soil (they seemed so thin and delicate), and I know that the soil was at least ten degrees cooler than they needed. Hopefully they'll fare better in the warmer tray 2.
The tarragon is again supposed to be the first to germinate of the bunch at 5-7 days. The marjoram should be next (7-14 days), and then the sage and dill, requiring 10-14 and 14-21 days, respectively. Judging by past experience with the seedling heat mat, though, I would imagine they'll all have sprouted by the time I return from Christmas break. Hopefully my guest photographer and gardener will be able to capture and care for them all.
19.12.09
pimiento de padrón seeds sprouting
The pimiento de padrón seeds have already started sprouting. I have to say that I´m really quite impressed and pleased with the seedling heat mat that I´ve placed under tray 2. These pepper seeds were supposed to take 10-20 days, and at day 6 two of them are already showing signs of sprouting.
I also think that the heat mat is the primary difference between the germination progress and overall growth rate of the tomato seeds between the two trays. At this point, it definitely seems like it was a good investment. Now I just have to decide if I should remove the extra heat once all the seeds have germinated.
I also think that the heat mat is the primary difference between the germination progress and overall growth rate of the tomato seeds between the two trays. At this point, it definitely seems like it was a good investment. Now I just have to decide if I should remove the extra heat once all the seeds have germinated.
15.12.09
(kind of) new seeds ordered and temperature data soon
I received an email today from the Seeds of Change Customer Service Coordinator informing me that the Herbs de Provence seed collection had been discontinued as a result of the company being unavailable to acquire a number of the included seed packs. The main disappointment of the email was that it removed the possibility that the seeds would be waiting in my mailbox when I got home today. They´d already refunded me the money for the purchase, and so I quickly put it toward six seed packs that should round out the herb garden nicely. Hopefully arriving before I leave for the holidays are:
1 PACK, DILL, DUKAT
1 PACK, MARJORAM, SYRIACA ZAATAR
1 PACK, OREGANO, GREEK
1 PACK, SAGE, GARDEN
1 PACK, ROSEMARY
1 PACK, THYME, GERMAN WINTER
The Rosemary and the German Winter Thyme are both on backorder, but if Seeds of Change ships to me as quickly as they did before, then I stand a good chance of having the rest of them planted and germinating over winter break.
I´ve never grown dill or marjoram before, and this marjoram is supposedly quite different from the sweet marjoram that was a part of the Herbs de Provence collection. They say on their website that the Syriaca Zaatar Marjoram has a flavor that combines the tastes of sweet marjoram, thyme, and oregano, which definitely makes it sound like it´d be interesting to cook with. The other main decision I had in picking out seeds was the dill. They sell four different varieties: Bouquet, Dukat, Goldkrone, and Mammoth. They say that the Dukat is "Delicately aromatic, never bitter or overly pungent. Perhaps the sweetest of all dills. The preferred commercial variety. Stays leafy longer than others." All of those seemed like good things, especially for cooking. I also liked that it´s only supposed to grow to be 18-24" tall, as opposed to the Mammoth which can get up to 5´. The Bouquet Dill was also a smaller plant, growing to be 3´ tall. The website said that this variety was the best to grow for the production of seed, though, and since it is the leaves of the plant that I use most frequently for cooking, this didn´t seem like the best option. They didn´t have any information on the Goldkrone Dill, so it wasn´t really in contention.
In other non-seed-related news, I used a portable thermocouple to monitor the temperature and humidity of the top tier of the greenhouse for almost four days last week to get an idea of how accurate the thermometer and hygrometer are that I have placed on the shelving structure. I also wanted to know how much the temperature varied between sunny and cloudy days, and how much heat and moisture was escaping when I open the flaps for watering and photographing. The quick summary is that the PetCo terrarium meters do a pretty good job of representing the conditions (of at least that shelf) of the greenhouse, and that I should really be keeping the greenhouse warmer, especially at night. I´ll upload the data once I have the graphs processed so that they can be presented in a more accessible form. In response to this new information, I´ve increased the setting of the heater on the bottom shelf of the greenhouse from 70F to 80F (still on the low setting), and that appears to have resulted in an increase in temperature of about 6-8F on the top tier. How it will increase my electric bill, is yet to be seen.
1 PACK, DILL, DUKAT
1 PACK, MARJORAM, SYRIACA ZAATAR
1 PACK, OREGANO, GREEK
1 PACK, SAGE, GARDEN
1 PACK, ROSEMARY
1 PACK, THYME, GERMAN WINTER
The Rosemary and the German Winter Thyme are both on backorder, but if Seeds of Change ships to me as quickly as they did before, then I stand a good chance of having the rest of them planted and germinating over winter break.
I´ve never grown dill or marjoram before, and this marjoram is supposedly quite different from the sweet marjoram that was a part of the Herbs de Provence collection. They say on their website that the Syriaca Zaatar Marjoram has a flavor that combines the tastes of sweet marjoram, thyme, and oregano, which definitely makes it sound like it´d be interesting to cook with. The other main decision I had in picking out seeds was the dill. They sell four different varieties: Bouquet, Dukat, Goldkrone, and Mammoth. They say that the Dukat is "Delicately aromatic, never bitter or overly pungent. Perhaps the sweetest of all dills. The preferred commercial variety. Stays leafy longer than others." All of those seemed like good things, especially for cooking. I also liked that it´s only supposed to grow to be 18-24" tall, as opposed to the Mammoth which can get up to 5´. The Bouquet Dill was also a smaller plant, growing to be 3´ tall. The website said that this variety was the best to grow for the production of seed, though, and since it is the leaves of the plant that I use most frequently for cooking, this didn´t seem like the best option. They didn´t have any information on the Goldkrone Dill, so it wasn´t really in contention.
In other non-seed-related news, I used a portable thermocouple to monitor the temperature and humidity of the top tier of the greenhouse for almost four days last week to get an idea of how accurate the thermometer and hygrometer are that I have placed on the shelving structure. I also wanted to know how much the temperature varied between sunny and cloudy days, and how much heat and moisture was escaping when I open the flaps for watering and photographing. The quick summary is that the PetCo terrarium meters do a pretty good job of representing the conditions (of at least that shelf) of the greenhouse, and that I should really be keeping the greenhouse warmer, especially at night. I´ll upload the data once I have the graphs processed so that they can be presented in a more accessible form. In response to this new information, I´ve increased the setting of the heater on the bottom shelf of the greenhouse from 70F to 80F (still on the low setting), and that appears to have resulted in an increase in temperature of about 6-8F on the top tier. How it will increase my electric bill, is yet to be seen.
13.12.09
Santiam tomato slideshow
It's been brought to my attention that the tomato slideshow in the 11/12 post is no longer functional. This is related to the rather steep Picasa web album learning curve. As that particular slideshow cannot easily be restored, I've uploaded the Santiam tomato slideshow that I've been working on.
Click to view a larger version in Picasa:
Click to view a larger version in Picasa:
new seeds and cilantro slideshow
The Pimiento de Padrón and sunflower seeds arrived yesterday from Renee's Garden. The package says that they take 10-21 days to germinate, and that they need to stay very warm (75-80F). I planted them toward the back of tray 2 so that they hopefully won't even cool off when I open the greenhouse flap for watering. The back half of tray 2 also receives the most sunlight, which should help not only with warmth, but also the strong light source that the seedlings supposedly will require once they've sprouted.
I think I finally understand why the cilantro seeds I planted are called "Slow Bolt." They took 7 days to show any signs of germinating, but since they first started to emerge, they've grown very rapidly, and have now almost caught up to the tomato sprouts in height.
Click for full screen viewing in Picasa:
I think I finally understand why the cilantro seeds I planted are called "Slow Bolt." They took 7 days to show any signs of germinating, but since they first started to emerge, they've grown very rapidly, and have now almost caught up to the tomato sprouts in height.
Click for full screen viewing in Picasa:
11.12.09
tomato slideshow and supplies complete
My greenhouse supplies are now complete. The second fluorescent bulb arrived yesterday and none too soon, as the tomato seeds on the second tray were already in need of light. I installed it in the same way as the top tier, with double white polycoated chain (number 3) from Lowe's.
I'm still waiting for the Pimientos de Padrón and the rest of the herb seeds to arrive, but in the mean time, the tomato seeds on tray two are taking off. Here´s a slideshow of their progress so far. They´ve really germinated so much faster than last year (when they had minimal heat and light...).
Click for full screen slideshow at Picasa. (temporarily disabled due to technical difficulties with Picasa, see Santiam tomato slideshow in 13/12 post instead)
I'm still waiting for the Pimientos de Padrón and the rest of the herb seeds to arrive, but in the mean time, the tomato seeds on tray two are taking off. Here´s a slideshow of their progress so far. They´ve really germinated so much faster than last year (when they had minimal heat and light...).Click for full screen slideshow at Picasa. (temporarily disabled due to technical difficulties with Picasa, see Santiam tomato slideshow in 13/12 post instead)
7.12.09
tomatoes and tarragon sprouting!
Right on schedule, the tarragon, Crimson Sprinter tomato, and Santiam tomato have sprouted! It seems like the heat mat is doing its job on tray 2. I'm hoping that the seeds in tray 1 will be able to germinate without the extra heat of the grow bulbs. I would think that the cooler temperature would at worst slow down the germination process, and hopefully not prevent it from happening at all.
Tarragon sprout:
Crimson Sprinter (left and top right) and Santiam tomato (bottom right) sprouts:
In bulb related news, I called ACF Greenhouse this morning about the missing T5 bulb and fixture. They apologized and said that the second box would be shipped out today, which is good, since with tray 2 sprouting, it looks like I'm going to need the second light sooner than I thought.
Tarragon sprout:
Crimson Sprinter (left and top right) and Santiam tomato (bottom right) sprouts:
In bulb related news, I called ACF Greenhouse this morning about the missing T5 bulb and fixture. They apologized and said that the second box would be shipped out today, which is good, since with tray 2 sprouting, it looks like I'm going to need the second light sooner than I thought.
6.12.09
fluorescent light arrived and new seeds ordered!
My fluorescent light arrived on Friday. There were supposed to be two 2' T5 bulbs with two fixtures, but there was only one set in the box. The packing slip seems to indicate that ACF Greenhouse thinks they put them both in the same box, but alas, there was but one. I tried calling them yesterday to discuss the situation but they aren't open on the weekends. Hopefully, I'll be able to resolve the issue tomorrow. I have, however, installed the bulb and fixture that they sent me, and am quite pleased with it thus far (I really only need one right now, anyway).
I decided to mount the fixture by attaching two chains to the metal clasps that were included with the Jump Start T5 Light Fixture and Bulb. At Lowe's today, I bought two 4' lengths of thin white chain that slipped easily into the metal clasps that attached to the back of the light fixture. I cut two holes in the top of the plastic sheet on either end of the top tier (which will serve nicely for future ventilation purposes) and fed each chain out and then zip-tied them together on the top tier. This light should be much more efficient than the two halogen grow bulbs I was using. A downside to its increased efficiency though, is that, of course, it won't be supplying supplementary heat to the greenhouse. On the up side, I think it's better lighting for the pictures...
I purchased some new seeds Saturday night from Renee's Garden. Even after the Herb Collection arrives and is planted, I was going to have an extra six slots in tray 2. B suggested trying to grow some peppers, and after some searching, I succeeded in finding a distributor for Pimientos de Padrón, the tasty sweet (when green and unripe) peppers that we ate in northern Spain this past summer. They are typically sauteed in olive oil and served as a tapa (an appetizer served at bars that only serve appetizers, "tapaterias"). They are absolutely delicious, and we´ve had much difficulty finding a close substitute in the local grocery stores here, so I´m very excited about the possibility of growing them here in the greenhouse.
The minimum order at Renee´s Garden was three packets of seeds, so I also purchased some sunflowers for the yard. Last year, in addition to giant sunflowers, we bought an assorted sunflower seed pack that produced some really beautiful multi-color sunflowers with purple and red-streaked blooms. They were like Hydra with multiple heads for each stalk. The "Bright Bandolier" sunflower seemed the most like the Hydra from last summer, and so I purchased one packet of those and one packet of the "Lemon Queen" variety. Renee´s Garden promises to donate 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the Lemon Queen seeds to the Great Sunflower Project, which aims to help advance the understanding of the current plight of pollinating bees by studying and recording what types of bees in which areas are frequenting the Lemon Queen sunflowers. It sounds like a neat project. One of the coolest things about our sunflower canopy in the front yard last year was how it seemed to establish its own ecosystem complete with a host of birds, bees, and weird beetles I´d never seen before. Hopefully this year´s sunflower crop will be just as bountiful and we can help out with some bee studies at the same time.
I decided to mount the fixture by attaching two chains to the metal clasps that were included with the Jump Start T5 Light Fixture and Bulb. At Lowe's today, I bought two 4' lengths of thin white chain that slipped easily into the metal clasps that attached to the back of the light fixture. I cut two holes in the top of the plastic sheet on either end of the top tier (which will serve nicely for future ventilation purposes) and fed each chain out and then zip-tied them together on the top tier. This light should be much more efficient than the two halogen grow bulbs I was using. A downside to its increased efficiency though, is that, of course, it won't be supplying supplementary heat to the greenhouse. On the up side, I think it's better lighting for the pictures...
I purchased some new seeds Saturday night from Renee's Garden. Even after the Herb Collection arrives and is planted, I was going to have an extra six slots in tray 2. B suggested trying to grow some peppers, and after some searching, I succeeded in finding a distributor for Pimientos de Padrón, the tasty sweet (when green and unripe) peppers that we ate in northern Spain this past summer. They are typically sauteed in olive oil and served as a tapa (an appetizer served at bars that only serve appetizers, "tapaterias"). They are absolutely delicious, and we´ve had much difficulty finding a close substitute in the local grocery stores here, so I´m very excited about the possibility of growing them here in the greenhouse.
The minimum order at Renee´s Garden was three packets of seeds, so I also purchased some sunflowers for the yard. Last year, in addition to giant sunflowers, we bought an assorted sunflower seed pack that produced some really beautiful multi-color sunflowers with purple and red-streaked blooms. They were like Hydra with multiple heads for each stalk. The "Bright Bandolier" sunflower seemed the most like the Hydra from last summer, and so I purchased one packet of those and one packet of the "Lemon Queen" variety. Renee´s Garden promises to donate 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the Lemon Queen seeds to the Great Sunflower Project, which aims to help advance the understanding of the current plight of pollinating bees by studying and recording what types of bees in which areas are frequenting the Lemon Queen sunflowers. It sounds like a neat project. One of the coolest things about our sunflower canopy in the front yard last year was how it seemed to establish its own ecosystem complete with a host of birds, bees, and weird beetles I´d never seen before. Hopefully this year´s sunflower crop will be just as bountiful and we can help out with some bee studies at the same time.
3.12.09
heat mat installed
So I made it to the local hydroponics store this evening and purchased a 20W Super Sprouter Seedling Heating Mat for $30. It's the same size as the seed flat (about 10" x 20") and claims to "warm the temperature of the rooting area 10-20F above the ambient air temperature." Since I think it's currently around 60F on that shelf, it seems it should work out well for the tomato plants germinating there.
I also would like to amend a previous post in which I stated that "the worst that could happen [in planting the tomato plants so early] is that they flower before it's warm enough for them to be taken outside and pollinated." I found out tonight at the hydroponics store that I seemingly know very little about pollination and which types of vegetables require pollination assistance (as in from various bees). Apparently, most types of tomato plants do not require cross-pollination and can pollinate themselves with the help of some shaking. For the more difficult species, pollination can be accomplished through vibrating the flowers in any of a number of ways (electric toothbrush, for example). I'm looking forward to reading more about pollination in general, and how it pertains to the plants I'll be growing in particular.
I also would like to amend a previous post in which I stated that "the worst that could happen [in planting the tomato plants so early] is that they flower before it's warm enough for them to be taken outside and pollinated." I found out tonight at the hydroponics store that I seemingly know very little about pollination and which types of vegetables require pollination assistance (as in from various bees). Apparently, most types of tomato plants do not require cross-pollination and can pollinate themselves with the help of some shaking. For the more difficult species, pollination can be accomplished through vibrating the flowers in any of a number of ways (electric toothbrush, for example). I'm looking forward to reading more about pollination in general, and how it pertains to the plants I'll be growing in particular.
seeds
(Most of) The seeds have arrived! The Herbes de Provence collection is on backorder, but tonight I planted six slots each of: Mexican tarragon, Slow Bolt cilantro, Maglia Rosa cherry tom., Chadwick cherry tom., Fox cherry tom., Santiam tom., Oregon Spring Bush tom., Red House Free Standing tom., and Crimson Sprinter tom. The tarragon should sprout first; the package says it germinates in 5-7 days. All of the tomato plants except the Santiam germinate in 6-10 days, and the Santiam and the "Slow Bolt" cilantro both take 7-14. I added the Red House Free Standing and cherry tomato seeds to the tray containing the basil. The other tomato seeds are filling 1/4 of a tray on the second shelf.
Tomorrow I'll go buy the heat mat since all the seeds except for the cilantro require a minimum soil temperature of 70F to germinate. For some reason, the range of temperatures for the cilantro is much colder: 55-65F.
It's really probably too early to be starting the tomato plants, but I suppose the worst that could happen is that they flower before it's warm enough for them to be taken outside and pollinated.
Tomorrow I'll go buy the heat mat since all the seeds except for the cilantro require a minimum soil temperature of 70F to germinate. For some reason, the range of temperatures for the cilantro is much colder: 55-65F.It's really probably too early to be starting the tomato plants, but I suppose the worst that could happen is that they flower before it's warm enough for them to be taken outside and pollinated.
2.12.09
supplies update, slideshow soon
The purple basil has really taken off, and the sweet basil is finally starting to sprout. I've been photographing them twice a day, and now I'm working on a slideshow of their respective pictures.
In the meantime, I'm waiting for the new seeds to arrive, and I finally ordered the fluorescent bulbs. The best price on a 2' single T5 fixture with bulb was $45 from ACF Greenhouse. This includes not only the bulb, but also a metallic reflector to help direct the light onto a smaller area. They have a really nice site that provides a lot of background on different lighting options and how to compare them to figure out exactly what your lighting needs are. Just as with the seeds, the bulbs are supposed to arrive in 4-10 business days. I hope they get here soon, now that the basil has sprouted, the greenhouse really needs more uniform and efficient lighting.
Also, I've found a local supplier for the heat mats for seed germination. They should provide a much more efficient source of heat for the seeds than the grow bulb. The product is made by HydroFarm Inc, but they only sell to retailers. I'm planning on purchasing two, and then my greenhouse supplies should be complete!
In the meantime, I'm waiting for the new seeds to arrive, and I finally ordered the fluorescent bulbs. The best price on a 2' single T5 fixture with bulb was $45 from ACF Greenhouse. This includes not only the bulb, but also a metallic reflector to help direct the light onto a smaller area. They have a really nice site that provides a lot of background on different lighting options and how to compare them to figure out exactly what your lighting needs are. Just as with the seeds, the bulbs are supposed to arrive in 4-10 business days. I hope they get here soon, now that the basil has sprouted, the greenhouse really needs more uniform and efficient lighting.
Also, I've found a local supplier for the heat mats for seed germination. They should provide a much more efficient source of heat for the seeds than the grow bulb. The product is made by HydroFarm Inc, but they only sell to retailers. I'm planning on purchasing two, and then my greenhouse supplies should be complete!
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