If there is a (+1), that means I have a later seeded one that is growing. I did reseed a few varieties of tomatoes and lettuce that didn't have very good germination. If there is a (-1), that means one died.
March 31, 2010: Up Close and Personal
Kiwi Gomes requested a closer look at the germination list I have taped to my garden shed wall, so here it is (click to enlarge).
If there is a (+1), that means I have a later seeded one that is growing. I did reseed a few varieties of tomatoes and lettuce that didn't have very good germination. If there is a (-1), that means one died.
If there is a (+1), that means I have a later seeded one that is growing. I did reseed a few varieties of tomatoes and lettuce that didn't have very good germination. If there is a (-1), that means one died.
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Glad to see that someone else planted so many tomatoes! Will you plant all of those plants, or are some just in casers?
ReplyDeleteMegan, most are just in casers. I want to plant one of each, so planted three of each to make sure. I might plant a few more of the low germinating ones...just in case :-)
ReplyDeleteI have so many tomatoes and peppers I'm embarassed to post it - in my defense though I host a seed swap for my garden group in April and will give many of them away - although I am not sure why I go to the trouble, no one else does, and it seems they expect my tomatoes every year now, LOL!
ReplyDeleteInteresting how you monitor the germination rate. I pay attention to it but never really write in formal records about it other than an observation in the blog or a calendar entry if something is doing poorly in germinating. Your more detailed record keeping on germination rates would be useful info to be able to look back at for purposes of deciding whether a package of opened seeds should be held on to for another year - or tossed.
ReplyDeleteErin, I just hope DaBeardedOne is still building garden beds out there in Burbank! Unfortunately, his wife doesn't like tomatoes. If he doesn't want my extras, I can always Freecycle them.
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Kitsap, it's the list freak in me. I started doing it last year, but faltered about mid-way, so I vowed to be more organized with it this year. It helps to have the list out in the shed and handy. Before, I'd just try to remember to add it to my spreadsheet. Same with the tomatoes last year. Unless they had a particular special feature, like being orange or purple, I'd forget the variety by the time I got them in the house. I must identify better this year, and only grow those we really like next year.
You are so organized!
ReplyDeleteI marked my pots and flats with the names written on masking tape so I wouldn't mix things up. It sticks till I plant the stuff in the garden, then peels off easily if I want to remove it. I used to keep a detailed notebook, but this year I'm just writing things down on the blog. Two birds, one stone!
ReplyDeleteBrace yourself for detailed lists in the upcoming days.. ;-)
Rebecca, thing is you can't do that with soil blocks. I marked the containers with tape this year, but on one, I marked the tray the container sat on...then I may have turned the container around and everything will be marked backwards! Luckily, it was with the cabbage and broccoli, and one variety of cabbage is red. I will be able to put them back in the right order soon ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy list gets transferred to the spread sheet that has my seed inventory. That way I can compare the germination with the age of the seed, and toss any that isn't viable enough to keep. I'm finding the 20-cent packages of American Seed flower varieties are giving me close to 100% germination. That's going to be some cheap flowers!
With ripe tomatoes last year, having many varieties that looked just the same, I started taking a sharpie pen to the garden with me and initialing each tomato for identification! Up near the stem, of course, where I would be slicing it off.
I've always wanted to try soil blocks, and then hubby bought me all the flats I'll ever need, so if I ever do it'll be solely out of curiosity!
ReplyDeleteMost of my tomato varieties are different enough from each other that IDing the fruit should be a snap..except perhaps for my purple/black ones. I've got Black from Tula, Cherokee Purple, and Paul Robeson, and since this is my first year growing all three I don't know how similar they are. I'll be sure to use your method if there's any doubt, thanks for the tip!
I've done the germination records last year, but this year I've been to busy to keep a close eye on when they come up and how many. I'm lucky to get the plants watered right now.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, that's about the extent of my germination charting. It's shown me what I need to know, that I need to hurry and get a couple of Green Grape and Sungolds started ASAP! Those were two I want the most, and they were quite low in germination. I need more than one, just in case. I think I'll get those seeds into a coffee filter in a baggie!
ReplyDeleteThat is very impressive. Good job.
ReplyDeleteGidday Granny! Wow! It really is a great record ... Sorry I took so long to see it ... haven't been on the computer! Kudos to you! My records are in pencil too ... but rather pale in comparison :(
ReplyDeleteThank you ssosososooooooo much for sharing! Much appreciated :)
Kiwi Gomes, you're most welcome :-)
ReplyDeleteWow Gran, it looks like you are well on your way. You've been quite the busy bee lately.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh when I saw your lists. You are much more methodical and organized than I am. I noticed that your lettuce is germinating well. I'm having the worst luck with lettuce this spring. All of mine seem to be rotting. I don't get it.
Thomas, most of the lettuce germinated well, a few not so good. But I have a bunch of new varieties left to start, I'm trying to spread the plantings out by a couple of weeks so as not to get into lettuce overload. Mine are getting awfully floppy, so I try to get them outside for a while each day rather than put them under the hot lights.
ReplyDeleteHi Granny! Congratulations :-) You've won the Ft2Garden BLOG AWARD!
ReplyDeletehttp://ft2garden.powweb.com/blog/?p=831
Wow, 23 varieties of tomatoes! Impressive. No wonder you got over a thousand pounds of harvest last year. I'm envious of the space that you must have.
ReplyDeleteLou Murray, there's no way I'll be able to get 23 tomato plants in my garden! I got carried away, and will probably end up giving many of them away. Last year I did get about that many in, but they were way too crowded and I have much of that space allotted to other crops this year. My garden isn't all that large, I just plant everything quite intensively and use lots of 5-gallon buckets.
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