February 28, 2014 - February Journal

2/7  Moved onions from light shelves to cooler plant window to slow growth.

2/9  Doing germination test on old lettuce seeds to check viability. Two out of six varieties tested were tossed due to poor germination.

2/10  Had second thoughts about 2" spacing on carrot seed mats, as germination is not always very good.  In the past, 1" spacing worked well and were thinned, if necessary, by pulling baby carrots. Made six Chantenay carrot seed mats, 60 seeds @ 1" spacing, 2" between rows (360 seeds) and added seeds to previously made Mokum and Sugar Snax mats to total 360 seeds of each variety (1080 total seeds)

2/11  Temperature rose to 48F and sunny.  Onion and lettuces went out to the front porch for a few hours of real sunlight.  Made two Crimson Giant radish seed mats, 30 seeds @ 2" spacing, added White Winter radish seeds to each mat (60 seeds total per mat, 120 total seeds)

2/12  Warm and sunny, all plants went outside for the afternoon.  Tomatoes were placed in large plastic storage container for wind protection.

2/13  Made two radish seed mats, hex spacing, 55 seeds per mat.  Used the last 29 White Winter seeds (pkt. held only 89 seeds) and 81 Crimson Giant.  Picked 1.2 ounces from lettuce grown indoors.  Warm and sunny, all plants went out for the day (tomatoes protected).

2/14  Warm and sunny all plants went out for the day (tomatoes protected).

2/15 Old parsley seed wasn't germinating well so I sowed multiple seeds in KFC pot and threw the remaining old seeds away.  Planted 8 cells (16 seeds) Little Gem Lettuce.  Experiment: Sowed 9 Homestead tomato seeds in 1 gallon milk jug-set it out in the garden to see if winter sowing works for me.

2/16  Put 80 Tyee spinach seeds in damp coffee filters to pre-sprout for planting later this week.  Weather was too windy for putting plants on the front porch, and too cold for the tomatoes.  Onions, lettuce and parsley went out to the patio for natural light, but no sunshine.

2/17  Gave onion seedlings a trim.

2/18  Made 72 soil blocks for spinach.  Planted 18 pre-sprouted seeds.  Moved the one container of wimpy Walla Walla onions in under lights.

2/19  Made three Danvers carrot seed mats, 60 seeds @ 1" spacing, 2" between rows (180 seeds). Planted 30 more pre-sprouted spinach seeds (48 so far). Testing viability of Little Gem.

2/20  Planted 12 more spinach seeds (60 sprouted so far),  Little Gem seeds beginning to sprout today, made 12 soil blocks for them and planted 4.

2/21  Planted 6 more spinach seeds (70 so far), and 8 Little Gem sprouts (12 total). Made 21 soil blocks and began pre-sprouting Anuenue (24), Sierra (24), Yug. Red (20) and Jericho (20) lettuce seeds. Sunny, tomato plants went out all day (protected).

2/22  Planted final 2 spinach seeds (72 total). Made 51 soil blocks for lettuce sprouts and 12 for Swiss chard.  Began pre-sprouting Winter Density lettuce and Swiss chard..

2/23  Planted pre-sprouted seeds of Anuenue (12), Sierra (12), Yug. Red (9) and Jericho (9).

2/25  Planted pre-sprouted seeds of Winter Density lettuce (9) and Swiss chard (12).

2/26  Mini Gold tomato blossoms opening. Happy Yummy pepper beginning to blossom quite profusely.

2/27  Planted 36 leeks and 6 celery in 6-pack cells.