SEEDING TIME

I may be rushing it a bit but I have seeded the 2011 tomatoes today. The groundhog said we are to have an early spring and I want to be ready as early as possible. This planting day was cold and snow is still on the ground from the four inch blizzard the Delta experienced two days ago.

Getting ready to plant the seed is somewhat of a chore but necessary. I was up early this morning and to Wal-Mart. Purchased Miracle-Gro potting mix and twenty aluminum small loaf baking tins. My trusty ice pick was called into service to poke holes in the baking tins to allow for proper drainage. I then appropriated two large heavy duty cookie sheets from the bottom of the stove. From past experience I know that each cookie sheet will hold ten baking tins. That will allow me to plant 20 different varieties and I will only have to move two trays. The trays will have to be moved several times during the process to insure proper germination and seedling development to control the temperature and exposure to sunlight.

After preparing the seed containers, I fill each with the potting mix leaving about 1/4 inch at the top to cover the planted seed. Because all the seedlings will look exactly the same when they sprout, it is extremely important to carefully mark each container to identify the variety planted in that container. As shown in the photo, I make the markers using a permanent Sharpie and place the seed packet and the marker in the containers before the first seed is planted, It is also important for the potting mix to be watered before seeding. It is easier to do this before planting the seed so when the containers are filled the mix is already good and wet. (Watering seed planted in dry mix sometimes displaces the seed which have been carefully placed in the containers.) I simply open the bag containing the mix and pour a bunch of water directly into the bag. The dry mix will absorb the water in no time at all.

2011 Seeds/February 12th.

Each of these containers will easily germinate as many seed as you want to plant. I normally plant from ten to twenty seed in each container. I try to spread them out as much as possible as it is easier to transplant  the seedlings into the growing pots later without disturbing the tender roots. Tomato seed are tiny and if one has old eyes as I do a good pair of reading glasses is essential to this part of the planting process. Shake out of the seed packet the number of seed you want to plant on a hard flat surface. Then carefully place the seed, one by one, in the bread tin. Cover the seed with 1/4 inch of the potting mix, place the marker and you are done. Because I save old seed from the seed packets in the freezer, it is prudent to plant two or three more seed than you actually want to pot up. The germination rate is normally 100% if you purchase the seed from a reliable source, but the older the seed, the less the germination rate. I always record the number of seed planted and the number of seed sprouted to be sure my old seed are still good.

After planting I place the two filled trays in the warmest place in the house which in my case is our breakfast room by the heater. I am careful to keep the trays watered and in a week to ten days the seed should sprout.