We're again getting lots of snow, thanks to a storm system that moved through yesterday and the lake effect that kicked up overnight. But I'm thinking spring. (And have probably gone a tad crazy.) Last weekend (I think) I planted some seeds. Most of them are peppers (a hot pepper mix, some sweet banana peppers, and maybe some bell peppers? I probably should have written this down). I've never had luck with peppers in the garden, I think because our summers are so short and cool. So I thought I'd try to get them a head start and see if I could get some plants big by the time I can plant them outdoors. They will probably get too leggy, but oh well.
I also planted some Burpee 'Big Mama' tomatoes. These are the tomatoes I was SO excited for last year. The plants I started from seed got planted in Dan's grandfather's garden, then were killed by a last frost. So I wasn't able to grow any last year. I'll try again this year. Whether or not these will be the plants that successfully make it to the garden, I don't know.
The tomatoes all sprouted within a few days, no problem. The peppers, not so much. Peppers need a really warm temperature to germinate (around 80 degrees F, I've read), and because we keep our house around 65, I wasn't sure I could get them to germinate. To help them along, I enlisted the help of my trusty heat pad. Not only do I use it to
make yogurt but now I'm using it to germinate plants! Since it turns off after 60 minutes, the heat pad gets turned on whenever I'm home and remember to hit the switch. But after several days of doing that, I have peppers (4 out of 18). Hopefully more will germinate this week.
It's beginning to look a lot like spring. At least on the inside of the house.
Peppers take a lot longer to germinate then tomatoes. They also grow slower. I don't think that it is too early to start your plants. Do you have a flourescent shop light over them? They will grow fine and not get too leggy if you keep the light close (within an inch or two) and keep moving it up as the grow. You should see my set-up in the basement...and it was made from all free stuff!!
ReplyDeleteWow you are early! I don't start mine until about February here, the last few years have showed me that tiny seedlings put out the same time as my big hardened off ones caught up and even got bigger faster LOL! Sometimes you can't help but hurrying spring along!
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