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AJs 2011 Season Start...

AlabamaJack

AlabamaJack

Extreme Member
Just got back from Christmas holidays down in Pensacola and am ready to prepare for my first seed starting for 2011...

This is going to be my 2011 grow thread...all comments/criticism/suggestions welcome and is encouraged...if you follow this thread, you will be able to see how I do things...not saying it is right, but it is just how I do them...

on to the subject at hand....

Cleaned out the germinator, checked the lights, the remote bulb thermostat, heating sources...all A.O.K.

before lights turned on...

123110a021.jpg


ready for business...the germinator will take eight 72 cell seed starting trays...4 in each chamber...germinator temperature will be controlled at as close to 83F (~28C) constant as the thermostat will allow...usually +/- 3F...

123110a018.jpg


Seed Starting checklist...

Seeds...duh

Hoffmans Seed Starting Mix...got about 40 quarts...good for about 4 or 5 trays if I remember right...got another 180 quarts that will be here today...

Watering solution...note, if you do use Hoffmans you will find that it is relatively hard to get the mix wet...I bottom water my trays until the top of the mix in the tray is wet...

Trays - all sanitized and ready for use...no domes...I don't use domes because of the bad experinece I had with damping off and mold/fungus on top of my soil...

seems I am almost ready to start 2011...

one thing I am going to do before planting the first seed is completely sanitize the germinator with a good strong insecticide of some sort...still TBD at this moment...got to go do homus depos in a couple of hours to get what I need...

more pics and prose later today...

It's gonna be a good year...I can feel it in my bones...
 
Ready and waiting AJ.
I am also looking forward to a good season here once we've dispatched the heatwave and temps settle down a bit. Our season is 1/3rd through, my normal harvest period is usually April to May. Although this is my first year in Pots as we have this farm on the market so I need to take em with me if the place sells. I normally have all my chillies in the ground and they are usually a bit further along than the ones in the pots are. But its a long season so theres no need to panic.
 
I had the same kind of seed starter in mind. Well, a little different but seeing yours helps me figure out what I need to do. Right now I'm using a cardboard box for the littliest seedlings but it isn't big enough for everything.

Question for you, what kind of thermostat and vent system are you using? I haven't been able to figure that out yet.

Is that a humidor humidity/temp gauge?

I'm interested to follow along in your process and see how it's done by a pro.
Thanks for posting
 
Good luck to ya AJ. Looking forward to reading/seeing your adventures this year. :woohoo:
 
Justaguy said:
I love following these threads. Can't wait to get mine started. I have to build the shelves this weekend.
Click to expand...

+1 for Justaguy. Doing the same thing this weekend and albiet nothing comapred to your production.

AJ, thanks for the T Scorp tips, got it hanging :cheers:
 
Good luck AJ! I'm ready to start, unfortunately my seeds are taking an eternity to get here. :/ Damn USPS. That's what happens when you put the government in charge of something...my seedling mat/greenhouse came in 2 days (UPS) and my 4' 6-tube T5 light came in 4 (Fedex)...from California. But 2 freaking letters are at 25 and 11 days and still nothing. :/ And we want these people in charge of health care? :o
 
AB,

It might just be the season. We send out bills and such every month and without fail, a couple of businesses get their payment in the mail the same day. Not this year. I think the PO's budget woes means they are not replacing employees; I know when I go to buy stamps, I might as well take a book with me.

It could also be the purveyors are not fulfilling orders very quickly. I haven't ordered any in the last month, but usually when I do, I get them within 4-7 days.

Mike
 
wordwiz said:
AB,

It might just be the season. We send out bills and such every month and without fail, a couple of businesses get their payment in the mail the same day. Not this year. I think the PO's budget woes means they are not replacing employees; I know when I go to buy stamps, I might as well take a book with me.

It could also be the purveyors are not fulfilling orders very quickly. I haven't ordered any in the last month, but usually when I do, I get them within 4-7 days.

Mike
Click to expand...

Not sure about the second order (11 days, from peppermania), but the first was from Neil and I know he sent it on the 9th, which I guess would be 22 days, not 25. It is coming from halfway around the world, but still. I'm just hoping they show up at all at this point. Hopefully soon so I don't get too far behind being in Indiana with a short growing season.
 
Avon Barksdale said:
Not sure about the second order (11 days, from peppermania), but the first was from Neil and I know he sent it on the 9th, which I guess would be 22 days, not 25. It is coming from halfway around the world, but still. I'm just hoping they show up at all at this point. Hopefully soon so I don't get too far behind being in Indiana with a short growing season.
Click to expand...

Let's hope you didn't have a Customs Inspector who was having a bad hair day and decided to confiscate the seeds. It doesn't happen often, but it can.

PS - If the seeds arrive by what seems too late, you can run the lights 24/7 for about six weeks and they will quickly catch up. There is a thread in this forum and in GardenWeb about an experiment a guy did.

Mike
 
and good luck to all of you in the coming season...

mikeinsc said:
Question for you, what kind of thermostat and vent system are you using? I haven't been able to figure that out yet.

Is that a humidor humidity/temp gauge?

I'm interested to follow along in your process and see how it's done by a pro.
Click to expand...

it is a remote bulb thermostat that has dual controls on it...day and night...heating and cooling...was more expensive than I wanted to pay but it sure works good...no vent system...I just prop the doors open a bit...and when the seedlings come up, I will run a fan on them as hard as it can blow without knocking them down 2 or 3 times a day...they will be tough little critters in about a month or 6 weeks..

see post numner 4 here.... http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/14268-ajs-2010-season-start/page__p__290604__hl__%22remote+bulb+thermostat%22__fromsearch__1#entry290604

the "weather station" in the back of the top chamber indicates, barometric pressure, humitidy, and temperature...bought it at a garage sale for fifty cents...I would say I have gotten my moneys worth... :)

logchief said:
AJ, thanks for the T Scorp tips, got it hanging :cheers:
Click to expand...

you are welcome man...


OK..not much to show for an update except I did get 8 trays planted today and they are in the germinator..

123110b001.jpg


First Growlog installment of seeds planted...

2011growlog12-21-10.jpg


now for the hard part....waiting...
 
Finally that time of the year for you, AJ? :woohoo:

I would wish you luck but if you can already feel it's gonna be a good one in them experienced bones of yours...... ;)

What the hell.... GOOD LUCK!!!
 
thanks Gas...saw on the news last night we are in a La Nina pattern...woo hoo is right...dryer and warmer winter than average...
 
wordwiz said:
Let's hope you didn't have a Customs Inspector who was having a bad hair day and decided to confiscate the seeds. It doesn't happen often, but it can.

PS - If the seeds arrive by what seems too late, you can run the lights 24/7 for about six weeks and they will quickly catch up. There is a thread in this forum and in GardenWeb about an experiment a guy did.

Mike
Click to expand...

Yeah, I hope that's not the case. Neil offered to resend if they don't get here soon, which is great of him, some places would just say you're SOL I'm sure. Hopefully it doesn't come to that and they arrive soon.

Thanks for the heads up on the 24/7, I was under the impression that ~18/6 was ideal. I thought the plants benefit from a little sleep time.

On the bright side my light came today, I have it set up in the closet and it fits very nicely, only 1-1.5" to spare all the way around. :D I was a little worried that it would fit when I took it out of the box but it fits almost perfectly. It's really bright and seems well built too. Unfortunately I broke one of the T5 bulbs when hanging it. :o Oh well, I can pick up another one at the hardware store, so no biggie.
 
Aj,

Those seeds you started already.... They are the ones you are planning to sell or are some for your personal garden? I think I my last freeze is about a week or two after yours. Thought you had said you start your personal plants a bit later. Oh pots and trays arrived safe... Plugs were backordered and supposed to ship monday.
 
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