Monday, February 9, 2009

February 9, 2009

Short post tonight.  Snow is coming down something fierce.  We don't get this much snow in a season, let alone multiple times.  Gotta love the havvoc global warming creates!

I just had to share my successful watering technique for my tomatoes.  I had sprayed the tops with my mister, but the rest of the 3 inches of Mel's Mix was dry.  So I filled the dish they were sitting in with a half inch of water.  Today all the water's gone and the plants wicked up the water.  Very cool!  I had been worried that they needed air and that I was doing something wrong, but so far so good.  I'm not sure I'll do it again like that, but it is an effective way to water the plants.

Oh, and my timer works well. I checked when I woke up and sure enough, the light was on upstairs.  I turned off the surge protector to save light and energy as my plants aren't up there yet.  Temperature wise, it's 55 degrees up there with the door closed.  It's 60 when I open the door, though I'm concerned the cats will eat my seedlings.  I don't know if 50 degrees is enough for seedlings, or if the temperature under the lights will be warmer at all.  I don't know.  Experimenting will be in order I guess.

Enjoy your garden!

3 comments:

  1. More snow? That sucks. All our snow should be gone by Wednesday. Tues is supposed to be 8c(46F) & Wed is supposed to be 11c(51F) with rain both days. I think we have traded weather.

    When I start seeds I always fill the pot, completely saturate the soil and then let it drain well. Then plant the seed and cover them with a clear dome or plastic something to keep them moist and warm. Watering from below works too though, as you know with your SWC.

    50 degrees is pretty cold, your lights should bump up the heat though, it certainly did for EG's setup. 64 degrees would probably be idea making for an environment that does not hamper growth and at the same time does not cause excess growth. It's all trail and error really.

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  2. Sinfonian - thanks for the link to the ezine. Good reading! About your seedlings....those cats will eat them! Oh God.....you can't let them in that room....Hee hee. No, really! Mine ate all of them last year. Stupid cats. Snow? Man....that's unbelievable.

    EG

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  3. The weather has been weird this year, on the east coast too, but then I think the weather is weird every year. BTW the temperatures are fine for your cool season crops, but tomatoes really like it warmer. They won't grow much in the 50s. I don' t have a cat, so I don't have that issue, but I've heard of other gardeners growing cat grass as a good distraction.

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