Blocking up

94 degrees in the greenhouse!

Today I spent the morning blocking up some of the seedlings I started on Tuesday and enjoying the warmth of the greenhouse. As the sun rose higher it became so warm I had to open the vents to cool it off a bit.

The seeds seem to have germinated extremely fast, I started these just 5 days ago and most are ready to be blocked up to the larger soil blocks. I like to block them up as soon as they have two leaves so they don't get leggy.

Zinnias - Benary's Giant Mix

 

Ageratum - Dondo Blue

This year I started mostly heirlooms and regional seeds and am getting almost 100% germination rates from each variety. They seem to be growing much faster than the seeds I started last year.

Cosmo seedling

Now the logistical game comes into play as I try to juggle the seedlings into the greenhouse during the day and back into the basement at night, until the nighttime temps stay above 50.

I was hoping to have the new shed and greenhouse built last fall, with electricity for the heating mats, so I could start and leave the seedlings right in the greenhouse. Hopefully this spring I can get them both built.

On Tuesday I started 10 mini trays using the 3/4" soil block maker. The small tool makes 20 blocks at a time and I can fit four of them into each mini tray, 80 blocks each x 10 = 800 seedlings. When I block up to the next size, which is 1-1/2", I can fit 40 blocks in each of the seedling trays, so I will end up with about 20 trays to maneuver around the greenhouse. That's just the flowers, herbs, early and cold crops, I still need to start the squash, pumpkins, more herbs and flowers, so you can see why I need a larger greenhouse!

Of course Bert had to come in to see what was going on before heading out to take a bath in the pool that I just refilled!

Now it is beginning to feel like spring,

The greenhouse is starting to fill with seedlings and will soon be overflowing with plants waiting to move into the gardens.

~Rob~

"A seed is sleepy,

but only until is it has found 

a place in the sun 

and it has had its breakfast 

and a drink of water.t

Then a seed is ...

awake!"

Dianna Hutts Aston

A Seed is Sleepy