Tag: seed starting

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Germination box for summer crops

Germination box

When i was just starting with farming i initially used heating mats big enough for 1 flat.  After 2 wasnt enough and i needed like 8 or 10 flats on a heat mat at once i decided to build one.  

I decided 12 flats would be enough for a germination box.  I could always build another one if i needed it.  I measured the dimensions i needed for 12 flats to fit on my bench system in the greenhouse.  I added an extra couple inches for ease of getting trays in and out and then built a box out of plywood.  I then added eaves trough melter cable as evenly as i could on the bottom of the box.  Finally covering the cables with a layer of sand to help even out the heat hitting the trays.

The cable is plugged into one of the inkbird controllers i use for everything (multiple uses for each item) and set to 75 degrees.  

Lastly i built a frame lid and put greenhouse plastic on it so that it closes all the way

The result is i can set the temperature in my greenhouse to 12 degrees celcius and my warm weather starts are unaffected.  The cost saving of the lower temps in the greenhouse are quite significant.  

This same box has worked for the past 4 seasons.  I had to replace the plastic on the lids once as they got stored badly one summer and were damaged.  I have rarely needed more than 12 flats in the germination box at a time with my staggered start for my summer crops.

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Farm season starting

It’s getting to that time of year once again. The planning is well underway, seeds are all here and the grow season is about to take off. For me it has already started. Where most home growers are planning around last frost dates for their seed starting adventures i work around 3 planting dates. The first one is march 15th in my heated greenhouse, then may 1st in the minimally heated greenhouse, then finally the after frost date which is around the third week of may here(zone 5a).

So far in my grow tent i have started February 3rd, Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, herbs and cabbage. Then on Feb 15th i planted tomatoes, pak choy, kohl rabi,spring onions, and lettuce.

Grow tent with produce

Still to plant for the first round i have cucumbers, zucchini and direct seeding.

Generally for markets i would fill my main greenhouse with tomatoes interplanted with lettuce and pak choy but i am changing my focus this year, which is to feed myself and my family as much variety as possible early as possible and for as long as possible. Crops like cabbage are not profitable in the early greenhouse environment but i am feeding me first and markets second.

As soon as i start heating the greenhouse i will direct seed beans, peas, radish and hakurai turnips and interplant all my transplants.

Im looking at march 3-6th to start heating the greenhouse and the 10th for planting transplants as long as the soil is warm enough.

As soon as the heat is on onions, shallots and leeks need to be seeded as well. Shortly after that its peppers and on march 15th all the summer crops to get planted for the partially heated greenhouses.

The difference between the heated greenhouse and partially heated greenhouses is this. Heated greenhouse has double plastic and propane heaters and climate control. The partially heated greenhouses use forced air heaters and manual window and door openings, single layer of plastic.(photos to come when i get working out there). Thats the update of what’s been going on around here just now. another week and we will be full swing into growing.

this photo above was taken April 27th. It is my main heated greenhouse. Next wednesday May 1st i start back at market. Lettuce is ready. Spinach that was overwintered in a hoop house is ready. Hakurai turnips and pak choy will be ready for market as well. The cabbages, kale, broccoli and cauliflower need a few more weeks and they are mostly for us anyways. Cherry tomatoes are in flower and if im lucky harvest will start at the end of may for those.

in the middle bed with the black pots laid out every 2 feet. Marked out for cucumbers that will be going into the bed in 2 weeks.