ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
It may simply be that after the first ones started growing, I put a grow light on them, which added enough heat to the soil to prevent the others from germinating.
deluxestogie Grow Log 2015
- Thread starter deluxestogie
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Heat to the soil encourages germination....thats why they make heating mats for seed starting..this year im using 2 heating mats
cigarchris
Well-Known Member
Hi Bob, I'm wondering if you got a chance to kiln your PA Swarr-Hibshman, Machu Pichu and Vuelta Abajo from 2014, and if so, how have they turned out? I'm just trying to decide what varieties to grow this year, and these three all seemed interesting. What have you blended any of these with that worked well?
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
We're talking about deer tongue, which requires cooling for a period of time before warming up to initiate sprouting.
Setting-up Germination Today
For some reason, I have dreaded setting-up my seed this year. Well...2-1/2 hours later, it's all done.
The mythical Chillard's White Angel Leaf is MIA. If it arrives within the next week, then it will still make the 2015 grow.
[Photo: bunch of plastic jars on a cookie sheet on a shelf]
Bob
EDIT: I've considered adding Carolina Bright, but decided not to grow flue-cure varieties until my kiln situation is resolved.
For some reason, I have dreaded setting-up my seed this year. Well...2-1/2 hours later, it's all done.
- wash 16 plastic Ball freezer jars (8 oz.) and their lids
- fill each 2/3 with starting mix (4 parts Miracle-Gro peat: 1 part vermiculite: 1 part Pearlite.)
- cut 16 Tyvek tags to label the jars, and another 16 to label the lids
- fill-out all 32 tags
- cut tape for 32 tags, then tape matching pairs of tags to the jars
- dig through 4 years of various collections of seed to find the ones for this year--this took about 20 minutes!
- one jar at a time: add 1/4 cup water, sprinkle with seed, mist lightly, cap the jar, double check the labels with the seed envelope
- assemble the 16 jars on a cookie sheet
- rig an extension cord in the back porch, and plug in the seedling heat mat
- place the heat mat on foam insulation atop the wire shelf
- place the cookie sheet full of jars onto the mat, so it receives very brief daily sun
- rest my back
The mythical Chillard's White Angel Leaf is MIA. If it arrives within the next week, then it will still make the 2015 grow.
[Photo: bunch of plastic jars on a cookie sheet on a shelf]
Bob
EDIT: I've considered adding Carolina Bright, but decided not to grow flue-cure varieties until my kiln situation is resolved.
Brown Thumb
Well-Known Member
Quit Gasping, you are scaring me.
Good luck this Yr, like you need any.
Your grow logs are always Sensational.
BT
Good luck this Yr, like you need any.
Your grow logs are always Sensational.
BT
chillardbee
Well-Known Member
I just sent the seed with my wife and she'll post from her work expdiated. Hold on Bob, the seeds on it's way.
Very generous, but no need to send your wife. The seed alone will suffice.
Bob
Bob
chillardbee
Well-Known Member
It's all right, I don't charge extra for the wife, lol. Apperently the seeds should arrive on friday but it might be sooner too, so keep an eye out for them.
Royal Delivery
While enjoying an afternoon of lovely spring weather, sitting in the shade of my plantation house veranda, I noted the approach of a gilded carriage, drawn by a team of finely groomed horses. As it came to a halt before me, a liveried footman descended from his seat alongside the coachman, sharply opened the coach door, and extended the folded steps.
A gentleman in a beige velvet, brocaded suit and feathered hat peered out at the surroundings. When his gaze settled on me, he stepped down. "Robert, I presume?"
"Yes."
"I have been entrusted by the Royal Canadian Post with a precious parcel, for delivery only into you hands. I have been traveling day and night, through twelve changes of horse teams, and frankly, look forward to a more leisurely return journey." He held forth a small, closely wrapped package. "I have been led to understand that this contains seed of the famed Chillard's White Angel Leaf."
Although I am, of course, accustomed to such deliveries, this particular one was eagerly awaited.
Youch!
Thank you, Chillardbee. It has now been sowed.
The parcel also contained quite a number of other seed packets--a treasure trove.
Bob
While enjoying an afternoon of lovely spring weather, sitting in the shade of my plantation house veranda, I noted the approach of a gilded carriage, drawn by a team of finely groomed horses. As it came to a halt before me, a liveried footman descended from his seat alongside the coachman, sharply opened the coach door, and extended the folded steps.
A gentleman in a beige velvet, brocaded suit and feathered hat peered out at the surroundings. When his gaze settled on me, he stepped down. "Robert, I presume?"
"Yes."
"I have been entrusted by the Royal Canadian Post with a precious parcel, for delivery only into you hands. I have been traveling day and night, through twelve changes of horse teams, and frankly, look forward to a more leisurely return journey." He held forth a small, closely wrapped package. "I have been led to understand that this contains seed of the famed Chillard's White Angel Leaf."
Although I am, of course, accustomed to such deliveries, this particular one was eagerly awaited.
Youch!
Thank you, Chillardbee. It has now been sowed.
The parcel also contained quite a number of other seed packets--a treasure trove.
Bob
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
Excellent write up Bob!
chillardbee
Well-Known Member
Hope it goes well for you Bob. I threw other varieties in there since it was going your way anyway. Enjoy.
Tracking the Details
Without admitting to having poor memory, I'll just say that I expend some effort to make sure that I know which variety is which. If they get mixed up at any point along the way, then seed that they may produce is always a matter of uncertainty.
As mentioned before, I germinate seed in plastic 8 ounce Ball freezer jars. Both the lid and the jar are labeled. Each jar is partly filled with my germination soil mix. I also mark Popsicle sticks with the variety name--one stick for each individual 4-cell tray, which will always contain a single variety. The sticks are marked both front and back, and are set aside until the trays are set up.
Each jar is carried, only one jar at a time, to a separate location (a different counter), for adding seed. I add about 1/4 cup of water to the soil, lightly sprinkle the seed, then lightly mist the surface with water. The lid is closed, and remains closed until after germination. I don't add additional water. After all the jars are sowed, they are assembled onto a cookie sheet, placed on a seedling heat mat, and ignored for 4 days. Although they will germinate just fine in the dark, mine are place on a shelf that receives low-angle sun for a short time each day.
After 4 to 7 days, nearly all seed that is viable will have germinated. For my relatively small number of plants desired for each variety (between 4 and 22, depending on the variety and purpose), I plan for 4 more plants than I will need. Although this is a small safety margin in some cases (grow 20 seedlings to insure 16 good plants), it usually works out.
Soil (same mix as for germinating) is added to 48-cell 1020 tray inserts. The soil is not pressed into the cells, but just poured on, then scraped level, which leaves it loose. Each of my trays is actually 3 trays nested into one another. On the bottom is a lattice tray, for ease in handling the trays. Into that, I place a solid 1020 tray (which will hold water). Into the solid tray, I place a 1020 tray with drainage holes. Then the 48-cell insert goes on top.
The lower, solid tray holds about 1-1/2 quarts of water (below the nested tray with holes), which I pour in while a corner insert tray is removed. Initially, to this I add another 3/4 quart of water, which will be completely soaked up by the loose soil mix.
When a variety of seed has germinated, I lightly dimple each cell that it will occupy, which makes it easier to free a tiny seedling from the forceps. Using my bayonet forceps (any old tweezers will do), I dig out a single germinated seed--often at a small cotyledon stage--and place one per cell. If several tiny seedlings stick together, I've found it less work to just transfer the small clump to the cell, then cull the weakest after a week or so. Each 4-cell tray gets its respective Popsicle stick label.
Each newly transplanted seedling gets a spritz of water, to settle it in. Then a dome is placed over the tray. Since I don't have enough domes, I alternatively use a cover of plastic wrap on some trays.
The trays are placed onto shelves at window level in my enclosed back porch, where they receive direct sun (low angle at this time of year) for part of each day. If it's too warm or too hot, a sheet of Agribon-AG15 can be placed over a tray. The sunlight usually prevents mold, but I watch carefully, and open the cover if needed.
When the time comes to transplant outside, each individual 4-cell tray has its own Popsicle stick label, which goes with it to the garden.
As of today, nearly all varieties are now in their individual cells, where they will live for the next 6 to 8 weeks. Chillardbee's funky white wonder was just sowed yesterday, and the Danneman Bahia (Mata Fina) has not germinated, and probably won't.
Bob
Without admitting to having poor memory, I'll just say that I expend some effort to make sure that I know which variety is which. If they get mixed up at any point along the way, then seed that they may produce is always a matter of uncertainty.
As mentioned before, I germinate seed in plastic 8 ounce Ball freezer jars. Both the lid and the jar are labeled. Each jar is partly filled with my germination soil mix. I also mark Popsicle sticks with the variety name--one stick for each individual 4-cell tray, which will always contain a single variety. The sticks are marked both front and back, and are set aside until the trays are set up.
Each jar is carried, only one jar at a time, to a separate location (a different counter), for adding seed. I add about 1/4 cup of water to the soil, lightly sprinkle the seed, then lightly mist the surface with water. The lid is closed, and remains closed until after germination. I don't add additional water. After all the jars are sowed, they are assembled onto a cookie sheet, placed on a seedling heat mat, and ignored for 4 days. Although they will germinate just fine in the dark, mine are place on a shelf that receives low-angle sun for a short time each day.
After 4 to 7 days, nearly all seed that is viable will have germinated. For my relatively small number of plants desired for each variety (between 4 and 22, depending on the variety and purpose), I plan for 4 more plants than I will need. Although this is a small safety margin in some cases (grow 20 seedlings to insure 16 good plants), it usually works out.
Soil (same mix as for germinating) is added to 48-cell 1020 tray inserts. The soil is not pressed into the cells, but just poured on, then scraped level, which leaves it loose. Each of my trays is actually 3 trays nested into one another. On the bottom is a lattice tray, for ease in handling the trays. Into that, I place a solid 1020 tray (which will hold water). Into the solid tray, I place a 1020 tray with drainage holes. Then the 48-cell insert goes on top.
The lower, solid tray holds about 1-1/2 quarts of water (below the nested tray with holes), which I pour in while a corner insert tray is removed. Initially, to this I add another 3/4 quart of water, which will be completely soaked up by the loose soil mix.
When a variety of seed has germinated, I lightly dimple each cell that it will occupy, which makes it easier to free a tiny seedling from the forceps. Using my bayonet forceps (any old tweezers will do), I dig out a single germinated seed--often at a small cotyledon stage--and place one per cell. If several tiny seedlings stick together, I've found it less work to just transfer the small clump to the cell, then cull the weakest after a week or so. Each 4-cell tray gets its respective Popsicle stick label.
Each newly transplanted seedling gets a spritz of water, to settle it in. Then a dome is placed over the tray. Since I don't have enough domes, I alternatively use a cover of plastic wrap on some trays.
The trays are placed onto shelves at window level in my enclosed back porch, where they receive direct sun (low angle at this time of year) for part of each day. If it's too warm or too hot, a sheet of Agribon-AG15 can be placed over a tray. The sunlight usually prevents mold, but I watch carefully, and open the cover if needed.
When the time comes to transplant outside, each individual 4-cell tray has its own Popsicle stick label, which goes with it to the garden.
As of today, nearly all varieties are now in their individual cells, where they will live for the next 6 to 8 weeks. Chillardbee's funky white wonder was just sowed yesterday, and the Danneman Bahia (Mata Fina) has not germinated, and probably won't.
Bob
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
Bob, excellent post.
My Bahia germinated a little late, but really took off after that. It's doing great now. The one that didn't sprout for me was the Jorge Grande Brazil, although I do have (1) sprouted from the first batch, and the back up batch just sprouted, and looks like all the back up did sprout.
Looking forward to your always wonderful grow blog this season!
My Bahia germinated a little late, but really took off after that. It's doing great now. The one that didn't sprout for me was the Jorge Grande Brazil, although I do have (1) sprouted from the first batch, and the back up batch just sprouted, and looks like all the back up did sprout.
Looking forward to your always wonderful grow blog this season!
Special Encore Performance
I mentioned in the previous post that my germination jars remained sealed until it was time to transfer germinated seedlings into their individual cell trays. Actually, they are then sealed again, and set aside (ignored completely), in case I need to replace any seedlings in the trays. But they never get any more water than what was initially placed in the jar before seeding.
In the autumn of 2014, I noticed that two of my jars (Machu Picchu and Little Dutch) from my March 2014 sowing still held living, very tiny seedlings. The Little Dutch has since passed on, but as of today (one year after sowing!) the Machu Picchu still had 4 tiny seedlings, clinging to life in their neglected terrarium.
I have transferred each of them into his own cell, and placed that tray of 4 along side this year's seedlings. They are elaborately marked, to indicate their distinct accomplishment. We'll see if they thrive, or shrivel. If they survive their 6 to 8 weeks in the cells, then I will transplant them to a tobacco bed, and see if they are able to forget their unfortunate first year.
Bob
I mentioned in the previous post that my germination jars remained sealed until it was time to transfer germinated seedlings into their individual cell trays. Actually, they are then sealed again, and set aside (ignored completely), in case I need to replace any seedlings in the trays. But they never get any more water than what was initially placed in the jar before seeding.
In the autumn of 2014, I noticed that two of my jars (Machu Picchu and Little Dutch) from my March 2014 sowing still held living, very tiny seedlings. The Little Dutch has since passed on, but as of today (one year after sowing!) the Machu Picchu still had 4 tiny seedlings, clinging to life in their neglected terrarium.
I have transferred each of them into his own cell, and placed that tray of 4 along side this year's seedlings. They are elaborately marked, to indicate their distinct accomplishment. We'll see if they thrive, or shrivel. If they survive their 6 to 8 weeks in the cells, then I will transplant them to a tobacco bed, and see if they are able to forget their unfortunate first year.
Bob
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
Special Encore Performance
I mentioned in the previous post that my germination jars remained sealed until it was time to transfer germinated seedlings into their individual cell trays. Actually, they are then sealed again, and set aside (ignored completely), in case I need to replace any seedlings in the trays. But they never get any more water than what was initially placed in the jar before seeding.
In the autumn of 2014, I noticed that two of my jars (Machu Picchu and Little Dutch) from my March 2014 sowing still held living, very tiny seedlings. The Little Dutch has since passed on, but as of today (one year after sowing!) the Machu Picchu still had 4 tiny seedlings, clinging to life in their neglected terrarium.
I have transferred each of them into his own cell, and placed that tray of 4 along side this year's seedlings. They are elaborately marked, to indicate their distinct accomplishment. We'll see if they thrive, or shrivel. If they survive their 6 to 8 weeks in the cells, then I will transplant them to a tobacco bed, and see if they are able to forget their unfortunate first year.
Bob
Wow, tuned in to see how this turns out.
BarG
Founding Member
Them plants looking good..You have a knack for it.Thats true.
CT Tobaccoman
Well-Known Member
Bob, I would be afraid to have tomatoes so close to tobacco. Do you regularly grow it close to tobacco without any problems?
CT
CT
I won't intersperse tomatoes with tobacco plants. My worry with them is that nursery-grown tomato transplants sometimes carry TMV and a couple of other bugs. I have seen no problems with planting tomatoes in separate, albeit nearby, beds--over many years. Because tomato is rather closely related to tobacco, it comes down to the same risk of planting any tobacco near any other tobacco. All mono-cultures have an increased risk of single-point catastrophe.
If I bothered to raise my own tomato seedlings (which I used to do, but found it to be not worth the effort), then I would have no issues. Since I now purchase tomato transplants each year, I carefully inspect those that I select.
Bob
If I bothered to raise my own tomato seedlings (which I used to do, but found it to be not worth the effort), then I would have no issues. Since I now purchase tomato transplants each year, I carefully inspect those that I select.
Bob
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