Comments on: First Sprouting http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/ Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:19:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jillian http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-349 Jillian Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:08:18 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-349 I FINALLY got the name of that book. Sheesh! It is called Country Wisdom and Know How; Everything You Need To Know About Living Off the Land. Whew! http://www.amazon.com/Country-Wisdom-Know-How-Everything-KNOW-HOW/dp/B001TMDTWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249671840&sr=8-1 I FINALLY got the name of that book. Sheesh!

It is called Country Wisdom and Know How; Everything You Need To Know About Living Off the Land.
Whew!
http://www.amazon.com/Country-Wisdom-Know-How-Everything-KNOW-HOW/dp/B001TMDTWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249671840&sr=8-1

]]> By: Jessica http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Jessica Mon, 04 May 2009 00:42:27 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-119 This was my first year of starting seeds and my plants are HUGE! :) Great advice given above. I also would like to suggest getting a good quality potting soil. A lot of potting soils are loaded with synthetic materials. Try to find something more natural. Gardensalive.com has some great potting soil and great gardening information. This was my first year of starting seeds and my plants are HUGE! :) Great advice given above. I also would like to suggest getting a good quality potting soil. A lot of potting soils are loaded with synthetic materials. Try to find something more natural. Gardensalive.com has some great potting soil and great gardening information.

]]> By: Kristen http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Kristen Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:10:07 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-35 Great comment Jillian! And Yes, get us the name of that book. It could come in real handy. It's funny, I've read a fair amount on gardening.... but I've always either totally ignored the sprouting part.... Or it isn't there. Great comment Jillian! And Yes, get us the name of that book. It could come in real handy.
It’s funny, I’ve read a fair amount on gardening…. but I’ve always either totally ignored the sprouting part…. Or it isn’t there.

]]> By: Whiterock http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Whiterock Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:15:17 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-34 Don't be sorry Jillian. Good info. And please let us know the name of that book and where to get it. WR Don’t be sorry Jillian. Good info. And please let us know the name of that book and where to get it.
WR

]]> By: Jillian http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Jillian Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:30:33 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-25 I have started seeds indoors three times, and this is the first time I have had success. South facing windows are not a long enough light source for transplanting large plants(like the ones you get at a nursery). They are okay for maybe getting a two week head start on seedlings. WR is correct about the watering process. Soak your seeds in peat pots(or whatever you use) and put a piece of plastic over the top, and put in a dark place until they sprout. Then, put them in trays(plastic ones from wal-mart or old cookie sheets with raised sides). Fill this with water every couple of days, making sure the bottoms don't dry out. If the tops dry out, mist them with water, don't drown them.(I use an old spray bottle) A heating pad is only needed if the room you are doing your seeds in is cold( a basement or cold storage room). And usually only needed for peppers. Peppers need a "sprouting start". Place seeds in between wet paper towels, and place in a plastic bag. Keep bag in a warm place(around 70 degrees) until sprouts form, then plant. Plant in larger pots, as peppers do NOT like to be transplanted more than once. Your seedlings need 16 hours of light. You can do this using fluorescent lights, about 6-8 inches below the light source. Anything further away, and your plants will get "leggy" and fall over. As your plants get taller you can raise your lights or put your tray lower. People we church with have an awesome homesteading book with all the ins and outs for starter each type of seed indoors. This is where I got all my instructions for our seed starting. I will post the name of the book when I can. It's never too late to start, again! (sorry so long winded) ;) I have started seeds indoors three times, and this is the first time I have had success. South facing windows are not a long enough light source for transplanting large plants(like the ones you get at a nursery). They are okay for maybe getting a two week head start on seedlings.
WR is correct about the watering process. Soak your seeds in peat pots(or whatever you use) and put a piece of plastic over the top, and put in a dark place until they sprout. Then, put them in trays(plastic ones from wal-mart or old cookie sheets with raised sides). Fill this with water every couple of days, making sure the bottoms don’t dry out. If the tops dry out, mist them with water, don’t drown them.(I use an old spray bottle)
A heating pad is only needed if the room you are doing your seeds in is cold( a basement or cold storage room). And usually only needed for peppers. Peppers need a “sprouting start”. Place seeds in between wet paper towels, and place in a plastic bag. Keep bag in a warm place(around 70 degrees) until sprouts form, then plant. Plant in larger pots, as peppers do NOT like to be transplanted more than once.
Your seedlings need 16 hours of light. You can do this using fluorescent lights, about 6-8 inches below the light source. Anything further away, and your plants will get “leggy” and fall over. As your plants get taller you can raise your lights or put your tray lower.
People we church with have an awesome homesteading book with all the ins and outs for starter each type of seed indoors. This is where I got all my instructions for our seed starting. I will post the name of the book when I can. It’s never too late to start, again!
(sorry so long winded) ;)

]]> By: Kristen http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Kristen Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:59:45 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-16 When do you take the heater off? As in how big/old are the plants when you remove the heater? When do you take the heater off? As in how big/old are the plants when you remove the heater?

]]> By: Meagan http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Meagan Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:13:58 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-15 Hey Kristen! My seeds didn't start very well until I put them over a heater to keep the soil warm. I think it has to be between 65 - 75 degrees for the seeds to germinate. Of course they have to stay covered with plastic until the first "true" leaves appear. You can buy these heating pads that are made to keep your seed trays on when starting seeds as well. I'm thinking of getting them for next year. HTH! Nonetheless, some of my plants are still spindly looking. Hey Kristen! My seeds didn’t start very well until I put them over a heater to keep the soil warm. I think it has to be between 65 – 75 degrees for the seeds to germinate. Of course they have to stay covered with plastic until the first “true” leaves appear. You can buy these heating pads that are made to keep your seed trays on when starting seeds as well. I’m thinking of getting them for next year. HTH! Nonetheless, some of my plants are still spindly looking.

]]> By: Kristen http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Kristen Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:52:24 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-5 Nice tip Whiterock! I'll remember that for next year. This year, I think I'll be buying my tomato plants. :-) Nice tip Whiterock! I’ll remember that for next year.
This year, I think I’ll be buying my tomato plants. :-)

]]> By: Whiterock http://www.simplykristen.com/first-sprouting/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Whiterock Mon, 30 Mar 2009 01:11:42 +0000 http://simplykristen.com/?p=18#comment-4 One of the things I learned about starting seeds, is to water from below to prevent damping off. Damping off is when the sprout stem shrivels up at, or just above, the soil line. The sprout will then fall over and die. It's caused by a fungus that grows on the top layer of the soil. You can set your seed trays in shallow waterproof container (like a cookie sheet) and then water by pouring a little water in the container. The soil is watered from the bottom and the top layer stays dry enough to prevent the fungus. One of the things I learned about starting seeds, is to water from below to prevent damping off. Damping off is when the sprout stem shrivels up at, or just above, the soil line. The sprout will then fall over and die. It’s caused by a fungus that grows on the top layer of the soil. You can set your seed trays in shallow waterproof container (like a cookie sheet) and then water by pouring a little water in the container. The soil is watered from the bottom and the top layer stays dry enough to prevent the fungus.

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