Seedlings up early - what next

18 years ago

I planted two trays of seed at the end of March. I thought this was the right time for central NJ.

I have an area isolated by plastic curtains under the basement stairs. The basement is 64 so I have a heater in there. The heater keeps it near 70. I have one 4ft shop light with a bio-dome 60 cell with one inch plugs with a heat pad under it. I also have a 72 tray with bigger cells filled with seed mixture in 2x2 pockets, This has plants that do not need so much heat like Maiden grass. Now I learned that the big seeds put up big plants quickly.

In the bio dome hibiscus came up fast and has four large leaves. 9 tomato plants have even more and are four inches high. Impatiens are impatient with four big leaves. Hosta cells are just showing green tips and Astilbe is very tiny.

What do I do with all the bigger plants. Don't I have to wait for June to put them out? The bio-dome plugs are only an inch wide and the plants are crowding at the sides. Soon the tomatoes will crowd the top.

I have two other spare 72 trays with the two inch pockets.

Can I raise the lights and use the 2 extra trays and put the tomato and hibiscus in two by two inch pockets. Less light - from 8 inches high to 18 inces high and 70 degrees down from 78 degree soil? I need time because of the season and because I need to build planting beds and build a patio with containers. No place for cold frames.

How do I buy time? If the bigger plants hit the top of the 72 trays with plastic cover. Can I leave it off and water more often. Will they survive with a light at 18 inches above the table over four trays? Should I put some in four inch peat pots? I only have four Hibiscus.

Do I have to wait until June 1st to avoid frost?

It is very windy here. Any solution that puts them on the deck for an extended hardening period could be a lot of work. I would need to put them in deep cardboard boxes and run in and out with them and pull them for many nights if the present mild weather does not hold up.

Jim

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Comments (3)

Pam Honeycutt
18 years ago
The plastic dome should come off as soon as they've
germinated. Once they have there first true leaves
which it sounds like most of yours have you can
transplant them to a little bigger pot and start
trying to harden them off. they will still need
plenty of light and it also helps to have a small
fan blowing on them once in awhile. It helps to
strengthen them up. If you have nice days you can
start sitting them out for a little bit each day
where they will get maybe filtered sunlight.
Sounds like they are doing good.

Happy Gardening,
Gemfire
shrubs_n_bulbs
18 years ago
Your last frost date is probably in mid to late April. Late May is the last frost only for places in the far north of the state. You don't have enough lights for all your plants. I'm sure it is warm enough for them to go out during the day (just an hour or two of sun the first few days), but probably not overnight yet. Start off by letting the basement temperature drop at night, they will be happier at 64F than at 70F. After a few days of warm sunny days and cool basement nights, and when it is 55F-60F outside at night, you can leave them out all the time. Bring them in if you get a cool night, then plant in the garden in a few weeks time.
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jszone6bnj
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for the help.
I was confused by two mistakes that cancelled each other out. I checked out my original spread sheet that would tell me when to plant the seeds and they came up pretty quick. I see the hosta (30-90) and Astilbe (40 to 80)are long but the others are short - most by 10 days: Tomato, Hibiscus, Impatiens, Coleus and Pansy. So most were ready sooner than I expected.

Some can stay in the seed tray for a while. Hosta, Astilbe, Maiden grass, Dicondra silver falls. The impatiens will have to be moved to the bigger seed tray along with the coleus. I will plant them in early may.

Thanks to global warming or my misunderstanding the last frost date is not the end of May in central NJ.

I am still building my patio the flags are coming Thur the 20th.

I will put the tomatoes in four inch peat pots. and later in my Earth boxes. I bought a nice planter so my wife will let me put the Hibiscus on the kitchen window sill. I have no windows to use. It will be the most sensitive to any cold so it will stay in longer. Boy they have big seeds and pop right up. I did soak and file one side to help.

Following your advice i put the babies out in a deep cardboard box so they get indirect sun light and are protected from the wind here. When I take them in I mist them. They are like little kids that are peked and tired from being outside.

I like planting all these different types of seeds but I can see that the time management is a learning curve that requires an array of strategies.

Jim