Seed Propagation

In 2012, seed propagation was an experiment in failure. Major problems:

• Attempted to propagate too many things
• Attempted to propagate difficult things
• Used tiny cells to start, waited too long to transplant many, killed several during transplantation/pruning.
• Using an air duct as a reflector hood was only effective at helping to keep them warm. We really need a sheet of mylar or something instead, or nothing.

Things that did work:

• The seed starting mixture and fertilization regime seemed adequate.
• Water procedure (fill tray and allow starting mixture to suck it up) worked well.
• Plastic wrap was indeed adequate for germination. Use less water this time around however.

Possible solutions:

• Germinate fewer things (probably herbs, a few weird peppers)
• Have the garden ready early enough to plant things like the melons directly in the beds
• Use the medium peat/cardboard pots to start a single seed, and instead of thinning later accept that a few will not survive hardening off.

Process

1. Staring mixture: 1 part vermiculite, 1 part perlite, 1 part spaghum peat moss
   • 3 Tbsp lime (antifungal properties?) when 1 part = 1 gallon
2. Fill peat trays 1/2-3/4 full with mixture
3. Put one seed per pot to minimize effort at transplantation time
4. Cover to the recommended planting depth
5. Fill drainage tray with 3 quarts water (overfilled the first with a gallon, underfilled the second with two quarts, three seems to be enough to keep everything properly moist)
6. Insert and mark seedling trays with business cards (variety + planting date + # of seeds/cell + expected germination date)
7. Wrap the whole thing up in plastic wrap and wait

Equipment

• 7 drainage trays capable of holding 5x10 cell paper/peat starter cell pots (I'm going for easy transplantation here) (GT_n = Germination Tray N, ST_n = Seedling Tray N)

• Storage rack for seedlings and germination trays

Seeds to Acquire

For 2013, it's probably too late now.

Marigolds, yarrow, potatoes?

Available Seed

• German Chamomile
• Dill
• Yellow Summer Crookneck Squash
• White Lisbon Bunching Onions
• Longstanding Cilantro
• Early Scarlet Globe Radish

• Yellow of Parma Onion

• Borettana Yellow Onion

• Romanesco Broccoli

• Parade Cucumber

• Five Color Silverbeet Swiss Chard

• Christmas Lima Bean

• SSE Lettuce Mixture

• Waltham Butternut Squash

• Early Hanover Melon

• Amish Melon

• Aurora Pepper

• Anise

• Cumin

• Sunflower Mixture

• Spider Flower Mix