I have a pack of moonflower seeds that say nick the seeds and soak them overnight. Would it work if I made a small cut in each seed with a sharp razor knife? I've never run into this before.
Yes, that is basically what it means to do. Some seeds have such a hard outer shell that giving it a little cut/nick makes it easier for the seed to germinate. I have never done this with moonflower seeds, but I usually soak them overnight, and then sprout them inside before I plant them.
That's my plan, too. Thanks, Yvonne. Thinking it through, would it be easier to nick them after they soak overnight? Seeds have gotten crazy expensive. The moonflower seeds work out to 30 cents a seed.
In the past, when I started seeds, I would bury them at the required depth according to instructions but not all came up. Last year I wanted to start an old pack of tomato seeds and was not sure if they would come up. Instead of burying them according to instructions, I just lay them on top of the soil, and sprinkled a light layer of soil that I had sifted to remove anything unwanted like twigs or stones. Looked like they all came up.
It took me most of the day but I got all my seeds planted in starter pots, except for the ones you can't start indoors.. My sunny windows are crowded with pots. I kept about half of each seed aside in case I've started too early in the year. I probably should have waited a few weeks but maybe we'll have an early spring after this rough winter.. I have a good variety of veggies for the back yard and some very pretty flowers for the front. Planting flowers makes me feel gay. Is anyone else getting an early start on their veggies and flowers?
Good for you, Dwight. I usually just buy starter plants from the nursery so I'll be putting out a few tomato plants around the first of March. I believe @Tom Galty and @Don Alaska have mentioned starting seeds in the Backyard Vegetable Garden thread.
It's too early to start anything here. Around the middle of May is about right. I ordered two new to me tomato varieties and two super tall tomato cages from Totally Tomatoes. The tomatoes are indeterminate and grow and produce all year so they get big.
I am just getting things set up for seed starting this year. Celery and onions can be started very early, and there are very few things that cannot be transplanted--true root crops such as carrots and turnips are very difficult to transplant. Almost everything else is transplantable but just don't start too early. Tomatoes are the "vegetable" that is most often started too early.
I looked under Crops and Gardens but didn't find the thread you named. Maybe I'll just pm those guys if I have any specific questions. I'll keep that in mind re: tomatoes. I've got Brandywine and Beefsteak going.
Tomatoes tend to get out of control and suffer a bit of shock when transplanted too large. I sometimes start long-season tomatoes earlier that the determinates, but 10 weeks before the last frost is about my limit.
I have two seed packets of hot peppers that say "Harden off before transplanting." I could let my mind drift into the gutter to guess what that means. Instead, I'll just ask here.
Usually, that just means not to move them directly outside and leave them. You take them out for a little while each day, on nice days, and gradually leave them longer each day. Once they are used to being outside and it is warm enough at nite not to damage them, then you can leave them outside overnight.
The quickest way is to take the plants out into a sheltered location--1 hour the first day, 2 hours the second, 3 hours the third, etc. until the plants have been outside for 7 hours or more per day. At that point, they can be placed into the ground or left outside in the containers.