Operation green thumb plows forward and we continue to try techniques gleaned from YouTube videos.
We learn as we go. This picture shows several things. One are the three levels of shelving that hold our seedling trays and planters. Another is the presence of one grow lamp per level. This has not changed since starting seeds.
What has changed is the addition of aluminum foil drapes on two sides of the shelving. Why? One of our dilemmas has been uneven growth. Outside row plants are leaning inward toward the grow light while the middle row grows straight up.
The potential solution is to use aluminum foil drapes as a mirror. The result is giving the outside plants more light that reflects off of the foil mirror. The planters on the top of the shelving were on the center level when we put the foil up last Thursday evening. Those plants reacted so well and grew so quickly over the weekend that we had to move them up and place additional blocks of wood under the grow light to keep the plants at least 2″ under the lamp.
Mission accomplished. What is difficult to see from this photo are the tomato seedlings on the bottom shelve. Many of them have grown above the grow light lamp. We will need to find them a new and more open space. The light on lower shelves are as high up as we can get them.
Thankfully the problem will be short lived. According to a YouTube gardener in Michigan, many of our seedlings can be planted a little before last frost. So we can transfer them as soon as soil is added to our raised beds.
We will however, check the 10 day forecast before doing so. There is a wintry mix of rain and snow forecast for Wednesday, but slightly warmer temps on Thursday. Looking forward the temps should warm up into the 70s and 60s next week. Thinking good thoughts.
Fortunately, a successful produce farming friend in our area is delivering our raised bed soil in bulk sometime this week. By the end of the weekend we hope to transfer all of the seedlings except the tomatoes to the raised beds. Tomatoes and herbs must wait for warmer weather.
It should be quite exciting! Yes, I’m easily entertained…and that’s OKAY.
Ron's Ramblings 