Once your seedlings have germinated, water the bottom of the tray only. It will wick up to the roots encouraging growth. Watering from the top encourages mold and dampening off .
Yup. Water from the top to keep the soil moist during germination, then switch to bottom watering once seedlings emerge. I've always found it best to dry out the soil completely between watering. It's easier to fix dry seedlings than dampened off ones.
I agree and also once enough time has passed that the starts should have wicked up the water, pour the excess out. I didn't pour the excess water out of my trays and started getting mold. I was able to salvage everything but it's a lesson that I won't forget. It scared me.
My mom is a master gardener and she swears by using the almanac to plant by the moon. She’s a very successful gardener and raises a lot of her own food . She and my dad homesteaded our land in southwest Missouri back in the 1980s. My dad passed away two years ago and it’s hard for her to keep up with the 40 acres all alone. But she still does what she can.
Isnt it amazing how the moon moves our oceans from one side of the world to the other, that without our moon our planet would die and yet planting by the moon is considered to be a hoax by some. Those same people probably think companion planting is nonsense as well. Take no notice of Master Criticisers - we dont need them in our lives :) Each to their own I say, and really if commenters cant think of something positive and kind to say they probably should just be quiet. LOL. I think it is amazing that your mum even tries to still take care of 40 acres - what a massive job!!!! I also am a Master Gardener and I find my one acre plenty fulfilling and time consuming - I cannot imagine how much work must be involved in 40 acres! Your mum is obviously an amazing woman :) xxxx Stay strong and stay happy ;)
Rachel, I'm 55 yrs. old and as long as I've planted according to the moon, everything resulted. When I was growing up, my dad always planted our acre garden by the Farmer's Almanac with huge results. We canned every garden and it supplied our family of 5 throughout the year. He raised our hogs and always butchered them according to the Almanac, as well! When he was the ranch foreman for one of our local ranches before I was born, he said he castrated cattle by following the Almanac and never lost a one! It does work. God has everything in sync so why wouldn't we go by it?! Blessings on your garden ~ 🙏🍅🌽🍎
My daughter has always grown by the moon. She always starts her seeds on the new moon. She lives in Montana. Her garden was so prolific last year she donated over 350 pounds of produce to the food bank plus canned 2 years of food.
Hi Rachel, don’t put heat under your brassicas they don’t like it, just use the lights for them, mine are in a cold greenhouse and are doing great, best wishes and good luck, you CAN do this x
I am from Appalachia. My family always planted by the almanac and had beautiful gardens with plenty harvest. I once ask my grandmother about the signs and the moon and she quoted to me Genesis 1:14 and 1:16 (God also made the stars even though man named the constellations). She would alway quote Ecclesiastes 3:1 which says To everything there is a season....a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. So I have always planted by the almanac as well.
My grandparents planted by the moon and they always had lots to eat, can and give away. They were born in 1901 and 1903 and had always planted that way. My grandmother told me that's the way her mother taught her to plant. They used the Farmers Almanac. I'm excited to see how your garden does by planting by the moon.
I would also take the plastic cover off your seed start greenhouse to eliminate the amount of moisture that causing the mold. I just want to help you and I am praying for success. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
We live in the Seattle area. We were told by a sweet Italian man to plant our garlic by the dark of the moon! So we do that in October! I have never thought about planting the rest of our garden by the moon. Thanks for the video!
Don’t get discouraged Rachel. Seed starting is like everything else in life, the more you do the better you get. Adding fans and having the plants on an open shelf will help the mold situation a lot. After a year or so your biggest plant problem will be what to do with the extra plants (it’s good to have friends and family to pass them on too:) You can do it!
Rusted Garden, Gary is the best. I learn so much from him. He inspired me to start everything I grew from seed last year. Doing it again this year. Plus his seed shop is great prices reasonable.
When I start brassicas or other small seeds I start them by sprinkling out seeds in one pot and replant them later. I find that small seeds are very easy to overwater and therefore easier to plant together.
For the mold issues, using a fan and bottom watering are great suggestions, but I would also suggest removing your vinyl covering (tent) off your greenhouse indoors for better ventilation. For the same reason, you would remove the plastic dome covers off your trays after germinating, you wouldn't want to suffacate your seedlings. The tents are only needed outside for protection from the elements. If you do use it outside later in the season, you should lift off the door flap during the day at it's warmest to give your plants some ventilation.
I live in zone 6a by the way. I have been starting my seeds indoors for 3 years now. I just use open shelving, same grow lights as your using, and I only use a heat mat for my peppers. I keep my grow room at 70 degrees and use a ceiling fan for airflow. I only bottom water and I've been lucky so far not to have mold issues.
I use a good seed starting mix, not potting soil, then cover with vermiculite and/or spagnum moss (fine) to help with dampening off - edit.. I do plant by the moon and yes my plants do better
Living in 9a we have pretty good luck with gardening. My Dad did everything my the moon using FA. Fished, gardening, us girls use it in cutting our hair and even scheduling operations going by when to neuter the animals. Our calendar was right at the back door so for me I'm a firm believer.
Everyone loses some starts, even those with lots of experience , so don't worry! And as you said, there's time! I don't use the moon method, i just go by last frost date plus a week or so just in case. I think the ratio for the H2O2 was 1:4, one part peroxide to 4 parts water - so if you don't get results go back & watch Rusted Gardener's video to double check. Happy planting!
Hi. Rachel. You are doing great with your seedling. But, I never need you could plant seeds by the full moon. That is new for me. Who knows, maybe you can do something like that. Rachel, do the right thing. When they are ready plant your seeds. God Bless you Rachel. Be safe. Maria. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🥕🍅🍅🌽🌶🌶🌶🥦🥦🥦🍆🥭💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
I plant by the Almanac, and have for years. It's great. Also mold can be controlled with a water and Hydrogen Peroxide mix sprayed on them. I learned it thru growing Microgreens. I can't remember the mix just now, but you can find it via microgreens growing. Be healthy, stay safe and many blessings. Morgan
I am glad you posted this Rachel. We bought our eggplant, cabbage, and broccoli, from the seed store and waited for 10 days to plant in the garden. We included red Irish potatoes already planted. We also planted onions for the first time I ever remember. We could still lose them, but so far they are still there and green. Planting during the right time to plant by the moon is something our ancestors did for so many things. My grandmother was notorious for going by the almanac when weaning my babies. I had better luck when I listened to her. Best wishes for a great growing season and a bountiful harvest. Blessings. Willette
I don't have long-term experience about gardening with the moon. However I am doing it at the moment. When I planted my garlic last November the first couple of rows weren't according to the moon (by accident) and the other two rows a couple of days laters were. The second set of rows looks really good already and the first two rows are only just starting to grow a little now.
I have killed a many seeds with cinnamon and just a little note I plant like my grandma she did the moon phase planting and did great. But she used a 2 inch pot and soil with lots of seeds in them and separated them after they were in there true leaves phase. They separate good after watering and up pots them with not using so much space until they need it . That way you have less chance of mold and water from the bottom after your start comes up. God bless your garden and y’all. 🌻❤️
I had mold and all my plants are fine. Don't let that hender your knowledge and confidence. I can literally lift a sheet of green mold off my dirt and my plants have no problem. I have a fan, bottom water, I mean it just happens. Good luck!! I can't wait for a follow up! Thanks again Rach
I am a new gardner from seeds too. I had the same problem with green mold on my dirt a few days ago I sort of rolled it up with a top layer of dirt and threw it in the trash. I washed my hands between every type of plant. I knew the mold was from over watering and your plants look very wet too. Then I took a little dry seed starting dirt and replaced the mold dirt. All plants today look very healthy. I don't think you need to start over. Love your videos.
the mrs. here... I was born and raised in CA where water is our #1 concern. My grandma always planted by the moon so that's what I did. There were a few years I got lazy/busy/overwhelmed and just stuck my transplants in the ground anywhere they'd fit. Yes, they grew, but the production seemed to drop. Now, 10 yrs in WI and I'm learning to garden all over again. 1st yr: planted ALL my seeds waaay to early, so store transplants got planted whenever, so-so results. 2nd yr and several other yrs: planted by the moon, great results. 3rd and other years: got busy, planted late, weeds took over. last yr: straight line wind hit us. looked like a rolling pin was used on my garden. With all the other damage, gave up on garden. This yr: by the moon: seeds started, planting times scheduled, and fingers crossed. Sorry this is so long. Just letting you know I started my gardening journey before I started kindergarden and now I'm getting Medicare. Your garden will grow regardless, but like good soil makes a difference, so does planting by the moon. Keep your chin up, you're doing fine.
Put in your soil, put your seeds on top of the soil, then cover the seeds with perlite or the other white soil additive (can't remember the name, LOL). No soil on top of the seeds. That keeps the seeds from dampening off and helps with the mold.
Hoss Tool has excellent seed starting videos on their you tube channel. I went exactly by their directions and was very successful. No mold, gnats, or issues. I used Miracle Grow seed starting soil and covered each cell with perlite. Have already transferred the seedlings to bigger pots.
I’m trying planting my the moon for the first time also! Love the tools on Farmers Almanac. It’s my first year really trying to plan my garden starting and it was a huge help
Some people do think it’s a little woo-woo but from my own experience I do plant by the Moon and swear by it!!! I use the Farmers Almanac and yes I definitely see the difference in my garden. I’m a believer and moon gardener!!
I have always wondered about planting by the moon phases but hadn’t researched it. Thank you for taking us along. I’m eager to see your plants progress as I catch up on your vlogs! I’m a little behind in planting but I am hoping it’s not too late! P.s. I am so glad Todd got all the straw and twigs out of your dryer vent! Wow! I will put that on my to-do list and check on ours this weekend as our bottom vent cover has been broken for a little while now. Again, thank you for all you guys do in sharing your successes and learning moments because it is helping educate me too!
Did you start all your seeds over your heater register? And is your heat source gas? Sarah and Kevin at living traditions had trouble with their starts and they're seasoned starters. They learned the gas heat was a problem. I'm a first time starter. I was having trouble till I turned the heater off. I started tomatoes Feb 18 in the middle of the Texas snow storm. I'm setting out all my plants outside this week. Check with Sarah and Kevin. Maybe reach out to them if you haven't. We're learning together Rachel. Don't give up!
I watched a lot of videos over the winter. The best advice is to be sure to use a clean growing container, mix your soil and moisten it the night before with BOILING water which will kill any bad bacteria in the dirt, take the dome covers off as soon as the seeds sprout, a heat mat is a must, water from below, open the green house during the day if there is a lot of moisture on the plastic cover and have the lights very close to the plants. I had so many problems last year. This year I have followed all this. I have the same greenhouse you do. I started my seeds 2 days after you did. My tomatoes and peppers are growing like crazy. Brassicas are about 4 inches tall and I planted them outside last week. ( I'm in the northern part of zone 7 b). Be blessed and good luck. You are doing great. Figure this year as your learning curve.
Hi Rachel, I’m sure you know this but please keep in mind that peppers, especially hot peppers need to germinate around 85/90 degrees, and most other vegetables between 75/80 degrees. So with that being said you should really invest in some heat mats with a thermostat, so you can keep it at the desired temperature. Even tho your house might be in the 70’s, it’s probably because the soil temp is not correct. If you do heat mats keep in mind the seed is at the top of the soil, so when you stick the thermometer down in the soil, you want it towards the top of the soil. You just adjust your thermostat for heat mat accordingly. It does take some investment, but it most definitely will help. Ok great video
also my first year starting my own seedlings and I am lucky enough all are doing fine so far. Highly recommend Epic Gardener. Great teacher, detailed, and has multiple videos on starting seeds. Good luck!
Just remember it's a learning experience not a failure! It took me a couple years to really get things downpat starting from seed! I'm still learning 15 years later actually! Vermiculite will help with mold and fungus! It was a game changer for me! & yes,, a fan is a must! It helps to make your stems sturdier also! I'm growing holy basil for the first time this year! I can't wait to try it! I'm growing a large cut-flower garden this year and trying out tons of new varieties of vegetables!
I started my seeds with two bags of miracle grow and one bag of black cow and mix well. It gives GREAT germination. Try a heat mat or heating pad under your tray for the first two weeks. I only use the for about four to five days and then take off. No mold issues. Good luck girl and keep trying.
Hi Rachel you mentioned planting celery, we plant it every year from kitchen cuttings, it’s about this time of year that I run out of frozen celery so I purchase from farmers market about 3 or 4 celery stocks, cut the bottoms off n place them in a bowl of water, they will start regrowth pretty quick, i then transplant them. I’ve also planted from seed but the cutting give us bigger hearty plants all season long . We cut what we need n they come grow back similar to lettuce. In the fall we cut the rest n freeze. I enjoy all your videos started watching you last summer! Enjoy your day! 😄
I've been planting by the moon and zodiac together for awhile and gotten good results. Also my neighbor and I talk a lot about this . And we can be up and down about it. I 'm in zone 9. We start a lot of our plantings in Feb. And Mar. for our early spring garden and we can have two summer garden . We have our problems in fall and winter growing fall crop because of the weather not getting cold enough. Sometimes I just do what I have to do and not worry about the signs. Just having the time and wanting to enjoy myself in the garden and go on that pretty day. So give yourself a break have a prayer and go for it.
I have never planted by the moon but I did print out the planting dates from the Farmers Almanac a week ago. I am going to use those dates if they make sense for me. If I plant outside those dates then I won’t worry about it.
I have never had good experience with these trays. I use red solo cups and organic potting soil and bottom watering. It works wonders for me. It helps with the spacing and I rarely have to up pot! I hope this helps!
A Friend planted by the moon she said her potatoes and root vegetables were huge. She swears by it. Thanks for the chart I'm a day late but I'm going to start my tomato seeds today. I'll up date you. Have a good day.😁
So I use a box fan to circulate air. I run it on low, all day, while I am running the lights on my plants and it helps with the mold issues and it helps my plants not be so leggy and fragile because they're getting a bit of that wind abuse they'd get outside and hardening up some. Walmart has super cheap box fans, I think they're like $12-15 and they last me around 5 years before some dog gets chewy on it or a mouse gets to the cord, in the garage, during the winter.
My new passion is growing vanilla orchids from seed. I’m in SoCal so I do need a grow tent for humidity to start them, but they should grow well here hopefully. I tried growing orchids many years ago, and even different bonsai, but I was still working (I’m retired now), and it was too intense to follow lol. I also made a garden blueprint this year, and it’s really working. Fortunately, I can plant most vegetables directly in the ground here. My whole length of one fence are berries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries, with grapes growing on and up the fence. This is going to be a great garden this year!
I didn't make my seed starting soil this year with coco core and green mold I take a spoon and scrape it off . Gary is great teacher ! I planted by the moon last year but all the days don't line up with my time so probably won't follow this year to the T but I did last year . Good harvest .
When I plant my seeds I always put a thin layer of vermiculite to cover the soil it helps stop the damping off. Always bottom water never from the top..
I worked for a lady that had me plant all root veggies on the waning moon and all veggies about ground on the waxing moon. We had a great garden every year. great
Just to add one more option onto your plate... winter sowing. Don't get caught up in too many details, but I would give it a go with some brassicas especially, and lettuces/greens too. You need a container that will simulate a green house (milk jugs are popular), cut it in half, leave the cap off, drainage holes in the bottom, soil/compost- not seedling mix. 4+ inches of soil in the container and plant your seeds. I am doing it for the first time this year and it is awesome. My brassicas are up, and doing well (im in a warmer zone than you, so I started earlier). Tape up your container and put it outside. That's it. Once the seeds sprout , open the container and after a few days you can tansplant them.
My folks planted by the moon. Mama had a green thumb for sure. Have you tried cutting the bottom off celery. Leave about about 2-3" of stalk. Put it in water will grow. I planted 3 last year and they grew great. Good luck
Planting by the moon used to seem hokey to me as well. Then I heard that Charles Dowding incorporates the moon cycles into his planting calendar and I decided I needed to look into it more. I'm not fully following it this year, but I do hope to start incorporating more of this concept into my garden plan. Excited to see your results and what I can learn from next year!
I just put the bottom 2 inches of the root part of the celery from the store in a shallow bowl of water and place in the window. They sprout and then I plant them in the garden. So much faster than from seed.
Good luck to you! I started my first raised bed garden last year and followed the biodynamic calendar-gardening by the moon. My garden was amazing! Following this year again and did a control (I’m a scientist by training!) and sure enough the seeds I sowed during the barren phase did not make it. My others are incredibly strong and healthy. I hope it works for you!
Growing from seed is fun and definitely a learning curve, but you’ll find what works best for you Rachel and then you will LOVE it! I’ve been growing my food from organic heirloom seed for forever. It saves an incredible amount of money, and I get better varieties this way. I also know that my plants are bee friendly (we have a natural hive), with no residual pesticides or herbicides that could harm the precious bees. And I love saving my own seed as well - over time the plants acclimatise to my micro-climate and they perform better and for longer as a result. 💚🌱💚 Good luck with the rest of your seeds! I have about 400 seedlings waiting to go out for my autumn and winter growing 😍
Rachel is that mold or algae? You might try covering the seeds with perlite instead of using your seed starting mix. Not only is it lighter than the seed starting medium which allows the delicate sprouts to emerge easier, it retains moisture/nutrients better, it will block the light from getting to the soil mix thereby virtually eliminating mold/algae/dampening off issues. Once you place your seeds simply generously sprinkle the perlite over the top as you would the seed starting mix. Btw, this is a messy process (but worth it) so do the perlite outside if you can. Good luck!
@@chettajohnson5261 you can use either actually. Vermiculite is better at retaining moisture that’s true, but perlite also absorbs moisture. I find perlite a better application for seed starts simply because the volume seems (to me) offer better coverage with less material use. Plus I can see my sprouts against the whiteness of the perlite. Old eyes lol. As an added bonus when putting the plugs in the garden beds both applications help add “fluff” to the soil.
@@TheVicjbaldwin i used vermiculite last year but learned after the fact (from Next Level Gardening and one other UA-camr, maybe the Rusted Garden) that perlite was better although I can't remember the reason right now. Regardless, I bought perlite this year and am super pleased. Perlite is what I'll be using from now on.
This is my first year starting seeds too. My first seedlings suffered from damping off also. I came across stuff called No Damp Off. It seems to be helping as I am having success. I also added a small fan once they get up.
I definitely like to bottom water from the start. When I see the soil glistening with moisture I drain the water from the lower pan so the plants aren’t sitting in it . Really need to get a fan. Good luck on the second round👍😁
I've always start with damp medium and a heat mat. Move to light and no heat when above the surface. No watering until under the lights and bottom watering only. I'm trying charles dowding method this year. Going really good.
I don’t know about planting by the moon, I guess it’s possible that it could have some effect, but I’ve never tried it and I don’t plant to. The Stivers live in an area where those types of traditions are very prevalent. Many other more superstitious practices of theirs are pretty hard to imagine believing, like not canning or cooking during your monthly cycle because it will fail. That’s just crazy, but they are firm believers. I’m glad you’re having mostly success in your seed starting! I think it’s fun with veggies. This year I have been planning a big cut flower garden and I’m having a lot of trouble with my flower seedlings. I’m learning, though! I think next year I will start in bigger containers and put potting soil in the bottom and seed starting mix on top. Seed starting mix has no nutrients and I didn’t get them potted up when I should have, so they languished, didn’t grow and turned yellow. Live and learn! My tomatoes and peppers that I planted in January are doing great, though! I will plant them inground in my large unheated greenhouse soon.
Gardening is always a learning situation. What I would encourage you to look into next year is winter sowing. I live in 5B and have all my cold hardy plants in milk jugs. What I have learned is the plants are healthier and I don't necessarily need to use my inside set up anymore. I have 18 jugs outside. It's amazing! Also putting vermiculite on top will help and have a fan circulating in the room. I would also suggest watering form the bottom only, do not spray over the plants if you are. We have a guy at farmer's market who always plants by the moon. he says even when its raining, he's out there planting. it's crazy but his crops seem to do better and produce sooner. There are many people who do haircuts also by the cycle of the moon.
My grandmother would always plant by moon( livestock too). One year she got impatient and was trying to get cucumbers and crook neck squash ( yellow). The rows were half planted by almanac the other half was not. Resulting the cucumbers did not grow full size- gherkin size rest of row full size. The crook neck squash grew "twining" joined at the neck and smaller, the rest of the row was normal. I just never argued with her.
Cut the root end at 2-3 inches off your celery "bunch". Place 3 toothpicks about a half inch from the cut top and suspend in water. When you have stalks growing, transplant to soil. 😊 I've heard you can do a similar thing with onions -- except you plant the root into moist soil. But, I haven't tried it yet.
I kill all houseplants so I had a lot of trouble seed starting indoors. I either over water or under water. My fix was mist top of soil until germination then bottom water ONLY when soil surface turned light brown. Letting the soil SURFACE dry out in between waterings saved me from mold and algae growth. Mold and algae can't grow in a dry environment. I still kill my houseplants but haven't lost a seedling to damping off in 3 years! You got this!!❤
I'm trying to grow from seeds this year for the first time too..........it's not going well. I'm so disappointed, especially since I invested money into the setup. As a first-timer, I had to buy everything, heat mats, lights, trays, seedling mix, etc., I could have used all of the money to just buy the vegetable plants from the local nursery. It's actually nerve wracking because one day they'll sprout and the next day, they're dead! I'm frustrated and over it already. Rachel, I applaud you for starting over. I pray it works out better for you this go-round.
My sweet potatoes don't look nearly as good as yours. I started after you but I did expect more progress by now. This is a learning process for me so please keep showing us yours and what you do next. When I do finally get something worth planting I am planning on container gardening so I know that will be different from you. But still, I had no idea what to expect so this was fun learning what should happen in a week or two! Thank you, Rachel
What said at the beginning about homesteading being your side-hustle after your day job really resonated with me - fair play to you because it's so much work! I'm in a similar situation of working the day job and trying to establish our smallholding (what we call a homestead in Ireland) along side that! Like you, we need to get a head start inside. Best of luck with your seedlings!
Thanks for the update. I know a lot of people who plant by the moon according to Farmers Almanac. Sorry things didn't turn out but you did say you expected to bomb, but I know you are still disappointed. You'll get the hang of it. I've always sowed directly and always had awesome results.
Charles Dowding plants with moon phases. I'm starting my own this year and following his schedule. So far it's working great. No seed starter...use compost/manure (I use Black Cow brand) and I'm multi sowing. No cinnamon or anything needed so far. I'm starting everything on my enclosed porch with no grow lights.
I use the Farmer’s Almanac and plant by the moon. It works amazingly. Also, when starting new seeds maybe leaving the moisture dome off will be helpful in stopping the mold. I had a terrible time of it with mold until I chunked the domes. Happy planting!
I have found that if I start them in the house, I can only water from the bottom (which I do for all of my starts now, inside or outside) otherwise I always got mold. I also have never used a heat matt. I'm sure you sanitize your soils already! Good luck with your new starts!! Love your channel!
The You Tube Channel: "The Ripe Tomato Farms" has some really good seed starting videos. Like you guys, we usually buy our starts. This is our first year trying seeds and planting by the moon too. Honestly, it's nerve-racking. Blessings of good luck to you guys. ❤
Keep celery wet! You practically can't drown it! (well, once it sprouts and starts growing) It LOVES water!! My first celery made it all the way through summer and winter, and it is still going! I have it in a bucket with no drainage holes.
Every year we buy a Maria Thun calendar and everything is there. The moons, when to seed when to plant and transplant....Maybe your seedlings are too wet, hope you will be sucssesfull. We are 725masl and its snowing so our growing season starts in midle of May I hope and then goes fast, till end of October I should have 3 diferent crops. I do follow moon but my grandma said, everything you put in soil it will grow some day hahaaaa....love from Europ!
There is a chart called Clyde’s Garden planner and it goes by the average last frost date, which is part of the Farmers Almanac, so it may be based off planting by the moon. Not positive though, but it’s a good tool to help. Also, I’ve heard planting by the moon and from what I understand this technique was used by the Indians. So many things in gardening that are amazing to me.
Cool. Thanks. Loads of info. Picked up some plants at the nursery today. Gonna look up that almanac site and get an idea when to plant things. Need a good garden, it's been a few years since we've had a good one.
I've always planted by the moon even when only doing flowers gardens. Waxing is above ground plantings and waning is for root plantings. Rising moon rising plants. Old farmers growing up talked about it. I figured "why not?".
Thank you for this....didn't realize there was a specific vegetable planting guide....recently started going by the above ground/rooted vegetables in general charts, and instructions to not plant anything at all per the moon. I also did not know there was a distinction per planting by the phases of the moon versus by astrological signs...lol.... It does feel better to be able to narrow down tasks and focus on specific tasks only for a few days at a time, knowing there will be a time and a place to switch gears...
My daddy always did that. A lot of people in our area plant potatoes in February. I usually wait until March because my land is usually too wet to get my land ready. However, I always go by the almanac. Daddy also uses the almanac to cut hogs, have a tooth pulled, etc. I weaned my children by tge almanac.
Your peppers are so great, those are hard for many people to germinate. The brassica look just fine to me, just get them in a cooler room and they will take off. The mold could be made worse because of the plastic greenhouse you have them in. It traps moisture and doesn't allow airflow. Water less frequently and use cinnamon before they germinate. My nice new neighbor is teaching me about planting by the moon, I never really have before but have wanted to try. Those sweet potato are going to be so great!
Before you plant again. please take the time to read the information on the back of the seed packet. It will tell you specifics for planting each seed. It should give you seed depth. seed spacing, soil temp needed for germination in addition to the days till germination. The packet will also guide you to soil ph needed for each kind of seed, and any cultural info needed. Some seeds need light to germinate, some do not. The seed packet will also tell you if seed can be direct sowed in the garden, or how far in advance of the last frost to start the seed. Also when you do research on starting seeds, please use ".edu" after your search subject and it will bring you to research based information from university web sites that have done research and found the tested best methods. some of the university web sites have extensive information and very helpful information on issues and how to prevent them and solve the ones you do have. You can even find their information on sweet potato slips by adding the .edu after the words....here is a link for wisc edu site... hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/seed-starting/
Your plants look like mine did the first time I did my own starts..heads up it gets easier with time.. I started potato slips in water last year. They did great..!! I dug one up to check on ithem and it was huge of course they still had a week to go so I left them..the funny thing is..I never got one after that..THE DARN CHIPMUNKS ATE EVER ONE OF THEM..needless to say (I cried)..lol Happy gardening
Once your seedlings have germinated, water the bottom of the tray only. It will wick up to the roots encouraging growth. Watering from the top encourages mold and dampening off .
Good advice
Yup. Water from the top to keep the soil moist during germination, then switch to bottom watering once seedlings emerge. I've always found it best to dry out the soil completely between watering. It's easier to fix dry seedlings than dampened off ones.
Thanks I'll try that next time myself! I ended up with both fungus gnats & mold >.
Yup, along with a fan!
I agree and also once enough time has passed that the starts should have wicked up the water, pour the excess out. I didn't pour the excess water out of my trays and started getting mold. I was able to salvage everything but it's a lesson that I won't forget. It scared me.
My mom is a master gardener and she swears by using the almanac to plant by the moon. She’s a very successful gardener and raises a lot of her own food . She and my dad homesteaded our land in southwest Missouri back in the 1980s. My dad passed away two years ago and it’s hard for her to keep up with the 40 acres all alone. But she still does what she can.
Isnt it amazing how the moon moves our oceans from one side of the world to the other, that without our moon our planet would die and yet planting by the moon is considered to be a hoax by some. Those same people probably think companion planting is nonsense as well. Take no notice of Master Criticisers - we dont need them in our lives :) Each to their own I say, and really if commenters cant think of something positive and kind to say they probably should just be quiet. LOL. I think it is amazing that your mum even tries to still take care of 40 acres - what a massive job!!!! I also am a Master Gardener and I find my one acre plenty fulfilling and time consuming - I cannot imagine how much work must be involved in 40 acres! Your mum is obviously an amazing woman :) xxxx Stay strong and stay happy ;)
Alexandra, I'm sorry you lost your dad, blessings to your mom and what she continues to do ~ 🙏💗
My Grandmother always planted by the moon. She was a VERY successful gardener. ✌🏻♥️
Rachel, I'm 55 yrs. old and as long as I've planted according to the moon, everything resulted. When I was growing up, my dad always planted our acre garden by the Farmer's Almanac with huge results. We canned every garden and it supplied our family of 5 throughout the year. He raised our hogs and always butchered them according to the Almanac, as well! When he was the ranch foreman for one of our local ranches before I was born, he said he castrated cattle by following the Almanac and never lost a one! It does work. God has everything in sync so why wouldn't we go by it?! Blessings on your garden ~ 🙏🍅🌽🍎
This is fascinating! Thanks for sharing
My daughter has always grown by the moon. She always starts her seeds on the new moon. She lives in Montana. Her garden was so prolific last year she donated over 350 pounds of produce to the food bank plus canned 2 years of food.
That's awesome ~ 🙏💗
WOW, That is great !!!
Wow! Where at in Montana? I’m in Billings Montana
Hi Rachel, don’t put heat under your brassicas they don’t like it, just use the lights for them, mine are in a cold greenhouse and are doing great, best wishes and good luck, you CAN do this x
I am from Appalachia. My family always planted by the almanac and had beautiful gardens with plenty harvest. I once ask my grandmother about the signs and the moon and she quoted to me Genesis 1:14 and 1:16 (God also made the stars even though man named the constellations). She would alway quote Ecclesiastes 3:1 which says To everything there is a season....a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. So I have always planted by the almanac as well.
My grandparents planted by the moon and they always had lots to eat, can and give away. They were born in 1901 and 1903 and had always planted that way. My grandmother told me that's the way her mother taught her to plant. They used the Farmers Almanac. I'm excited to see how your garden does by planting by the moon.
I would also take the plastic cover off your seed start greenhouse to eliminate the amount of moisture that causing the mold. I just want to help you and I am praying for success. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
We live in the Seattle area. We were told by a sweet Italian man to plant our garlic by the dark of the moon! So we do that in October! I have never thought about planting the rest of our garden by the moon. Thanks for the video!
Don’t get discouraged Rachel. Seed starting is like everything else in life, the more you do the better you get. Adding fans and having the plants on an open shelf will help the mold situation a lot. After a year or so your biggest plant problem will be what to do with the extra plants (it’s good to have friends and family to pass them on too:) You can do it!
Rusted Garden, Gary is the best. I learn so much from him. He inspired me to start everything I grew from seed last year. Doing it again this year. Plus his seed shop is great prices reasonable.
When I start brassicas or other small seeds I start them by sprinkling out seeds in one pot and replant them later. I find that small seeds are very easy to overwater and therefore easier to plant together.
I always follow Farmers Almanac planting guide and always have success
For the mold issues, using a fan and bottom watering are great suggestions, but I would also suggest removing your vinyl covering (tent) off your greenhouse indoors for better ventilation. For the same reason, you would remove the plastic dome covers off your trays after germinating, you wouldn't want to suffacate your seedlings. The tents are only needed outside for protection from the elements. If you do use it outside later in the season, you should lift off the door flap during the day at it's warmest to give your plants some ventilation.
I live in zone 6a by the way. I have been starting my seeds indoors for 3 years now. I just use open shelving, same grow lights as your using, and I only use a heat mat for my peppers. I keep my grow room at 70 degrees and use a ceiling fan for airflow. I only bottom water and I've been lucky so far not to have mold issues.
I use a good seed starting mix, not potting soil, then cover with vermiculite and/or spagnum moss (fine) to help with dampening off - edit.. I do plant by the moon and yes my plants do better
Living in 9a we have pretty good luck with gardening. My Dad did everything my the moon using FA.
Fished, gardening, us girls use it in cutting our hair and even scheduling operations going by when to neuter the animals. Our calendar was right at the back door so for me I'm a firm believer.
I always plant according to the almanac. I feel like it really makes a difference.
Hubby and I always plant by the moon. Great success.
Everyone loses some starts, even those with lots of experience , so don't worry! And as you said, there's time!
I don't use the moon method, i just go by last frost date plus a week or so just in case.
I think the ratio for the H2O2 was 1:4, one part peroxide to 4 parts water - so if you don't get results go back & watch Rusted Gardener's video to double check. Happy planting!
You have inspired me to start almost everything from seed this year! Love your journey and humility, and thanks so much for sharing.
Hi. Rachel. You are doing great with your seedling. But, I never need you could plant seeds by the full moon. That is new for me. Who knows, maybe you can do something like that. Rachel, do the right thing. When they are ready plant your seeds. God Bless you Rachel. Be safe. Maria. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🥕🍅🍅🌽🌶🌶🌶🥦🥦🥦🍆🥭💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
I plant by the Almanac, and have for years. It's great. Also mold can be controlled with a water and Hydrogen Peroxide mix sprayed on them. I learned it thru growing Microgreens. I can't remember the mix just now, but you can find it via microgreens growing. Be healthy, stay safe and many blessings. Morgan
I am glad you posted this Rachel. We bought our eggplant, cabbage, and broccoli, from the seed store and waited for 10 days to plant in the garden. We included red Irish potatoes already planted. We also planted onions for the first time I ever remember. We could still lose them, but so far they are still there and green. Planting during the right time to plant by the moon is something our ancestors did for so many things. My grandmother was notorious for going by the almanac when weaning my babies. I had better luck when I listened to her. Best wishes for a great growing season and a bountiful harvest. Blessings. Willette
I don't have long-term experience about gardening with the moon. However I am doing it at the moment. When I planted my garlic last November the first couple of rows weren't according to the moon (by accident) and the other two rows a couple of days laters were. The second set of rows looks really good already and the first two rows are only just starting to grow a little now.
Why don’t you water from the bottom? It promotes stronger roots by causing the root to go down for the water. Works great for me!
I have killed a many seeds with cinnamon and just a little note I plant like my grandma she did the moon phase planting and did great. But she used a 2 inch pot and soil with lots of seeds in them and separated them after they were in there true leaves phase. They separate good after watering and up pots them with not using so much space until they need it . That way you have less chance of mold and water from the bottom after your start comes up. God bless your garden and y’all. 🌻❤️
I’ve always used one teaspoon per quart of water.
As long as you are starting in a controlled environment, planting by the moon is irrelevant. It's more about proper watering and air flow.
I had mold and all my plants are fine. Don't let that hender your knowledge and confidence. I can literally lift a sheet of green mold off my dirt and my plants have no problem. I have a fan, bottom water, I mean it just happens. Good luck!! I can't wait for a follow up! Thanks again Rach
I am a new gardner from seeds too. I had the same problem with green mold on my dirt a few days ago I sort of rolled it up with a top layer of dirt and threw it in the trash. I washed my hands between every type of plant. I knew the mold was from over watering and your plants look very wet too. Then I took a little dry seed starting dirt and replaced the mold dirt. All plants today look very healthy. I don't think you need to start over.
Love your videos.
the mrs. here... I was born and raised in CA where water is our #1 concern. My grandma always planted by the moon so that's what I did. There were a few years I got lazy/busy/overwhelmed and just stuck my transplants in the ground anywhere they'd fit. Yes, they grew, but the production seemed to drop. Now, 10 yrs in WI and I'm learning to garden all over again. 1st yr: planted ALL my seeds waaay to early, so store transplants got planted whenever, so-so results. 2nd yr and several other yrs: planted by the moon, great results. 3rd and other years: got busy, planted late, weeds took over. last yr: straight line wind hit us. looked like a rolling pin was used on my garden. With all the other damage, gave up on garden. This yr: by the moon: seeds started, planting times scheduled, and fingers crossed. Sorry this is so long. Just letting you know I started my gardening journey before I started kindergarden and now I'm getting Medicare. Your garden will grow regardless, but like good soil makes a difference, so does planting by the moon. Keep your chin up, you're doing fine.
Put in your soil, put your seeds on top of the soil, then cover the seeds with perlite or the other white soil additive (can't remember the name, LOL). No soil on top of the seeds. That keeps the seeds from dampening off and helps with the mold.
Vermiculite. That's how I keep my seedlings from getting sick
@@iamstorie882 Thanks for the information. I'll try that out this time.
Thanks for that tip, I'll give that a try next time.
Thanks for the advice...great idea!
Thanks for tips
Hoss Tool has excellent seed starting videos on their you tube channel. I went exactly by their directions and was very successful. No mold, gnats, or issues. I used Miracle Grow seed starting soil and covered each cell with perlite. Have already transferred the seedlings to bigger pots.
I’m trying planting my the moon for the first time also! Love the tools on Farmers Almanac. It’s my first year really trying to plan my garden starting and it was a huge help
Some people do think it’s a little woo-woo but from my own experience I do plant by the Moon and swear by it!!! I use the Farmers Almanac and yes I definitely see the difference in my garden. I’m a believer and moon gardener!!
I have always wondered about planting by the moon phases but hadn’t researched it. Thank you for taking us along. I’m eager to see your plants progress as I catch up on your vlogs! I’m a little behind in planting but I am hoping it’s not too late! P.s. I am so glad Todd got all the straw and twigs out of your dryer vent! Wow! I will put that on my to-do list and check on ours this weekend as our bottom vent cover has been broken for a little while now. Again, thank you for all you guys do in sharing your successes and learning moments because it is helping educate me too!
Did you start all your seeds over your heater register? And is your heat source gas? Sarah and Kevin at living traditions had trouble with their starts and they're seasoned starters. They learned the gas heat was a problem. I'm a first time starter. I was having trouble till I turned the heater off. I started tomatoes Feb 18 in the middle of the Texas snow storm. I'm setting out all my plants outside this week. Check with Sarah and Kevin. Maybe reach out to them if you haven't. We're learning together Rachel. Don't give up!
I watched a lot of videos over the winter. The best advice is to be sure to use a clean growing container, mix your soil and moisten it the night before with BOILING water which will kill any bad bacteria in the dirt, take the dome covers off as soon as the seeds sprout, a heat mat is a must, water from below, open the green house during the day if there is a lot of moisture on the plastic cover and have the lights very close to the plants.
I had so many problems last year. This year I have followed all this. I have the same greenhouse you do. I started my seeds 2 days after you did. My tomatoes and peppers are growing like crazy. Brassicas are about 4 inches tall and I planted them outside last week. ( I'm in the northern part of zone 7 b).
Be blessed and good luck. You are doing great. Figure this year as your learning curve.
Thank you! God's moon IS the best!
Hi Rachel,
I’m sure you know this but please keep in mind that peppers, especially hot peppers need to germinate around 85/90 degrees, and most other vegetables between 75/80 degrees. So with that being said you should really invest in some heat mats with a thermostat, so you can keep it at the desired temperature. Even tho your house might be in the 70’s, it’s probably because the soil temp is not correct. If you do heat mats keep in mind the seed is at the top of the soil, so when you stick the thermometer down in the soil, you want it towards the top of the soil. You just adjust your thermostat for heat mat accordingly. It does take some investment, but it most definitely will help. Ok great video
also my first year starting my own seedlings and I am lucky enough all are doing fine so far. Highly recommend Epic Gardener. Great teacher, detailed, and has multiple videos on starting seeds. Good luck!
Just remember it's a learning experience not a failure! It took me a couple years to really get things downpat starting from seed! I'm still learning 15 years later actually! Vermiculite will help with mold and fungus! It was a game changer for me! & yes,, a fan is a must! It helps to make your stems sturdier also! I'm growing holy basil for the first time this year! I can't wait to try it! I'm growing a large cut-flower garden this year and trying out tons of new varieties of vegetables!
I started my seeds with two bags of miracle grow and one bag of black cow and mix well. It gives GREAT germination. Try a heat mat or heating pad under your tray for the first two weeks. I only use the for about four to five days and then take off. No mold issues. Good luck girl and keep trying.
Hi Rachel you mentioned planting celery, we plant it every year from kitchen cuttings, it’s about this time of year that I run out of frozen celery so I purchase from farmers market about 3 or 4 celery stocks, cut the bottoms off n place them in a bowl of water, they will start regrowth pretty quick, i then transplant them. I’ve also planted from seed but the cutting give us bigger hearty plants all season long . We cut what we need n they come grow back similar to lettuce. In the fall we cut the rest n freeze. I enjoy all your videos started watching you last summer! Enjoy your day! 😄
I've been planting by the moon and zodiac together for awhile and gotten good results. Also my neighbor and I talk a lot about this . And we can be up and down about it. I 'm in zone 9. We start a lot of our plantings in Feb. And Mar. for our early spring garden and we can have two summer garden . We have our problems in fall and winter growing fall crop because of the weather not getting cold enough. Sometimes I just do what I have to do and not worry about the signs. Just having the time and wanting to enjoy myself in the garden and go on that pretty day. So give yourself a break have a prayer and go for it.
I have never planted by the moon but I did print out the planting dates from the Farmers Almanac a week ago. I am going to use those dates if they make sense for me. If I plant outside those dates then I won’t worry about it.
My husband just came home and said April 29 will be planting our garden by the moon.
I run a fan for 1 hour and make sure to keep temps 60.
I have never had good experience with these trays. I use red solo cups and organic potting soil and bottom watering. It works wonders for me. It helps with the spacing and I rarely have to up pot! I hope this helps!
A Friend planted by the moon she said her potatoes and root vegetables were huge. She swears by it. Thanks for the chart I'm a day late but I'm going to start my tomato seeds today. I'll up date you. Have a good day.😁
So I use a box fan to circulate air. I run it on low, all day, while I am running the lights on my plants and it helps with the mold issues and it helps my plants not be so leggy and fragile because they're getting a bit of that wind abuse they'd get outside and hardening up some. Walmart has super cheap box fans, I think they're like $12-15 and they last me around 5 years before some dog gets chewy on it or a mouse gets to the cord, in the garage, during the winter.
My new passion is growing vanilla orchids from seed. I’m in SoCal so I do need a grow tent for humidity to start them, but they should grow well here hopefully. I tried growing orchids many years ago, and even different bonsai, but I was still working (I’m retired now), and it was too intense to follow lol. I also made a garden blueprint this year, and it’s really working. Fortunately, I can plant most vegetables directly in the ground here. My whole length of one fence are berries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries, with grapes growing on and up the fence. This is going to be a great garden this year!
I didn't make my seed starting soil this year with coco core and green mold I take a spoon and scrape it off . Gary is great teacher ! I planted by the moon last year but all the days don't line up with my time so probably won't follow this year to the T but I did last year . Good harvest .
One our seeds come up we start to feeding which tends to help Ali with the mold. You’re doing great, thanks for sharing.
When I plant my seeds I always put a thin layer of vermiculite to cover the soil it helps stop the damping off. Always bottom water never from the top..
This is my first year staring from seed. Ugh, what a struggle. I’m down here in Georgia, not giving up. 🍷🍷
I worked for a lady that had me plant all root veggies on the waning moon and all veggies about ground on the waxing moon. We had a great garden every year. great
Your doing fine, going to be nice to follow your journey. Permits on top of seeds. Learn as we Grow
Just to add one more option onto your plate... winter sowing. Don't get caught up in too many details, but I would give it a go with some brassicas especially, and lettuces/greens too.
You need a container that will simulate a green house (milk jugs are popular), cut it in half, leave the cap off, drainage holes in the bottom, soil/compost- not seedling mix. 4+ inches of soil in the container and plant your seeds. I am doing it for the first time this year and it is awesome. My brassicas are up, and doing well (im in a warmer zone than you, so I started earlier).
Tape up your container and put it outside. That's it.
Once the seeds sprout , open the container and after a few days you can tansplant them.
My folks planted by the moon. Mama had a green thumb for sure. Have you tried cutting the bottom off celery. Leave about about 2-3" of stalk. Put it in water will grow. I planted 3 last year and they grew great. Good luck
Thanks for the tip re sweet potato 🍠 you are doing a great job thanks for sharing 👍😎
Planting by the moon used to seem hokey to me as well. Then I heard that Charles Dowding incorporates the moon cycles into his planting calendar and I decided I needed to look into it more. I'm not fully following it this year, but I do hope to start incorporating more of this concept into my garden plan. Excited to see your results and what I can learn from next year!
Potting up my peppers and watching you learn and grow! As gardeners we always are growing!! In knowledge and in plants 😂
I just put the bottom 2 inches of the root part of the celery from the store in a shallow bowl of water and place in the window. They sprout and then I plant them in the garden. So much faster than from seed.
Good luck to you! I started my first raised bed garden last year and followed the biodynamic calendar-gardening by the moon. My garden was amazing! Following this year again and did a control (I’m a scientist by training!) and sure enough the seeds I sowed during the barren phase did not make it. My others are incredibly strong and healthy. I hope it works for you!
Growing from seed is fun and definitely a learning curve, but you’ll find what works best for you Rachel and then you will LOVE it!
I’ve been growing my food from organic heirloom seed for forever. It saves an incredible amount of money, and I get better varieties this way.
I also know that my plants are bee friendly (we have a natural hive), with no residual pesticides or herbicides that could harm the precious bees.
And I love saving my own seed as well - over time the plants acclimatise to my micro-climate and they perform better and for longer as a result. 💚🌱💚
Good luck with the rest of your seeds! I have about 400 seedlings waiting to go out for my autumn and winter growing 😍
Thanks for the encouragement
It is an old Irish practice to plant cabbage on St. Patricks Day. Gets too hot too quick here in Oregon. I tried it last year.
So when do you plant it?
I have done some starting by the moon in the past...but I am using it from the start this year. I think it will be a good thing! 💖
Rachel is that mold or algae? You might try covering the seeds with perlite instead of using your seed starting mix. Not only is it lighter than the seed starting medium which allows the delicate sprouts to emerge easier, it retains moisture/nutrients better, it will block the light from getting to the soil mix thereby virtually eliminating mold/algae/dampening off issues. Once you place your seeds simply generously sprinkle the perlite over the top as you would the seed starting mix. Btw, this is a messy process (but worth it) so do the perlite outside if you can. Good luck!
I could be wrong, but do you maybe mean vermiculite? It holds moisture, and I don't think perlite does.
@@chettajohnson5261 you can use either actually. Vermiculite is better at retaining moisture that’s true, but perlite also absorbs moisture. I find perlite a better application for seed starts simply because the volume seems (to me) offer better coverage with less material use. Plus I can see my sprouts against the whiteness of the perlite. Old eyes lol. As an added bonus when putting the plugs in the garden beds both applications help add “fluff” to the soil.
@@TheVicjbaldwin i used vermiculite last year but learned after the fact (from Next Level Gardening and one other UA-camr, maybe the Rusted Garden) that perlite was better although I can't remember the reason right now. Regardless, I bought perlite this year and am super pleased. Perlite is what I'll be using from now on.
This is my first year starting seeds too. My first seedlings suffered from damping off also. I came across stuff called No Damp Off. It seems to be helping as I am having success. I also added a small fan once they get up.
I definitely like to bottom water from the start. When I see the soil glistening with moisture I drain the water from the lower pan so the plants aren’t sitting in it . Really need to get a fan. Good luck on the second round👍😁
I plant by the moon and it does make a difference. I will be starting my tomatoes this comming week.
I've always start with damp medium and a heat mat. Move to light and no heat when above the surface. No watering until under the lights and bottom watering only.
I'm trying charles dowding method this year. Going really good.
I don’t know about planting by the moon, I guess it’s possible that it could have some effect, but I’ve never tried it and I don’t plant to. The Stivers live in an area where those types of traditions are very prevalent. Many other more superstitious practices of theirs are pretty hard to imagine believing, like not canning or cooking during your monthly cycle because it will fail. That’s just crazy, but they are firm believers.
I’m glad you’re having mostly success in your seed starting! I think it’s fun with veggies. This year I have been planning a big cut flower garden and I’m having a lot of trouble with my flower seedlings. I’m learning, though! I think next year I will start in bigger containers and put potting soil in the bottom and seed starting mix on top. Seed starting mix has no nutrients and I didn’t get them potted up when I should have, so they languished, didn’t grow and turned yellow. Live and learn! My tomatoes and peppers that I planted in January are doing great, though! I will plant them inground in my large unheated greenhouse soon.
Gardening is always a learning situation. What I would encourage you to look into next year is winter sowing. I live in 5B and have all my cold hardy plants in milk jugs. What I have learned is the plants are healthier and I don't necessarily need to use my inside set up anymore. I have 18 jugs outside. It's amazing! Also putting vermiculite on top will help and have a fan circulating in the room. I would also suggest watering form the bottom only, do not spray over the plants if you are. We have a guy at farmer's market who always plants by the moon. he says even when its raining, he's out there planting. it's crazy but his crops seem to do better and produce sooner. There are many people who do haircuts also by the cycle of the moon.
My grandmother would always plant by moon( livestock too). One year she got impatient and was trying to get cucumbers and crook neck squash ( yellow). The rows were half planted by almanac the other half was not. Resulting the cucumbers did not grow full size- gherkin size rest of row full size. The crook neck squash grew "twining" joined at the neck and smaller, the rest of the row was normal. I just never argued with her.
You have really nice daytime weather there. Put your seedlings in shaded areas, that will harden them off super well!
Cut the root end at 2-3 inches off your celery "bunch". Place 3 toothpicks about a half inch from the cut top and suspend in water. When you have stalks growing, transplant to soil. 😊 I've heard you can do a similar thing with onions -- except you plant the root into moist soil. But, I haven't tried it yet.
excellent Rachel, we are learning with you!
I kill all houseplants so I had a lot of trouble seed starting indoors. I either over water or under water. My fix was mist top of soil until germination then bottom water ONLY when soil surface turned light brown. Letting the soil SURFACE dry out in between waterings saved me from mold and algae growth. Mold and algae can't grow in a dry environment. I still kill my houseplants but haven't lost a seedling to damping off in 3 years! You got this!!❤
I'm trying to grow from seeds this year for the first time too..........it's not going well. I'm so disappointed, especially since I invested money into the setup. As a first-timer, I had to buy everything, heat mats, lights, trays, seedling mix, etc., I could have used all of the money to just buy the vegetable plants from the local nursery. It's actually nerve wracking because one day they'll sprout and the next day, they're dead! I'm frustrated and over it already. Rachel, I applaud you for starting over. I pray it works out better for you this go-round.
My sweet potatoes don't look nearly as good as yours. I started after you but I did expect more progress by now. This is a learning process for me so please keep showing us yours and what you do next. When I do finally get something worth planting I am planning on container gardening so I know that will be different from you. But still, I had no idea what to expect so this was fun learning what should happen in a week or two! Thank you, Rachel
What said at the beginning about homesteading being your side-hustle after your day job really resonated with me - fair play to you because it's so much work! I'm in a similar situation of working the day job and trying to establish our smallholding (what we call a homestead in Ireland) along side that!
Like you, we need to get a head start inside. Best of luck with your seedlings!
It's tough sometimes to get everything done on schedule this time of year
We all have to learn the way we have to learn.
Thanks for the update. I know a lot of people who plant by the moon according to Farmers Almanac. Sorry things didn't turn out but you did say you expected to bomb, but I know you are still disappointed. You'll get the hang of it. I've always sowed directly and always had awesome results.
Charles Dowding plants with moon phases. I'm starting my own this year and following his schedule. So far it's working great. No seed starter...use compost/manure (I use Black Cow brand) and I'm multi sowing. No cinnamon or anything needed so far. I'm starting everything on my enclosed porch with no grow lights.
Sweet potato slips look AWESOME!! Yay!
I use the Farmer’s Almanac and plant by the moon. It works amazingly. Also, when starting new seeds maybe leaving the moisture dome off will be helpful in stopping the mold. I had a terrible time of it with mold until I chunked the domes. Happy planting!
Dave and I are planning to start our seeds this weekend. We still have snow but hopefully we will be on track.
I have found that if I start them in the house, I can only water from the bottom (which I do for all of my starts now, inside or outside) otherwise I always got mold. I also have never used a heat matt. I'm sure you sanitize your soils already! Good luck with your new starts!! Love your channel!
The You Tube Channel: "The Ripe Tomato Farms" has some really good seed starting videos. Like you guys, we usually buy our starts. This is our first year trying seeds and planting by the moon too. Honestly, it's nerve-racking. Blessings of good luck to you guys. ❤
Keep celery wet! You practically can't drown it! (well, once it sprouts and starts growing) It LOVES water!! My first celery made it all the way through summer and winter, and it is still going! I have it in a bucket with no drainage holes.
Every year we buy a Maria Thun calendar and everything is there. The moons, when to seed when to plant and transplant....Maybe your seedlings are too wet, hope you will be sucssesfull. We are 725masl and its snowing so our growing season starts in midle of May I hope and then goes fast, till end of October I should have 3 diferent crops. I do follow moon but my grandma said, everything you put in soil it will grow some day hahaaaa....love from Europ!
There is a chart called Clyde’s Garden planner and it goes by the average last frost date, which is part of the Farmers Almanac, so it may be based off planting by the moon. Not positive though, but it’s a good tool to help. Also, I’ve heard planting by the moon and from what I understand this technique was used by the Indians. So many things in gardening that are amazing to me.
Cool. Thanks. Loads of info. Picked up some plants at the nursery today. Gonna look up that almanac site and get an idea when to plant things. Need a good garden, it's been a few years since we've had a good one.
I've always planted by the moon even when only doing flowers gardens. Waxing is above ground plantings and waning is for root plantings. Rising moon rising plants. Old farmers growing up talked about it. I figured "why not?".
Thank you for this....didn't realize there was a specific vegetable planting guide....recently started going by the above ground/rooted vegetables in general charts, and instructions to not plant anything at all per the moon. I also did not know there was a distinction per planting by the phases of the moon versus by astrological signs...lol.... It does feel better to be able to narrow down tasks and focus on specific tasks only for a few days at a time, knowing there will be a time and a place to switch gears...
My daddy always did that. A lot of people in our area plant potatoes in February. I usually wait until March because my land is usually too wet to get my land ready. However, I always go by the almanac. Daddy also uses the almanac to cut hogs, have a tooth pulled, etc. I weaned my children by tge almanac.
Your peppers are so great, those are hard for many people to germinate. The brassica look just fine to me, just get them in a cooler room and they will take off. The mold could be made worse because of the plastic greenhouse you have them in. It traps moisture and doesn't allow airflow. Water less frequently and use cinnamon before they germinate. My nice new neighbor is teaching me about planting by the moon, I never really have before but have wanted to try. Those sweet potato are going to be so great!
Before you plant again. please take the time to read the information on the back of the seed packet. It will tell you specifics for planting each seed. It should give you seed depth. seed spacing, soil temp needed for germination in addition to the days till germination. The packet will also guide you to soil ph needed for each kind of seed, and any cultural info needed. Some seeds need light to germinate, some do not. The seed packet will also tell you if seed can be direct sowed in the garden, or how far in advance of the last frost to start the seed. Also when you do research on starting seeds, please use ".edu" after your search subject and it will bring you to research based information from university web sites that have done research and found the tested best methods. some of the university web sites have extensive information and very helpful information on issues and how to prevent them and solve the ones you do have. You can even find their information on sweet potato slips by adding the .edu after the words....here is a link for wisc edu site... hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/seed-starting/
Your plants look like mine did the first time I did my own starts..heads up it gets easier with time..
I started potato slips in water last year. They did great..!!
I dug one up to check on ithem and it was huge of course they still had a week to go so I left them..the funny thing is..I never got one after that..THE DARN CHIPMUNKS ATE EVER ONE OF THEM..needless to say (I cried)..lol
Happy gardening