Achoo! Deux Brrs!

So it turned cold again.  Achoo!  Achoo!  And the worms are very happy and well fed on Kleenex in their box.  I went for my annual checkup and brought home a nasty cold.  With migraine's thrown in for good measure.  Major yuckies.  The planned seedlings starts were postponed.  Having to go out into the cold wind to cover and move plants is not my idea of fun times; add in achy ears, runny nose and sore throat?  Misery.  Sadly,  I shared my misery with poor hubs.  Sharing the love and the colds.

This December is heading up to be the coldest on record for Florida with record lows in Central Florida towns all around us. 

The agribon row cover came in during the cold; so I spread it out.  I think it will work out good.  Also, when I fold it up, I'll label it with a permanent marker which garden spot it is for.  Easier to spread them for the next times.

Later this afternoon I'll uncover the plants with pots over them to see how they are doing.  I peeked under the clear plastic covers over the lettuce bins I planted out a few weeks back; and the lettuce is doing quite well.  In fact, I need to hit up big lots and see if I can find a few cheapy good price plastic storage containers to use as greenhouse toppers.

We have a warming trend coming for at least a week the weather gypsies are predicting.  So I need to get out and mow the front and move the seedling bin out to the sunshine.  Last Wednesday it warmed up enough to get out and putz a bit with my final design plan for the seedling tray.  EG would be very proud of me for persisting through to a reasonable, workable and pocket book friendly design.  And, I don't have to squat to move it, LOL!

Gimpy Gals Transportable Seedling Tray
One under bed plastic storage container - cheaper the better - size approx 35x16x6
36ea 18oz clear plastic inexpensive drinking cups
1 package natural jute twine
Black paint and black rubberized spay
Clear plastic cover (I planned to use painters drop cloth but didn't want to go out, so used cling wrap)

Spray paint exterior bottom of plastic storage container black; 2 coats.  When dry - spray black rubberized coating; 2 coats.  Let dry.  The black is to increase the ambient temperature in the seedling cups. The rubberized coating is intended to be insulation against the concrete.

Punch a hole in the side of each plastic cup about 1.5 inches up the side from the bottom.  I used a dremel tool and pointy bit.  Wind about 12" of jute in each cup with a tail hanging out the hole to sit on the bottom of the container.  Self watering.

Drill a hole in the narrow end of the plastic storage container for the purposes of creating a hitch to attach a rope to for pulling to and from the garage.

I filled the bottom of each cup (up to the drainage hole in the side) with pine fines.  The remainder of the cup was filled with seedling starting mix.  I mixed one bag of Miracle grow seedling start and one bag of Jiffy seedling start.

Line the storage container with the plastic cups and water well.  The next day, I placed my seeds.  Using cut up mini blinds as plant labels, and cut up paper towels as seed pellets I layed them all out.  Misted very well.  Placed the seeds accordingly.  Misted very well again.  Covered with plastic.

I left too much water in the bottom - next time I'll pour any excess off so that the bottom contains only a smidgen.  When the cold snap came, I asked hubs to carry it into the garage atop a dog crate so that I could work with it easier.  I think it is time to put some baby vermiculite on top the seeds that need covers.

Result?  On Dec 23 & 24 I started a total of 36 seeds; being a combination of tomato, eggplant and okra from my planning worksheet.

Next, I inverted the lid of the underbed container and laid it on top a portable table.  Lined the lid with plastic nursery cell trays I had saved.  Had to cut one to size.  Filled cells with seedling mix and planted a total of 36 winter brassica's.

On top the refrigerator in the house, I have some seeds started.  For the most part; I'm using clear plastic clamshells from bakery items.  One houses a dozen black seeded simpson lettuce, another 7 publix general red bell pepper.   Over the next few weeks, I'll start some more pepper seedlings on top the refrigerator.  I'm hoping the extra heat from the refrigerator and from the nearby central vent will help the peppers to jump start.

The bakers dozen tray of brassica's I started on Nov 10 are starting their first set of true leaves; but I don't want to put them out quite yet and risk freezing.  So, I upsized them into plastic cup pots to let them grow out a bit in the garage.  One was lost to a pesky squirrel, the remaining germinated and are growing nicely.  The test eggplants are also doing well in the garage.

There is a nice large east facing window in the garage which I'm utilizing for winter seedling starting area.  It's come about a bit haphazardly as we've scrambled with unseasonably cold; but we'll straighten it out and I'm sure it will work well.  The attached garage only has the two exposed sides and the house leaks like crazy so ....  I'll be adding a few heat lamps and hubs will hang the florescent fixture for me.  And when I get truly energetic I'll rearrange just a bit and move the tool chest to the opposite wall.

A bit later in the day ....

Taking a break for a BLT with a huge stack of fresh greens from the front garden.  Yumm.  Have removed all the covers from the front and watered deeply.  A few surprises.  Must detail later.  In the mean time, I really need to make a dent on the winter rye in the front and get some more green compost going in the bin; the worms will love me.  My lingering cold and congested sinus will hate me.