Seedling Transplanting

 Winter returned this week, but I don't mind much because...

It is sunny and warm in the workshop

Today was a transplanting day.  After I start my seeds in bulk in smaller 6 packs, one variety per cell so I can fit everything up under the low light fixture and on a heat mat, I have to transplant them into larger trays of cells packs.

I use my tidy tray as a workspace on the counter and have a separate tray for dampening the potting mix.  I have used Pro-Mix soil for my transplants for several years.  I like the dry, compressed bales of Vegetable and Herb mix.  Last year I purchased two regular bags, not compressed, because of cost if I remember correctly, and I was not at all happy with it.  Despite the fact that it was the same formula Organic Vegetable and Herb Mix, it was dampened in the course of production and the darn stuff never dried out.  Ever.  I had all kinds of damping off problems, and the plants were telling me that whatever organic fertilizer was supposed to be mixed in was severely lacking.  I suspect it may have already leached out with the moisture.  I ended up having to repot several things and dumped what was left of the new soil in my compost. 

I have my sprayer full of water, and my fruit tree sprays ready to go when I get the right weather

These ornamental pepper plants were seeded on March 1st.  Some of my other seedlings have already been transplanted, but peppers are slow.  The best time to transplant is when the plants have their first true leaves.

The Cotyledons are the first leaves as they germinate out of the seed.  This stage is just right.

You don't want to wait too long because the root systems will be harder to stuff down a hole.  The easiest stage to transplant is one hair root, but the tipping point is very quick. 

These peppers are sharing a tray with micro and dwarf varieties of tomatoes that were transplanted a week ago but are also slow to develop.  

I noticed a fungus gnat flying around so I put out some traps and caught three right away and two more shortly afterwards.

I am about halfway through seeding this year.  I just started some Marigolds today and in another week or two I will start my indeterminate tomato plants.  So far I am quite happy with my new grow lights.  I am still 6 to 8 weeks away from planting out.