Spring Fever

It's mid February here in southern Vermont, and while there is still snow on the ground - with more to come I am sure - I have a bad case of spring fever!

I have been taking a beekeeping class offered by the county bee club, and that is assuaging some of the spring fever, but I think the cure I need is going to entail seedlings... lots and lots of seedlings!

I have been pouring over the various seed catalogs that have been delivered over the last couple of months, but after all is said and done, I am a creature of habit.

Today, I am going to start some Red Russian Kale sprouting in the basement.  I like to start the different trays of seedlings about a week or so apart - that allows me to share the heating mat and lighting a bit, so I don't have to buy so many (they are expensive!)

I use the the Jiffy peat pots available at Home Depot - there are 50 cells in each package, which perfectly fits the tray I use.  The peat pots cost around $2.50 per 50. 

Place the seedling cells inside a plastic container that is water tight. Next, I fill the cells with soil.  What you use is entirely your choice - but I prefer to start with an organic peat mixture.  Fill each cell to the top

I use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the soil in each cell.  I mark the skewer in 1/8" increments so that the hole is the appropriate depth for whatever seed I am planting.  In this case, the Kale seed packet says 1/8" deep. I poke 3 holes in each cell:

  

Kale seeds, like many others, are SUPER TINY!!  I usually try to get 2 to 3 seeds in each cell 

After the seeds have been planted, pour a good amount of water into the plastic base, and place the plastic lid over your seedling cells.

In the winter, my basement runs between 48 and 52 degrees F.  I place the seedlings in a room with two windows, on a move-able shelving system that has grow lights and seedling warming mats.This has worked well the past two years.

I have tried growing the seedlings upstairs in the main part of the house - but we keep that around 52 in the winter, so not much warmer.  Plus, the dogs have gotten into the seedlings in the past (but the dogs do not go into the basement).