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Deluxestogie Grow Log 2021

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deluxestogie

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A view from my study window this afternoon.

Garden20210219_5645_viewFromStudyWindow_iceHazel_700.jpg


Bob
 

deluxestogie

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Today, I began germination for 5 of my 7 tobacco varieties. The other two are in the mail.

The cups are 8 ounce Ball freezer jars. (I believe they don't make them like this any longer, since the thermal expansion/contraction of the two different plastics meant that they were prone to having the lids popping open unexpectedly, when handled at freezer temps.) I fill the cups with my seedling soil mix, add ¼ cup of water, then sprinkle seed onto the soil surface. They are now resting on a seedling heat mat. The lids will remain closed until after germination, at which point, I will leave the lids ajar.

Both the lids and the cups are labeled.

Bob
 

ChinaVoodoo

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Garden20210302_5652_germinationCups_start_600.jpg


Today, I began germination for 5 of my 7 tobacco varieties. The other two are in the mail.

The cups are 8 ounce Ball freezer jars. (I believe they don't make them like this any longer, since the thermal expansion/contraction of the two different plastics meant that they were prone to having the lids popping open unexpectedly, when handled at freezer temps.) I fill the cups with my seedling soil mix, add ¼ cup of water, then sprinkle seed onto the soil surface. They are now resting on a seedling heat mat. The lids will remain closed until after germination, at which point, I will leave the lids ajar.

Both the lids and the cups are labeled.

Bob
I'm going to do this this year.

Would you mind sticking a thermometer into the soil at some point? I'll do the same once I get my seeds. I'm always concerned that my heat mat is too hot.
 

deluxestogie

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My seedling heat mat is beneath a cookie baking sheet, which tends to dissipate some of the heat. That heat dissipation is also dependent on what percentage of the baking sheet is covered with germination cups. It depends on what is beneath the heat mat as well. Sometimes I have them on a wire shelf, sometimes on a solid surface, but always with a sheet of reflective bubble wrap between the mat and its support.

The advertised notion is that the single, 1020-size heat mat (supposedly 17 watts) will raise the soil temperature of a 1020 tray by ~10°F, but I believe that is not a valid figure for a number of reasons. I've used the same method for years now, with satisfactory results. My ambient temps on the enclosed porch hover in the low 60s (°F) to the low 70s at germination time. During spring and summer months, when the porch temperature can rise into the 90s, a sheet full of wet perique placed in a similar arrangement can totally dry in 18 hours.

I'll measure the temp in the morning (after the cooler night) and in the late afternoon, and see what I get.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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Morning temp measurements.
Tobacco germination tray:
  • ambient 59°F
  • soil 69°F
Veggie tray with water visible beneath pots:
  • ambient ~55°F
  • water 60°F
  • soil 60°F
Impressions: about 10°F increase in these conditions for germination cups. The 1020 veggie tray with bottom watering allows evaporative heat loss.

I'll check again later.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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Late afternoon temp measurements.
Tobacco germination tray:
  • ambient 63°F
  • soil 69°F
Veggie tray with water visible beneath pots:
  • ambient ~63°F
  • water 66°F
  • soil 65°F
This clearly demonstrates that I don't clearly understand the dynamics of this. There is no temp regulator incorporated into the seedling heat mats. If they are plugged in, then the mats are on. Since outside temps were well below freezing last night, perhaps there is some effect of cold flooring and walls. Or my cheese-making thermometer is protesting about getting stuffed into dirt. What I don't see is overheating in these ambient temps.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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All my tobacco seed germination has been initiated by grow log post #100. Whew!

Today, I received NB-11 and L'Assomption from @ChinaVoodoo. Within mere minutes, they were on their way.

If I make the Assomption that NB-11 is actually a burley--might be; might not--then it is my only burley for this season--or not.

Bob
 
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