I'm still doing my seedling update every Monday since there is no harvest to be had yet. The ground is still frozen. We have gotten three snow storms in the last week, though none very huge, each just a couple of inches. Which is enough to make my back yard pretty again (by covering the frozen dog poo), but not enough to annoy me with too much shoveling.
The onion seedlings got their first haircut a few days ago. I lowered the lights back to their lowest setting. They payed me back by growing back to their old height in just three days. The lights are back to where they started. I see the leaf area near the soil is very yellow, while the ones right against the light are bright green. Hmm I think my LEDs aren't quite intense enough to go very far, or it could just be that they are onions and the bulbing part just never turns as green. The onions keep growing though. They are getting stronger and stronger.
The leeks are also doing well. They are the smaller plants to the left of the onions. They were planted a week after the onions, so it is no surprise they are smaller.
There is no sign of life from my bunching onions or my extra, extra early lettuce. Also not surprising since they were only planted two days ago. I need to learn patience. Opening the top to check for growth on the day after planting is very silly. Or should I call it rampantly optimistic?
Whatever you call it, Daphne, I do the same thing. And more often than not, I'm surprised by seeds that sprout many days in advance of their given germination rate.
ReplyDeleteThose are some nice looking seedlings! Come on, spring!
HA Daphne, I have to look at mine several times a day, as though there would be some change in that time. Did you eat the onion cuttings? Seeds attached? :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
I keep learning and learning soon I will have no excuses and will plant my own! They look great to my untrained eye;) gail
ReplyDeleteYour onions are really looking great. What variety are they?
ReplyDeleteMy yellow onions fell off the shelf the other day, I was about to catch them but they still broke up pretty good. I have transplanted them all back in but I not sure if they liked the trip they took. I am thinking of starting some more just to be safe.
Deborah, Well the lettuce starting to come up now at least. 2 1/2 days. Not too shabby. The little leaves haven't made it out of the soil yet, but they are under the lights now so they will get light when they do.
ReplyDeleteFrances, nope I didn't eat them. I thought about it, but decided that I was too lazy to pick out all the little seeds. And besides, it really wasn't much.
Gail, go for it. Fresh onions from the garden :> I actually haven't grown them for years (to easy to get nice ones at the store), but found that in the summer the only thing I was buying in the vegetable aisle were the alliums, so decided I'd better start.
Dan, Copra (yellow storing) and Tropea (red torpedo). The leeks are Lincoln. Oh no, not your onions. They do transplant pretty easily so hopefully they will be ok, but then if you have room, why not start more? My lights are so very crowded right now. I wouldn't be able to fit more there.
Hi Daphne, they are looking good.
ReplyDeleteStrong and healthy!
Take care my friend/ Tyra
I would say that you are optimistic. I have a problem with checking the seeds far too often myself.
ReplyDeleteLook at all that snow! Snow that actually stays on the ground for more than a day isn't all that common around here. I don't know if I could get used to all the snow and cold you guys get.
Your onions sounds like they are doing amazing. Isn't it crazy how quickly they grow. I'm impressed that it only took them three days to reach their previous size.
I do the same thing, Daphne! I thought gardening was supposed to help one learn patience? Not so for me! I found some Lantana seed and sowed some a few days ago...they take 40-62 days to germinate- Gee, I think I'd better learn what patience is...and fast! ;)
ReplyDeleteI love plant growth. When I first started growing my own seed, I would get so impatient, that I would gently tip out some pots to see if there was any root growth. Now if I know that I will not be able to wait, I pre-sprout but still those little presprouted darlings can take their sweet time. I've never given my onions a hair cut though I've heard of it being done. Have you found an improvement using this method?
ReplyDeleteI'm the same. Who can blame us: it's spring in our basement!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tyra
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I actually do love snow. This year it has been a bit too much for even me.
Tessa, those lantana seed would drive me crazy. I'd start checking on day one to see if they germinated.
Ottawa Gardener, Well I don't know if it improves them or not. I do it to keep them even under the lights. You can see from the cuttings that some very tall and some just a little too tall. I evened them all out so they reach the light evenly.
Katrien, Yes, while the snow is falling outside we can enjoy some greenery at least.