Life in Southeast Alaska

Seed Starting

Tonight I finally started some seeds.  It is STILL snowing outside, but I'm sure it will stop sometime....I hope!!

I started some tomatoes and lettuce.  The tomatoes will go in the greenhouse, but I may plant some in the regular garden just to see how they do in comparison.  I'm hoping for a warm, sunny summer after the winter we've had.  I planted five kinds of tomatoes:
1.  Stupice x 12 - indeterminate, early, firm, juicy small to medium fruit - 60 days
2.  Siberia  x 12 - bush, excelled cool weather variety, can set fruit at low night temps, small to medium size fruit, good fresh or for sauces and pastes - 48 days
3.  Siletz x 12 - determinate, large and early maturing, 10 to 12 ounce fruits, produces early even in cooler temps - 65 days
4.  Red Cherry x 12 - indeterminate vines provide bite-sized tomatoes all season, use fresh - 70 to 75 days
5.  Roma VFN x 24 - determinate, heavy-yield to use for preserves, solid-pack canning, tomato paste and puree, little juice and mild flavor - 85 to 90 days

I started two kinds of lettuce - head lettuce for Rod and romaine for me:
1.  Great Lakes x 12 - crisp head lettuce, needs well fertilized soil, grows best during cooler parts of growing season, sow every 2 weeks for continued harvest - 88 days
2.  Parris Island x 12 - romaine lettuce, grows to 10 inches, slow bolting, sow every 2 weeks for continued harvest - 65 days

 I have a metal shelf setup with flourescent lights hanging off the shelf above.  It works quite nicely - I have the lights hooked up to a timer so they come on at 6am and turn off at 6pm.  I will be watering them with a squirt bottle and once they have their first true leaves, I will add some organic fertilizer in there.  Looking forward to a good garden this year!