NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN FOR MARCH 27, 2004 ************************************************************* I HAVE SEEDS LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR.
HOW LONG WILL THEY KEEP AND HOW DO I TELL IF THEY ARE STILL GOOD? BY GEORGE EDGAR Most vegetable
and flower seeds may be kept over from year to year.
After one year the germination rate will decrease depending upon
the kind of seed, and where and how they were stored. Seeds store best
when dry and in moisture proof containers at low temperatures.
Glass jars with air tight caps are best.
Plastic containers are ok but not as air tight.
Store at temperatures between 35 and 50 degrees.
NebGuide G80-503 gives information on how long vegetable seeds
can usually be stored under ideal conditions.
Table #2 in the NebGuide gives information on the preferred
germination (soil) temperature and the number of days usually required
to germinate. Before using
these seeds be sure and check germination rate.
To test seeds, place a counted number of seeds between sheets of
paper towels and moisten. Put
in a plastic bag or container so seeds do not dry out.
Hold at a temperature between 65
to 75 degrees. Remove
and count the number of seeds that germinate over one to three weeks.
Seeds with low germination (50% or less) may be used but sow at
higher rates than usual. ************************************************************* HOW DO I GROW
TOMATOES FROM SEED? BY GLADYS
JEURINK Tomato seeds
can be planted inside any time now if you have a South window for them
to grow in or a fluorescent light. Do not use garden soil or you are
likely to get damping off. Dampen
the seed starter soil before you plant the seeds and barely cover them.
I like to put 1 or 2 seeds in a 3 inch pot. If both come up I either cut one off or move one to
another pot. The seeds will germinate faster if the pots are in a warm
spot (70 degrees or higher) such as on top of the refrigerator or water
heater. After they come up, place in the sunny window or under lights.
I put the plants directly under the lights a minimum of 2 or 3
inches above the leaves, or very close to a South window pane.
Tomatoes demand bright light or they get tall and spindly and
fall over. Incandescent
bulbs do not work well as they give off too much heat if placed close
enough to do any good. When you are
ready to plant outside, don’t leave them out all day at first but
gradually lengthen the time each day.
You may want to put them out in a shady place first then
gradually into full sun. This is called “hardening off”.
When I must put them out full time I put a wood shingle stuck in
the ground on the South side of each plant for about a week *************************************************************I
HAVE AN AMARYLIS BULB FROM Christmas.
What do I do with it now so it will bloom next year? BY GLADYS
JEURINK By now your
plant probably has some large strap like leaves.
It will take about 4 leaves to produce a bloom next winter.
Put the plant in a light window, water it with your other plants
and give it a weak fertilizer weekly.
(One-fourth solution of a water soluble fertilizer such as
Miracle-Gro or Schultz works fine until planted outside.) Do not over
water as bulb is very subject to rot. When all danger of frost is over
it can be planted outside. If it is in a pot the whole thing can be set out in a sunny
or slightly shady area. If
the pot is small or the bulb has been in the same pot for several years,
I take the bulb out and plant it directly in the garden.
Fertilize at planting with bone meal or Osmocote. When outside
the plants are heavy feeders. In the fall I
let the first light frost hit my plants to get them ready for a minimum
6 to 8 week nap. Put the
pots on their side on the patio to dry out cut off the foliage, and then
the pots can be put in a cool place, and wait.
If the plant is out in the soil, dig it with roots intact, let
the plant dry out and the leaves turn brown. Take the dry leaves off and
put the bulb in a container until its mandatory rest is finished.
The container can be a pot, or a box with peat moss or sawdust.
Do not water until the plants starts growing again and then just
enough to dampen the soil occasionally.
Do not fertilize until the flower is done blooming. ************************************************************* I did not get
all my tulip and daffodil bulbs planted last fall. What should I do with them now? BY GEORGE EDGAR First, check to make sure the bulbs are ok and not starting to rot. If the bulbs are soft or mushy put them in the compost. If the bulbs are hard and firm, and have been kept cold (below 45 degrees) for a minimum of 10 to 12 weeks without freezing, you can put them in a pot and force them to bloom inside. If they are firm but have not been kept that cold, put in the ground 7 inches to 9 inches deep. Fertilize with bone meal worked into the bottom of the hole. Water and fertilize and keep the leaves growing as long as possible. They may not bloom the first year but will do better in the ground than in the basement until fall. ************************************************************* For more
information about any of the above topics send a self addressed stamped
envelope (SASE) to Lancaster County Extension Office at 444 Cherrycreek
Road, Lincoln, NE 68528-1507 and ask for one of the following NebGuides
or NebFacts: NebGuide #80-503 (Vegetable Garden Seed Storage and
Germination Requirements; NebGuide #G496 (Tomatoes in the Home Garden);
NebFact #NF43 (Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes); NebGuide # G188 (Amaryllis
Culture); NebGuide #G428 (Spring Flowering Bulbs); and/or #G867 (Forcing
Spring Flowering Bulbs). NebGuides but not
NebFacts are available on the internet.
Go to ianrhome.unl.edu/search and type in the name of the
plant, or the subject, or the number of the publication. Copyright 2004 |