Very cool!

Ive's kept my 9 WSown jugs in full shade through winter. I moved them to morning sun a few days ago and had no sprouts as of then.

I'm also hoping to start moving my coleus out to the porch and deck for short field trips this week, to start to harden them off. I'll definitely do it as long as it's not too windy.

Karen

neat shot Chelle!!

It's stayed just like that for the last few colder days....it knows to keep a *cap* on for just a bit yet.

Karen:

Can you really start moving colues outdoors now? It would be a huge help if I could get these 2 flats out from under my grow lights. I'm going to be needing that space really, really soon.

I won't be putting them out to live there, Linda. I'm just going to start moving them out in the afternoon for short periods to harden off, then back into the house for a while. I hope to move at least a tray or two out there permanently soon. With any luck, maybe in a week or two. I'll watch the weather, and can always move them into the garage or house overnight if necessary.

But first, they need to harden off...

Karen

Allison, you are planting annuals seeds outside???
I have Hollyhocks "Peaches & Dreams", Foxgloves "Excelsior". Lupines "Arroyo" & "Pixie" and I planting them inside...right????

I have tons inside.. and going to WS some outside this week

Just a reminder to newbies, watch your sprouts for overheating. Many of us are going to see much warmer temps this week, even in the 70s here. You might need to add more or bigger vents to containers to let heat escape. With jugs, a good alternative is to flip the top open or prop them open with clothes pins.

Karen

thanks!!

You're not a newbie, Allison!

Eventually I just cut the top half of the jug off, but still a little early for that here.

Karen

still need a reminder now and then

We all do. The sun is out today and I put a couple of flats outside that have those plastic covers...gotta watch 'em, Texas sun can eventually cook most anything once it really gets going. Still cool right now, but may have to take them off later.

It's 68° and sunny here. I worked in the yard- still doing clean up from last year- for hours. I'm worn out and the aches and pains are setting in already. And I want a nap.

Karen

Same here.

But, there are new sprouts up nearly every day - two more varieties showed themselves this afternoon! .....just a bit ago the mosquitoes started showing too. Not so ...more like, - well, we enjoyed our 4 hours without 'em. They seem to be three times as big as usual right now!

I've had to cover my sprouted seed containers with netting - the silly chipmunks are eating my sprouts!

I got bit on the ankle the other day.. wondered if it was a mosquito already.. ugh

Karen, thanks for the tip... tomorrow I will check all of them... I am spending all this coming week cleaning and I am wondering if It would be a good thing to get my indoor seedlings in the shade outside for some good lighting... what do you think??? the ones that has not sprout I am just thinking of putting it outside real light since they have not sprouted...

I hope to winter sow some tomatoes this week and see what happens...

It seems awfully early for seedlings to go out, but this is a weird year. They'd probably do OK in shade if wind isn't bad.

Maybe something like hardening off- put out in shade for a while in the afternoon but bring back inside if night temps are cool.

Karen

karen, I left then in the garage today with the doors open... I just closed the door when inside was nice and warm... tomorrow they will be there again so they can get some air and light...

How do you ws your tomatoes???

I opened all the containers today... no growth yet...

I wintersow my tomatoes. I do them in big 16 oz. cups. I start them with the cup about 2/3 full of potting mix. As they grow I add a little more soil to the top of the cup, effectively planting part of the stem.

I enclose all the cups in a plastic bin, holes drilled in the top and bottom.

Karen