Germination temp:
Bob
Bob
Deluxestogie Grow Log 2025
- Thread starter deluxestogie
- Start date
Germination day 3.
This variety is showing its tiny, white root radicles. The Havana 322 (NP) shows signs of imbibition ("drinking"), with swelling and color change. The Lancaster Seedleaf shows no signs of germination today.
Bob
This variety is showing its tiny, white root radicles. The Havana 322 (NP) shows signs of imbibition ("drinking"), with swelling and color change. The Lancaster Seedleaf shows no signs of germination today.
Bob
nzmessa
Member
Are the lids on the cups necessary along with the plastic cover?After an unusually bitter winter, I've once again opened my enclosed back porch to my kitchen. I found over the years that adding ¼ cup of water to each germination cup, and allowing it to sit closed for several hours, provides me with a lovely, moist surface onto which I can sprinkle my tobacco seed—and actually see it. This quantity of water usually lasts well beyond germination.
The seed in my three tiny Ziploc bags is enough to grow several acres of tobacco. Seed is cheap. My effort and time are not. So I sprinkle the seed generously, usually eliminating any worries about a poor germination rate.
I set a 1020-size seedling heat mat onto a little saber saw table in the porch. That is mostly covered by a rusty cookie sheet. The germination cups are placed on it, and they will remain closed until they begin to germinate. On top, I've placed a clear 1020 dome, to help keep in the heat.
Bob
Once the sprouting seeds begin to show greenery, I then remove the plastic dome (used solely to hold the heat during germination), and leave the lid of such jars resting tipped a bit, to allow for air movement. This is by individual jar.
Bob
Bob
Soil mix is spooned into the 1020 tray inserts, without packing. Several hours prior to transferring any seedlings from a germination cup to cells in the 1020 tray, I add sufficient water to the upper tray (with holes), so that it fills the lower tray (no holes), and leaves enough to saturate into the soil of the tray inserts.
Sixteen tiny Prilep 66-9/7 seedlings transferred to 1020 tray cells, using forceps.
Each separable insert gets its own Popsicle stick label. So no matter how the inserts manage to become rearranged, each insert pack travels with its own identification. The sticks also serve to support the clear dome slightly above the tray rim, allowing some air flow
After transferring the seedlings, I settle each one into the cell soil with a spritz of water. I use a large, insulated mailing envelope as insulation beneath my heat mat.
The dome typically stays for only about the first week after transfer. Then the wooden label sticks then serve to support the Agribon sheet until the seedlings appear to be vigorous.
Bob
Sixteen tiny Prilep 66-9/7 seedlings transferred to 1020 tray cells, using forceps.
Each separable insert gets its own Popsicle stick label. So no matter how the inserts manage to become rearranged, each insert pack travels with its own identification. The sticks also serve to support the clear dome slightly above the tray rim, allowing some air flow
After transferring the seedlings, I settle each one into the cell soil with a spritz of water. I use a large, insulated mailing envelope as insulation beneath my heat mat.
The dome typically stays for only about the first week after transfer. Then the wooden label sticks then serve to support the Agribon sheet until the seedlings appear to be vigorous.
Bob
My forecast low overnight temperature for last night was 33°F. But at dawn this morning, my measured temperature was 22°F. For the first time in many weeks, the wind speed had dropped to near zero. Over the years, I've noticed that when there is zero wind, my overnight low temperature drops to the forecast dewpoint, rather than the forecast temperature. And my forecast dewpoint for dawn this morning was 22°F.
The only value of being aware of this phenomenon is in deciding when to place plants outdoors (or rush to cover them).
Bob
The only value of being aware of this phenomenon is in deciding when to place plants outdoors (or rush to cover them).
Bob
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
It's definitely important to learn the foibles of one's local micro-climate for long term gardening success! Our first year in Charlotte we almost fell to the siren call of "False Spring" until the locals warned me to not plant out anything until after Easter. Glad I listened to them or it would have been a disaster.
Twelve Lancaster Seedleaf seedlings transferred to 1020 tray.
Bob
Bob
Twelve Havana 322 (NP) seedlings have been transferred to the 1020 tray. That's it for my tobacco starts for 2025. I'll give the new transfers a couple of days beneath the clear dome, then the tray will be covered with only the Agribon, until the seedlings begin to grow in size. Once all the seedlings have grown large enough to not require photomicroscopy, I'll post a photo. Now I have 8 unused cells in the tray, awaiting some veggie seeds in early April.
Bob
Bob
Blue sky today. No wind. No rain. No snow. No haboob. Just plain old t-shirt weather for the equinox.
Bob
Bob
Foul-mouth Bob.
This evening, I was reading a book while sitting in the living room, nibbling a snack from a bowl in my lap. I took a mouthful of water from the mug on the end table. It had a chunk in it. I immediately spit the water into my hand, above the bowl. A stinkbug. It had managed to get into my mug of water. I tossed the soaked stinkbug out the door, dumped out the remaining water in the mug, and rinsed the mug several times. I washed my hands. I then rinsed my mouth several times, but I still tasted stinkbug in my mouth. I managed to get rid of that taste after eating several vanilla wafers and two blueberry Pop-Tarts, then smoking a bowl of 50:50 Virginia : Burley blend.
Bob
This evening, I was reading a book while sitting in the living room, nibbling a snack from a bowl in my lap. I took a mouthful of water from the mug on the end table. It had a chunk in it. I immediately spit the water into my hand, above the bowl. A stinkbug. It had managed to get into my mug of water. I tossed the soaked stinkbug out the door, dumped out the remaining water in the mug, and rinsed the mug several times. I washed my hands. I then rinsed my mouth several times, but I still tasted stinkbug in my mouth. I managed to get rid of that taste after eating several vanilla wafers and two blueberry Pop-Tarts, then smoking a bowl of 50:50 Virginia : Burley blend.
Bob
This is about 2½ weeks after setting into the 1020 tray. It certainly feels a bit behind.
Bob
adamziegler
Well-Known Member
I just planted some Prilep today. I am certainly behind!
Today, while sitting out on my front porch at various times of the day, I was treated to 3 separate, virtuoso performances a local mockingbird. It sang the songs of several dozen different bird species each time. I was able to recognize the species of maybe 9 of the songs: some variety of finch, robin, grackle, Carolina bluebird, red head woodpecker, sparrow, blue jay, cardinal, kestrel, and a feeble attempt at crow (the pitch was too high).
I waited all day for the predicted, heavy rain at 2 pm...at 3 pm...no, it will arrive, they're pretty sure, at 4 pm. The forecast graph kept pushing off the arrival of the showers. By 10:30 pm, there still was not a drop of rain. Now, the graph says maybe at 2:30 am.
Bob
I waited all day for the predicted, heavy rain at 2 pm...at 3 pm...no, it will arrive, they're pretty sure, at 4 pm. The forecast graph kept pushing off the arrival of the showers. By 10:30 pm, there still was not a drop of rain. Now, the graph says maybe at 2:30 am.
Bob
Nature is sometimes not warm and fuzzy. This afternoon, while sitting in my same old chair, on my same old front porch, I saw a motion from the corner of my right eye. I turned my head to see a false black widow spider descending on a single strand to the level of my face—about 10 inches away. It drifted back and forth in the light breeze. I reached for my trusty, Black Flag fly swatter (always kept on the seat of the other porch chair), and swatted it so hard that its plump abdomen burst, before sailing away for good.
A false black widow spider is related to the real deal black widow spider, but does not have the distinctive, red hourglass on the underside of its abdomen. The bite is almost as powerful as that of the true black widow.
Bob
A false black widow spider is related to the real deal black widow spider, but does not have the distinctive, red hourglass on the underside of its abdomen. The bite is almost as powerful as that of the true black widow.
Bob
Done. My son and I have finally completed the third volume of our fantasy series, The Counterspell Chronicle. This one closes out the story. Counterspell: Age of Fools. (The title was chosen two decades ago.) Essentially, everything and everybody spirals into complete chaos. It also serves as a sequel to the Faerie narrative in my book, Ternaria: Legacy of a Careless Age.
- Counterspell: Guardian of the Ruins
- Counterspell: The Second Law
- Ternaria: Legacy of a Careless Age
- Counterspell: Age of Fools
The narrative of Ternaria fits nicely between volumes 2 and 3.
My first proof copy arrived on 11 March 2025, ready for yet another copy-edit.
The writing of this book was interrupted many times, the last of which was the CoVid-19 pandemic, interrupting the routine activities and daily expectations of both me and my son (who lives in another state). My own, scattered notes on the project also reflect how long it has taken: aging, brownish note paper; legal pads filled with proposed then abandoned plot elements; a half-dozen renditions of the cover art; catalogs of retained personal items, character clothing and persistent character interactions and quirks. [Imagine where every little thing you've ever owned was located 15 years ago.] Best of all, when I began writing the climax chapter, I didn't know what would happen. It simply solidified (like magic!) as I was writing.
After two more copy-edit passes of the first printed proof, and final updates...and waiting another 10 days for a second proof copy to arrive and approve...Oops! A glitch. Waiting for third proof copy. [By contrast, big publishing houses typically set their publication dates about 1 year after completion of the manuscripts.]
ISBN: 978-0-9761559-9-7
Library of Congress Control Number: 2025903656
Counterspell: Age of Fools is available worldwide from Lulu.com (the print-on-demand book printer), and should become available on Amazon, etc. two or three weeks after that.
I was in my late 40s when the first volume of Counterspell began. Now I'm in my late 70s. Whew! Is late 70s an age of fools? Rumor has it that Bob is pretty much booked out.
Bob
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
Congratulations on completing this epic project! It must be very satisfying to finally be finished.
