From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ontario, Canada.

What would you like to test and how? Have any of you given thought to certain root enhancement experiments. Even though winter approaches we can still grow indoors and discover increased knowledge about how roots grow best or how plants grow in low light conditions.

11/12/2004 7:16:53 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

I want to know how tall of a pot I need to start the
seedlings, such that the tap root won't hit the bottom of
the pot for 3-5 days after germination.

Pringles can?

11/12/2004 7:31:50 PM

Ontario, Canada.

OK Boys Thats it! Now we need a number of guys to each try the same tests

Test 1. Tap Root growth speed...What grow medium?...What size pots to try 4", 6" or 8"? In what time duration? There are many riddles to solve here that we are only scratching the surface.

Test 2. Netting and Bucket test. Ooooh! I like this one. How fast will your roots growing to reach the edge of the netting. This may be good for northern growers.

11/12/2004 7:54:08 PM

Jaffrey NH

Science fair is coming up for myself. Looks like you guys are doing the hard work for me by finding a topic. Keep it going, good stuff. Good luck
Douglas Kabat

11/12/2004 8:20:01 PM

Taber, Alberta

I did a little experiment last winter. I took some expendible seeds and planted them in mason jars so I could watch the root development. One jar contained Myke's growth supplement (mycorryzial sp? fungi). This one had much faster and better root development than the other two. Check out my diary for pics (a few days later the results were even more pronounced, but my camera crapped out) I'll never plant without the stuff again.
Alan
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=16565

11/12/2004 8:23:12 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

I would like to use "huge" buckets... but it's hard to
to warm them to 85 degrees.

As for planting medium, high-quality potting soil. I use
fertilome...

11/12/2004 8:48:57 PM

San Diego

I have used clear plastic gallon water bottles each year, pre-cut then taped together. Each year, it gives me a great chance to watch root development. Most aggressive seedlings have the tap root on the bottom of the gallon bottle the same day it pops out of the soil, sometimes even a day or two before it pops up. Occasionally, I have a seedling that grows great, but never puts out a strong tap root. I always go with the better rooting plant. Jimmy

11/12/2004 9:23:11 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I do the netting/bucket method...it'll buy you an extra week, maybe two.

11/12/2004 9:25:07 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

I have used 6" PVC pipe cut in 10" lengths, and halved. I put hinges on some for easy opening, but ran out of time last year and had to hold the rest together with duct ties, which worked just as well, although not as elegant. I like the netting idea though. What kind of netting do you use?

11/13/2004 12:00:21 AM

Ohio

Im not sure what you mean when u say netting, what ya mean by netting,

Brooks

11/13/2004 4:16:31 AM

Ohio

Kahuna,Do you apply anything to your seed before planting it? Like a little captans? I take my seed coating off first before planting, the germination rate is like 95% for me,it comes up alot cleaner out of the soil and alot sooner.
There is one thing I cant figure out that happens sometimes is the very tips of the cod leaves will be white and slimy(rot), and later fall off,Leaving me with no tips on my cod leaves. Sometimes I have to cut this off so it dont take over the entire leaf. Im thinking captans on the seed before planting might help this?
Brooks

11/13/2004 4:43:02 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Brooks, Last year I soaked my seeds in a plaster solution of kelp meal, Very weak Fert. mix of 10-52-10, fish emulsion and Stim-Root powder with indole-3-butyric acid 0.1%. All this was mixed together in about 3 table spoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide. I placed the seed onto a paper towel poured the solution over top wrapped it up and placed ot into a plastic sealed baggie for about 24 hours. Then I planted them with 1 tablesp MYKE mycorhiza Into a special blend of seed staring soil I made up.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=17022

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=17241

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=17081

11/13/2004 7:04:28 AM

Ri

I have in the past used an onion bag to line the seedling pot [1 gallon greenhouse container] this allow for very little disturbance when transferring to the ground. peter

11/14/2004 8:15:05 AM

Hamilton, MT

Is the netting removed or left in the hole? How do you remove the netting from the root ball without disturbing the roots as much as if you used a split pot?

11/14/2004 6:45:06 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I use bird netting. The spaces are plenty big enough for roots to pass thru without getting bound up and/or strangled, and small enough so that the whole ball doesn't fall apart when lifted out. A small amount of soil will fall out, but just do the deed right beside your planting hole and all works well. I leave the netting, ball, and all..all season. As I mentioned, the spaces are plenty large enough to allow freedom for the roots, trying to remove the netting will cause more damage than good.
I also add MYKE to my planting medium as does Russ.

11/14/2004 7:47:28 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Oh yea, moisten the planting medium before lifting from the pot...minimal/neglible amount of soil loss.

11/14/2004 7:49:21 PM

Belgium

This summer I planted a couple test seeds in a 5 gal. buckety with 1 inch holes drilled in the bottom. With in 2-3 weeks the roots had grown out of the holes and down into the soil bellow. Don't know if this helps, but it seemed cool to me.

See Ya,
Jake

11/14/2004 8:09:15 PM