Friday, April 23, 2004

On your mark...


Get set...



GO!


This is the weekend that all Atlantic Giant (AG) growers have been waiting for all winter! It is finally time to start germinating your seeds.

1. Select you first choice seeds
2. File around the edges - take care not to damage the pointed tip
3. Soak in warm water for 2-6 hrs
4. Wrap the seeds in a slightly moist paper towel and keep in a zip lock baggie
5. Keep the baggie in a warm place at a constant 80-85 degrees. Some use the back of their computer monitor (left on), top of a water heater with a bowl inverted over it, heating pad in a cooler, top of a fish tank with a lamp or heated water, in a small oven with the light left on - just keep a thermometer there and see if your germination spot is warm enough.
6. Check the seeds each day for a small sprout from the pointed end - CONGRATULATIONS!!
7. Plant the seed, point down, in good potting soil in a gallon size pot. Keep this in a warm spot until the new plant emerges.

Some seeds just do not germinate. Start some more in about 5 days if there is no sign of progress. AGs are notorious for being difficult to germinate but once you have a sprout - Stand Back!

Plan ahead to place your young plant outside with ample protection in about 2 weeks - otherwise it will outgrow the gallon pot and become stunted - not good! There is nothing wrong with waiting another week or so before starting your seeds, allow time for the soil to warm up. Most plants started this early will stall when they are put outside and the later started plants quickly catch up.

Be sure to visit bigpumpkins.com, go to the message boards, there is a whole board for newbies, New Growers Forum, and all their questions and tons of answers. You can post your own questions too - you'll get an answer.

Best of luck!!
Kim

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