Winston1's ym2002d farming tactics

[284 International]

?.. It just makes we wonder if we've gone overboard in some cases using cylinders to do what can be done cost effectively with mechanical means.

I think there is some element of truth to that, but there is also "more to the story," so to speak. While I haven't used it yet, I am already certain the hydraulic control of things will be superior, since the combination of opening the pan and adjusting the height of the pan will yield better control over how the blade cuts. On the other hand, I haven't used it because I keep having to replace hydraulic lines that, 40 or 50 years later, are weak and bursting. A fully mechanical unit would be currently usable, but less
functional.

I can see both of the argument. I'm normally a big fan of simplicity, but hydraulic power makes some things so much more efficient that they are inarguably better. There aren't many other implements where mechanical adjustments could reasonably replace mechanical power. Box scraper rippers is the other, but all other adjustments seem better made with hydraulic power.

Sorry to hijack your thread, Winston. I'm debating trying to germinate some crops in the tiny transplant containers for a head start. Have you ever done anything like that?

 

[winston1]

I personally have not germinated in containers but know there are people that do it with success. I had a friend last year that did it with watermelons trying to get an early crop. Coyotes ended up eating most of his crop in spite of electric fence. They are pretty bad down here if your garden is not right in a neighborhood. I bought cabbage, tomatoes, and onion plants last year. Planted all other crops from seed. What is your thoughts on year old seed? Do you buy fresh seed each year?

 

[284 International]

I have used year old corn, bean, and melon seed with success. I have also had it completely fail. The storage conditions seem to influence how well they do. The seeds that spent the summer outside under the parking cover or in the garden shed failed universally, but the seeds that were kept cool inside seemed to do fine. Seeds that were packaged in the commercial envelopes did better than bulk seed in a paper sack. I think the envelopes keep the seed from drying out as much, but that is just my speculation.

 

[Car Doc]

I use left over seeds every year and have had good success with year old seeds especially sweet corn. I always buy double what I need because of the sales they (Gurneys) have. However last year I used up the last of my contender beans seeds which have been used 3 years in a row (I bought to many at the coop-2 lbs bulk) 1 out of 20 came up beans were a bust. Year before that the beans did great so I dont know what to say except they may have gave up I was out anyway.

I have some vacuum packed corn seeds and butternut I did and am experimenting with and have not tried them so dont know if that works or not either. I plan on waiting a few more years to try them. My very very basic understanding of seed is they have enough "food" in them to start up on their own and then take nutrients from the ground. I wondered if vacuum packing them would dry them out so the "food" is no good but I am no agronomist?

I also have a Koi pond with a framework with greenhouse plastic cover over it. We always start our seeds in it, we sit large containers of peat pots out on the bridge and they get 100% humidity and lots of heat and get high nutrient pond water to drink they really do nicely especially tomatoes and herbs, the herbs are in there year round.

 

[clemsonfor]

I have some seed that is old, try to keep in in refridge, but this last season was almost a failure due to some old seed and failed new seed. If not left out in the heat for a few weeks i think the refridge kept stuff is fine, some stuff left out even for a few weeks then refridged still seemed to suffer loss?

This year i think we will buy all new seed of what we want to grow and not just buy something thinging we will plant it or (and never do) or buy a bulk pack then save it cause this causes problems with germinantion.

I think in soil or some class i had in college you seem to get a 20-50% loss in germination in a year and then another half of viable seed is lost the next year. Basically like a half life i guess? Seems like they could breed long term storage into them by letting plants seeds sit for X number of years then planting them and growing those heardy seeds out and then taking seeds from them and repeat. I guess this would be more expensive as they may loose the other traits that they stratify for like heatyness or vigor or whatever? and this is probably not necessary?

 

[284 International]

I also have a Koi pond with a framework with greenhouse plastic cover over it. We always start our seeds in it, we sit large containers of peat pots out on the bridge and they get 100% humidity and lots of heat and get high nutrient pond water to drink they really do nicely especially tomatoes and herbs, the herbs are in there year round.

That's a really good idea.

 

[Car Doc]

Thanks 284. btw speaking of this we start quite a few seeds with dinner plates with paper towels laid down and fold the paper towel over the seeds and water it. They germinate well like that then we transplant them to peat pots fwtw it works for us.

 

[Gunny]

That's a good way to do it. That way you can see which seeds germinated and which ones didn't. A lot better than seeding a whole bunch of starter cells and find out that only 80-90% came up.

 

[winston1]

I guess one of the reasons I try to use old seed is because of cost now a days on seed. Especially corn. I can tell all you guys know far more about seed than I do.

 

[winston1]

Planted 4 bunches Texas sweet onions on 1-23. Re-planted turnip greens with fresh seed. Re-planted spinich and luttuce with same old seed. We shall see what happens. I took this picture on an angle so you couldn't see how crooked my rows are.