03/28/05Third Week

It was a dark and storm week. In one two-day stretch, three inches of rain descended from the beyond. Our ever- cheerful local TV weather forecaster predicts more rain.The plants are transforming from dark to puce green.

The height of the plants has not changed, but the leaves seem to be getting wider, and on some, a third leaf is emerging.

No seeds germinated this week. Carefully dug around the seeds of the four plants that have not sprouted. Three are developing roots, and the forth is growing a fuzzy white mold where roots should be forming.

03/21/05Second Week

It has been a more typical week, weather in the mid-50s, and several days of rain. The crop now has this appearance –

The tallest plant is currently 1-3/4”.

Germination has been as follows –


The seed pack states germination is 10-14 days, the seeds were planted fourteen days ago. Will give the four slackers one more week to get with it.

03/14/05First Week

The seeds were planted on March 7, and began emerging from the soil on March 12. In three days, 11 have materialized from 2004 seed, and 19 from 2005 seed, an overall success rate of 71%. According to the packages, germination should have started today. Success can probably be attributed to last week’s high 60’s and low 70’s temperature.

Seeds starting to surface

The tallest plants are 3/4”.

3-days old

03/07/05Seeds Planted

The overnight seed soaking yielded a surprise. The 2005 seeds are more yellow than those from 2004, as you can see in the below photograph.

Seeds soaked overnight.

Seeds are planted. The sticks indicate 2004 seeds.

Start of a city corn crop.

03/06/05The 2005 Corn Garden Commences

In the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, most of our industrial strength winter weather is usually draws to a close by the end of February. The below extended NOAA forecast has persuaded me to start the corn garden.

Forecast for

Sunday March 06, 2005 11:01:34 PST

Issued: March 06, 2005 09:49:09 PST (ORZ006)

Today: Patchy morning fog...otherwise partly cloudy. Highs 60 to 65. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 40s. South wind 5 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. South wind 5 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon.

Monday night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower to mid 40s. Light winds becoming east 5 mph after midnight.

Tuesday: Partly sunny. Highs around 60. Southeast wind 5 mph.

Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Lows 40 to 45.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Highs around 60.

Wednesday night: Mostly clear. Lows 40 to 45.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70.

Thursday night: Clear. Lows 40 to 45.

Friday: Sunny. Highs 65 to 70.

Friday night: Mostly clear. Lows 40 to 45.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs 60 to 65.


The crop will be started in 42- 8 oz. yogurt cartons punched with four holes for drainage.

I decided to go with the same kind of corn as last year. Somewhere, it came across the fact that corn seeds have a shelf life of one year. I cannot find the citation. Anyhow, am curious how/if last year’s seeds will still germinate this year, so am going to plant seeds purchase this year, as well as in 2004.

Last year, fourteen of sixteen seeds germinated and became productive corn plants. This is an 88% success rate. So, assuming the 2005 seeds are as healthy as the2004 seeds, At this rate, 28 - 2005 seeds would need to be planted to get 24 plants, an additional 2 seeds were started for insurance. That leaves 12 seeds to be planted from the 2004 pack,

The below photo show the seeds -

LH 2 columns are seeds prepared for 2004. RH 5 columns are 2005 seed.

The seeds have been place in glass jars, and left to soak for planting tomorrow.

Seeds in small jar are from 2004, large jar are for 2005

Pots are ready for planting tomorrow.