04/25/05First Week

The corn started sprouting four days after planting. So far sixteen plants have popped up.

04/18/05Planted Seeds

Planted seeds just below surface. The packet says 1” deep, but their roots need all the vertical depth they can get.

The white sticks identify 2004 seeds.

04/17/05Rinsed Seeds

Because of an extra day of soaking, the water was changed to ensure no scum development. The water was a bit cloudy, but find it difficult to believe the growth could have happened in chlorinated tap water. Perhaps there was some kind of residual on the seeds' surfaces.

04/16/05The crop begins, again

Having a better understanding of germination rate, 30 seeds were started for the second crop; 10 from the 2004 seed pack, and 20 from 2005. This crop is beginning later in the year, so seeds are going to be soaked two days, to hopefully give them a faster sprout rate.

04/10/05Crop Failure

One day short of week five. All the plants are displaying some brown spots on their leaves. It has been too wet and cold for them to survive.

After nearly five weeks, the roots had hit the bottoms of the pots, and it was time to put the plants into larger pots.

The seeds from which all this started are still wholly visible, however they are hollow.

Decided to start over on this project.

Drainage holes have been enlarged to ensure better drainage. The pots are sitting in plastic non-draining trays. The captive water from the trays is probably what caused the problem.

Soil will be reused for zinnias.

04/04/05Fourth Week

This has been the third consecutive wet week. The plants slog on.

Several plants are developing brown leaves, perhaps from the rain.

Tallest is now 2.25 inches.

One more plant is just staring to emerge.