Bok Choy

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I saved my Bok Choy seeds from last year and started four plants inside on January 20th.  They germinated in three days and true leaves started on February 1st.

I'm planting 6 squares with 4 plants each...I'm spacing my planting by planting 4 plants every 2 weeks. I'm freaking clueless if I'm too early or too late??

 Can you guess which photo I didn't use a tripod?  My husband said I had to use one and I didn't believe him so I tested it.  I hate it when he's right!

(photos taken February 4th.) 

February 7 -
Here are the seeds I saved from my garden last year.  I have tons of them, this is just a sampling.  I purposely let one Bok Choy flower and go to seed for this year's planting.  If you do this every year, you will never have to buy seeds.

Today I planted four more plants for my second square out of six.

 I moved my existing plants into a separate container so that I could place the dome on this container to get the seeds to germinate.  I bought several of these little HydroFarm green houses.  I'm not crazy about using the peat pellets but I didn't want to throw them out.  My preference is what I used last year:  Rapid Rooter Plugs.  The plugs stay moist much longer.  (Did I really just use the word "moist"?)  I only had to water every few days and with these I have to water twice a day...no thanks!

February 10 -

Yesterday I lifted the clear dome and saw nothing.  This morning I was quite surprised to find this:

Again, it took only three days to germinate.  I immediately removed the dome and placed under the lights as close as possible.  You can see how the seedlings are thin and long.  If I kept the dome on and did not move the light closer, they would become so leggy that they would just fall over.  I've seen where people grow stuff under the dome for long periods of time but I have never had any luck with that technique.  I only use the dome for germinating.

I still have these on the heat mat but now they are separated with canning rings so that the bottom of the tray is not directly on the mat.  So heat mat, two levels of canning rings, then tray.

  I do this so that the soil doesn't get too hot and so the roots aren't as close to the heat source.

I removed the first batch from the heat mat altogether.  I read that Bok Choy bolts quicker if it's in constant warm temperatures.  I figured I can use the heat mat for the first two weeks then move them off the mat completely.
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February 14 -

Update - The four plants in front were planted exactly seven days ago.  The plant in the back was planted 25 days ago.

 All four from my first January 20th planting

Making so many changes...

I love this comparison.  They are only 18 days apart.  You can see how every day when you look at your seedlings you can see physical changes.  I love that about gardening.