6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I have creeping thyme growing around flagstone and it's working out pretty good. Once you get at least one plant going then you can start taking cuttings. Most thyme cuttings do pretty good even without a humidity dome. Within two seasons you'll probably have all the creeping thyme you need.
Heat mats are certainly useful for every propagator. Because I have my HID lamp over my heat mat(3x6 ft)when my seeds have germinated I raise them up on top of 4 inch nursery pots to get them off the heat, but still have the light. I always have an assortment of containers of cuttings which need the heat to form roots, on the same heat mat. My chainsaw is hard to start in the winter, so when I am going to need it the next day I put it on the heat mat the night before and it starts a lot easier. Al
Going from inside to outside into direct sun easily kills them and does so quickly. They need to be gradually hardened off so first you need to read about hardening off and how it is a gradual process done over several days.
Try your plants, in the bag if you wish with the top open, first in full shade for a couple of hours and monitor them closely for wilting. Then you can gradually move them into partial shade/sun and over the next few days - depending on the temps - and finally into full sun.
Dave
Hi Dave,
Do you think that they can be hardened off with temps in the fifties? Is this too cool for them or should they be fine? Temps at night are above freezing FYI, even though I'd be bringing in them long before overnight lows. Why don't most people grow their seedlings like this instead of buying shoplights and using electricity? Hardening them off seems like the biggest inconvenience, but it sounds like it beats having to keep a perfect light environment indoors (which seems nearly unattainable for me). Is it possible that the seedlings will stretch outside once hardened off in full sun or is that rare (assuming not cloudy skies)?
This would be very convenient if it did actually work.
I have a couple dozen potted plants that are outside in the summer, in the same room. I have to assume that that is where they came from. Squishing them isnt an option since most of my seedlings are only at the 1st true leaf stage.
Taking them outside may induce the adults to leave the plants, but I dont see how it could help with any that are in the earlier stages of development.
I'll get some sticky tapes and if they get worse, I'll try some Neem oil.
Thanks
I think the point Dave is making is that white flies are a warm climate pest. In a greenhouse they are far more of a problem as it is always warm. There really is not a good pesticide for white flies. Every time one is developed that IS effective, in a few generations, which happens very fast with white flies, they have developed a resistance to it. If you can avoid them by causing the temperature to fluctuate, as has been suggested, it should be tried. If not in the greenhouse, for the home gardener, the sticky tape is the best solution. Al
I'm a cut flower grower. I start them in 4-packs in a green house 3-4 weeks before planting outside. Easy to grow . Just lay seed down flat on medium surface and sprinkle a very little medium on top of them. I let the seeds peek through since light aids germination. Plant out before they get rootbound or they will be singles instead of doubles. They also don't like their roots disturbed.
I'm not a cold frame expert but I think it is a very nice set-up. Since your toms are indeed separate from your peppers, I'd move the heating pad from under them(toms)as more of them sprout. Since the temp in the frame is consistent, they will continue to pop up without the bottom heat. With peppers, it could take longer than 10 days even at 85 degrees, so you may have to be a little more patient as Susan suggested.
Depending on how much light gets in there during the day, you could raise the trays up a bit closer to the windows(set them on a box?)and lower them as the plants get taller.
Posting the photos in the forum here if you can would get you many more responses.
The purple is phosphorus related, not a deficiency but an uptake issue and is actually quite common for young seedlings. Their circulatory system is still developing.
While it is more pronounced in some varieties than in others it poses no threat to the tomato plant and quickly disappears as the plant develops and goes away completely once they are transplanted to the garden.
Some say that using warm water to water the plants will help but I've never found it to make much difference.
Dave
That is very helpful, thank you. One of the reasons I am interested in growing my own food starting from seed is for survival technique. If there were ever a large disaster, being able to start seeds indoors through grow lights would not be an option, unless you have some sort of off the grid electricity system to provide enough power.
I did include the components used in my potting soil in my first post.
If there were ever a large disaster, being able to start seeds indoors through grow lights would not be an option
You are absolutely right. In that situation we'd have to substantially increase our sun exposure to the max by any methods necessary and do much more direct seeding.
I did include the components used in my potting soil in my first post.
Sorry but what I was getting at was what is the brand name if this is a bagged mix or is this a made-up mix of your own? There are potential issues associated with each of those ingredients when it comes to both germination and growing on - depending on the amounts of each.
Dave
I would just leave them alone. Cut back on the water and watch them carefully. The planting tip was just for future reference. This lot, I think, need some peace ;-) When you start with seeds it's like the first baby. You fret over every sniffle. With subsequent kids you toughen up and they just have to get by on benign neglect. They usually manage OK.
Oh dear, Jerry Baker strikes again. I had hoped he'd crawled back into the woodpile where he belongs since we hadn't heard anything about him for several years.
Lesuko - you need to start your own post here with all those questions so we don't get way off track on this one. Basically Jiffy mix needs to be well wet in a bucket first (soaked in warm water overnight) then wrung out in your hand, fill the cells, plant the seeds, cover until they germinate and break the surface and then uncover.
Dave
When I'm going to plant a flat of seeds, I fill the cells with dry germination mix (it's easier to fill them dry) and then water well with boiling water. After an hour I empty any left in the bottom of the flat. I then leave the flat, unseeded, overnight. That way I know the water is well absorbed and distributed through the mix before I plant my seeds.
ricjo22: I will have to open up a pot when I go to transplant to see if that's the case. If so I may not use this method next year. Thanks for the tip.
Dave: My plants are doing well, they have grown quite a bit and appear to be happy. Mold has greatly reduced, I can see a few spots here and there where the pots are touching, but otherwise looking good. Thanks a million for the advice! One question, the flats I have are 11"x22"- how much water would you generally start with when you bottom water? I have never used this method, and don't want to end up over watering again. Thanks :)
Aime
Agree. No domes and do not leave them sitting in any water either - no moisture tray. Temperature in cold frames can get very hot if not properly monitored and it is easy to boil/kill seeds and even seedlings in soil that is too wet and too hot.
Dave
Should I fertilize my seedlings when they get their first true leaves? I have some fish fertilizer and miracle grow.
I thin mine as soon as I can handle them by the leaf. I break up the seedling mix and separate them. This works best if the mix is on the dry side. Mine I put in salvaged sixpac containers, with bottom holes large enough to get my smallest finger in to push out when time to pot up to larger pot, usually four inch. This avoids another root disturbance and check in growth. Al