6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
You are unsuccessful because you are worried about Bio-domes and all these money wasting schemes. I am very successful in growing seeds. My only problem is my plants are getting too big and still cold outside. I have Tomatov plants from one foot to 1/12 foot. I have squash, Cucumber, Honey dew, Cantaloupe, Okra, Pepper, Egg plant and all kinds of glowers. I have some old beaten up pots I keep them from year to year. I spent a little money on potting soil and heating Mat that all. Last year We had to replace our leaky bath-top. The workers wanted to throw away the old top I stopped them, digged a hole in the back-yard. made few holes in the bottom of the top filled it with good top soil with compost. Now it is a raised bed which produces 100s of pounds of tomatoes which my family enjoys and I give the rest to the soup kitchen. I keep it simple I enjoy it more.
Dear foolishpleasure
Thanks for your input
I am a super bad seed starter. No matter how close I have them to the grow light they are always leggy. I plan on germinating my seeds inside then putting out to the sun. With the biodome i'm hoping that the seedlings will grow uniformally (is that a word?) leaving very little to chance...hoping this season will be a better one!
Thanks again!
Dale
Check out this older post, it may be helpful (link below).
Here is a link that might be useful: Purple pepper leaves
The people at Pro-Mix actually responded to my question as follows:
"Due to the age of the product, it would be fine to mix it into the garden versus using it for starting seeds. As this product ages certain chemical additives breakdown and are no longer effective; i.e. wetting agent (now product is hard to wet), fertilizer charge (no longer present) and possibily the limestone has been activated (reducing it's effect on pH). Therefore, mixing it into soil is the best alternative. The peat moss, perlite and vermiculite in the product will help the soil be more porous and allow better drainage. "
So I guess I'll have to buy new...unless anyone actually has experience with 5 year old BX.
Thanks for any help!
I had sone 9 month old Pro-Mix BX with Biofungicide and it had lost its anti-fungus properties after that time, and I could see mold growing on the surface of my seed starting mix, whereas with a new bale of the same stuff I see no mold and never get any damping off problems.
I am guessing after a year one of the other kinds they sell, Pro-Mix BX with Mycorize, the beneficial fungi would probably be dead
So lesson learned, don't buy more Pro-Mix than you can immediately use in the next few months, and be careful how you store it.
Is there a way of telling whether the tree is a male (seedless) or femail tree (dirty dropping seed and debris?)
My experience is seeds begin appearing when the tree is about six feet tall and it would be nice to plant only male pepper trees near your home or building.
I find the bio dome is great for starting sweet peas and nasturtium early. I don't find it as helpful for smaller seeds. Once the seeds sprout, and are up about 2-3 inches, I put the plug straight into the ground. They germinate and sprout in about 5 days under the bio dome. I have also used it with good success with Agrostemma, Cerinthe and Royal Ensign - Mostly plants that don't really like to be transplanted.
I have used a 60 plant Bio Dome for the first time. I planted begonia seeds. I started them 8 weeks ago. The top of the plugs have turned white like a white fungus or something. The plants that have survived are so small. They have 2 leaves that are very little. I have started about 8 flats of seeds and none of the others have this white fungus. Has anyone had this problem and if so is there a solution? Thanks for any advice.
corn 1 or 2 ears per stalk, water melon 1 so you don't stress the plant. You'll have to snap off the others as they try to form. or let it be and see how it goes.
The water melons might (hahaha) try to sneak out of a 10 by 10 area. They are like pumpkins, but not quite as bad. Have fun
:) Laura
I would only worry if your soil is clay. I don't have clay, so that wouldn't be a problem here. If you just planted them you could move them, put back the soil , replant and they probably wont even notice.
good luck newbie :) we all learn by trial and error.
:)Laura
I'm not surprised. Though I don't know about okra, I know onions, peppers and carrots take a while to germinate. What I would do is move them away from the window to a warmer spot in your house. Until they sprout, you're looking for heat, not light, and the window might be too cool.
Also, I'm not sure about starting root vegetables indoors. Carrots are commonly seeds you direct sow, as I don't think they like to be moved. But others might have more experience where that's concerned.
Something that has worked well for me is the top of the shop lights I put the plants under once they do germinate.
The ballast puts out a nice gentle heat, and will help plants that require a little heat what they need to germinate more quickly. I've used this for two years and it works great. Peppers that used to take about 3 weeks (sometimes longer) now come up in a matter of days (5-7, normally).
I wouldn't plant root crops indoors. They are best sowed in place in the garden. To help them along, put a cold frame over them. This will help to heat the soil a bit (Be sure to vent the frame, or else you will cook the seeds) and protect them from low temperatures. This will help to reduce the time for germination, but carrots just take a while.
Okra is a HEAT LOVING PLANT. They require high soils temps to germinate, usually in the 80s.
Onions prefer to grow in cooler conditions. You will want a short-day variety, where you are, I believe.
Yep, scroll down to the thread titled "A waste of money" and you'll see the sad accounts. The one I had pictured was wedged against a fence with a big cinder block on the bottom shelf to hold it down and the thing STILL blew over. I kept it against the east-facing fence so it would only get morning sun. That way, if it got hotter than expected while I was at work, the seedlings would be in the shade come 1:00 or so. But in the end, I stopped using it altogether. I had an extra freestanding shelving unit--the heavy duty plastic kind--sitting around. I moved it right next to this "greenhouse" and it has not blown over once, not even in the 65 mph winds we had a couple months back. I now set my seedlings on it instead and I don't have to deal with opening/closing the plastic "door". Honestly, I couldn't find a reason for having the plastic closed ever. It wouldn't keep the seedlings warm in cold weather, and on sunny days, I was too worried about over heating to ever leave it zipped up.
But check out the thread. I do recall one poster did have one of these and had much better luck than the rest of us.
I have three of them, a two shelf, which is in my unheated garage. I put the plants I overwinter in them. I got a four shelf to start my seeds in and a three shelf that I put the seedlings in to grow in sunlight. I've had the two and three shelves for years and I don't put them outside. If I did, the plastic cover would cook them and I just don't find them sturdy enough for outdoor use.
Greenoe, I'm in Central FL, I start my seed, all heriloom, in late January using a Jiffy greenhouse in a southern window.
By the time they've developed their 2nd set of true leaves, I bury 80% of the plant in a 6" nursery pot in a mixture of either coir and garden soil or, if I have it, "Wonder Soil". I add rock phosphate to the hole (it can touch the roots) each time I repot or replant, depending.
Rock Phosphate develops STRONG roots. Burying the plant pretty much as deeply as you can, will ensure a monstrous root system as toms develop roots all along the stem.
I had a fairly large Roma snap in half in a storm last week. It's fine, I just dug down, planted it (already had the RP in from the first planting) to the bottom set of leaves, and voila! Big fat roots AND blooms! Not sure how that'll work out, trying to bloom and make new roots at the same time...
Anyway, rock phosphate's cheap. You can use bone meal which is also great for roots, but the phosphate is like a power booster when it comes to veggies.
Hope that helps.
Starting from seeds fits perfectly with my neurotic, control freak personality. I don't like to be at the mercy of the garden centers and what they have and when they have it. Granted, I can find the exact plants I'm growing already done and ready to plant, but it's that ONE TIME I want something and no one has it--that makes it all worthwhile.
Plus, you know where those seedlings have been!
Yes we are crazy. From all the money I spend on seeds, pots, potting soil, bug spray, fertilizer, little trees from the Nurseries, compost humus, sprayers and the list is long and you end up with 4 Apples and 6 Beaches not eaten by bugs, wasps or squirrels Each fruit cost $10. For my Vegetables what the rabbets allow to have probably each Cucumber cost $3. Not to mention my labor and my back acking picking up weeds. Yes we are crazy.
I agree with the other replies about the slugs.
However, it could also be a cat. Can you close a door so that your cats can't enter that room? If your cats are anything like some of the ones I've owned, they get into a lot more mischief at night sometimes. I wouldn't put it past my current cat to eat my plants at night. I had a new door put on to keep him out. I love him but I don't trust him, LOL!
I always plant dahlia seeds in warm conditions (inside) & they always germinate in under 2 weeks.
FYI: lights should be positioned only a few inches above your seedlings. This prevents them from getting leggy.
thanks jaynine!