6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

I think it is a moss rather than the usual mold we sometimes say as I have seen some of the same on similar plugs, newspaper pots, and biodegradable pots that had gotten too warm and damp during storage - in plastic no less. When I tested them it never seemed to bother the seedlings in any way and once they were dried out it quickly disappeared.

So for that reason I wouldn't hesitate to use them.

HOWEVER, please do note that there are other potential problems with these: (1) they wick water from the soil similar to the peat pots so watering must be carefully monitored, and (2) the plants will do better when transplanted if you first strip away the majority of the pot itself. In ground they tend to turn harder and root penetration is slowed substantially.

While their cost and advertising is appealing, if one plans to start seeds the following year it is cheaper to buy the plastic cell starter trays and then the following year re-use them and only have to buy a small bag of seed starting mix to fill them with.

Dave

I bought these mostly because they were on clearance for $2, to save for starting seedlings next year. When I opened the plastic wrap and took off the cardboard cover/label, I could see mold in some of the sections. The mold on the ones I bought was white. The trays come pre-moistened, which doesn't make sense to me. I have read that mold on peat pots is not really harmful to the plants, but I think if I tried to save these as is until next year, they would degrade to a pile of moldy mush. And these don't appear to be peat, but some type of cardboard similar to cardboard egg cartons. I opened one tray and used a few sections to start a few seedlings for a few places where previously-sown areas did not seem to be growing anything. Once removed from the packaging, the rest dried out, which gave me the idea to unwrap the rest and put them outside in the sun to dry out and then perhaps they can be salvaged for next year. Overall, however, I would recommend sticking to dry peat pots and a bag of potting soil.

My neighbor has a Paulonia at least 50 years old that blooms beautiful every spring. He has no reseeding or sucker problems. Check with your local extension service to see if it is a problem where you live. Al

It depends where you live. If you live in this shades area, I would NOT recommend paulownia, because it could become very invasive. In other places it may still become invasive, but it should not be an issue.

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for39/fff00166.gif

However, if you live outside, I would give it a shot despite what some others say. It is not the tree from hell, it just needs some TLC the first few years, don't just plant it and leave it be...otherwise it will become an invasive trash tree. If you have time, keep it, if not, move it to the garden and coppice it each year for its large tropical leaves.

And even though people say its hollow, compare a hole the size of your thumb with a mature tree. Not very noticeable now is it? On younger stems, about 50% is the softwood, but in the "hollow" part, it has some light plant material and is fairly strong and limber, again, just needs some TLC to keeps from getting too frail.

If you decided to get rid of it, might I suggest the northern magnolia? It is a little compact, but has nice medium large pink blooms that do not attract bees, and have a light sweet fragrance which is could for those who have allergies. Hope this helps!

A weeping cherry grown at ground level has very little weeping room and as was mentioned, needs height to weep. If you intend to keep this in a container permanently you could raise the container to get the height. Al

I was fortunate to find a weeping cherry seedling growing from in the crotch of it's parents branches. I now have it growing on the edge of a land terrace to assist with the weeping room. It survived the winter! I transplanted it in the fall, so didn't realize that the supposedly sunny spot is now shaded. Now that it's getting second year leaves and what looks like side branches, what's next? It's parents are growing in a park and I've seen them in bloom. They're beatuiful and old!

Thanks taz and gardenweed. I would eventually like these to go in garden beds, but starting them out in pots for awhile would be okay- just don't want them to get rootbound overwinter.
These are medicinal herbs mostly- so they don't have the best germination rates to begin with. They are like wild flowers, and to germinated need the outdoor weather that they'd typically get.
Thanks for your advice, I have enough seed to try to save some, and sow some like you said.
Thanks again!!!

You haven't missed the ideal planting time for your zone. Your plants will be fine, heck my basil, parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme, mint and chives are doing fine, the only one that is hating the heat is the dill!

The link in my posting above is wrong. I was sure that I used the Burpee Viola Blackjack link and now I can't find that link anymore on Burpee. It has been changed to the
king Henry Viola - cornuta

My photos pertain the Burpee, which has a better germinate rate then the Botanical Interests. When I grew the prince john I got exactly one plant, that did not even look like the correct plant.

The johnny jumps up which are also posted a photo earlier are viola tricolor and the ones I was trying to grow are viola cornuta. Someone else commented that the link was wrong, but now it's really wrong, I don't know why it keep changing. But, I just got those seeds at Lowes Osh or home depot, so it may be possible to find them out there in the racks if one wanted to try the same flowers. One can also buy johnny jump up seeds but those are viola tricolor.

Here is a link that might be useful: Johnny Jump Up defintion wikipedia

LOL! Wikipedia information is entered by everyday people like you and me and has as much mis-information as any forum. Try googling johnny jump up flower or try daves garden and you will see that JJU is viola tri-color.

Christy: Kim is correct on the direct sow.. a seed is planted directly into the ground/pot (final resting spot)

Yes you can leave the dome on inside until they germinate as Kim said. As soon as the first one pokes through the soil, you need to take it off. The dome is not a necessity. It merely helps keep the soil moist for germinating purposes.

No silly questions! We all learned someway~

What are you growing from seed?

Kim: I would wait until they Âneed the compost. I add about an inch in the garden mid July to give them a much needed boost.

I think it may be too much for small seedlings right now.

Keriann~

Don't need a dome inside unless you are growing exotic seeds that need higher temp / humidity. You can use the dome outside to keep the seeds warm - but be sure the top vent is open or you prop a corner up so they do not get too hot. don't use it if the temps are 60F or above. I only use a dome inside for my tropical seeds that need 95F and humidity to germinate and grow - never use it for veggies or the seeds that germinate at 80F or below.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I left a mouse trap last night, but no result. Thankfully, other seedlings are intact. Also, checked at night - nothing of note. Will leave the trap in balcony for some time.

I lay a piece of chicken wire over my seedlings. And after they are 1" tall I remove that piece and then put a circular piece about 12" high and 12" in diameter around the sprouting. I don't remove it until the plant fills the space. This protects the plant from squirels, rabbits, and deer.

Pumpkins and Squash don't like their roots disturbed. Best to plant them straight into the ground. They also like the soil to be warm before you see growth. That is my experience with pumpkins and squash.

NO seeds have to be planted inside. NO seeds have to be planted outside. All seeds must be given favorable conditions to germinate.
You don't have to kill anything as stated above, you can transplant instead. I've had no problem transplanting anything you are growing as long as you take as much soil as you can to minimize root disturbance. One plant per pot means you can transplant the entire contents of that pot with minimal root disturbance. Just don't pack the soil in around it, instead water it in.

since you stated you have a bird yard, you need to protect the seeds from the birds until the plants come up. You can do so by placing some bird net or fine chicken wire over the top of the seeds. As stated previously, some seeds take longer to germinate than other seeds. Some seeds need warmer soil before they germinate and if the birds hadn't eaten all of them, they will likely germinate when it warms up a bit.

Let me repeat this one more time. What kind of herbs did you plant? No one and I mean no one can tell you what you did or didn't do right until they know the species of seeds you planted. Herbs is too vague.

I agree with the above statement.

Yeah, too much water. You should let the soil dry out 2/3 before watering again. I prefer bottom water which means you set the plants (in the containers) in a shallow pan of water and let them drink (suck it up themselves). When the top of the soil glistens they are done drinking and you can dump the rest of the water out.

Lambs ears also do not like their leaves wet, they tend to rot.

Try to remember that love is not water. It seems like we all water and fertilize our seedlings more when they look sad, but in fact the extra wate is harming them. I would get a fan on them and dry them out for a bit.

Damp off looks like you pinched the stem at the soil line and then they just fall over.....this is a pretty fast progression, 24 hours or less... no real 'heads-up'.

Just for comparison, when my seedlings were your size I watered once a week...but it also depends on temps, container size ect.

Let them dry out and they will perk back up for you!

Keriann~

Thanks everyone!

I will switch to bottom watering and I will try to water less. I just hope I don't let them die of dehydration now! I was watering once a day cuz the soil looked dry on the top but with top watering I might've not been giving them enough in one sitting. Since humidity is up though, that's changed hence the every other day watering. But now I will just spread it out, way out! I'll try to make it once a week if I can resist. *LOL*

How long should I give them before trying to harden off? (Assuming they get healthy again.)

I guess I mixed up misting with the plants I'm rooting? I think I read that they like misting. Then again, I tried that with the coleus I was trying to root and, although it rooted, the whole thing rotted shortly thereafter. More victims! Ahh, another question for another forum section...

I do not waste seeds like that. Some are too expensive to just pinch back 1/3 of what germinates. Besides even if it isn't that expensive it's a waste

When sowing in my greenhouse I start my seeds in shallow containers. You could do the same using lights. My favorite is the 4 x 41/2 x 2 inch plastic containers that mushrooms come in. I put drainage holes in the bottom. When my seedlings get their second leaves--or sometimes before that--I transplant them into individual containers.

When direct sowing I thin and transplant too. In the garden when sowing small seeds like carrots it is easy to get them too thick. I will thin them and cook up the little carrots. When they are small like that and fresh from the garden using a scrubbie removes the skin.

So don't waste seed. It is not necessary

I have had the same thought. And like Taz, I can't bring myself to pinch off or thin out seedlings.

I think the whole idea behind square foot gardening where you plant one seed exactly the spacing you want it is fantastic. If something doesn't come up then put one more seed in that spot.

Check out the square foot gardening forum. Lots of info there.

Birds will pull up seedlings without disturbing the soil at all in most cases. Snails or slugs will eat the plant off, not pull it up. I have to protect my seedlings from rats, squirrels and birds as well as snails. Al

Thanks, sleepy33 and Al

I stuck plastic forks tines up in basket - squirrels not bothered them so far..but like an idiot, I left the nearby nasturtium basket(without forks) and today one of the nasturtium seedling missing - the cover of seed at the root was all that I cud see! maybe its birds this time!!I have stuck forks in that basket too..

I wanted to know - now there are 2 nasturtium seedlings left in that 14" basket(and its only nasturtium in the basket) would 2 seedlings be less to fill up the basket?

Its Nasturtium whirlybird Mix - the packet says - Ht 12" - ideal for bedding, pots and hanging baskets..

Thanks for any advise..

It really all depends on the plant type as oilpainter said.

For example petunias: I would wait till they have 6-8 true leaves, verbena I wait till they are 3-4 inches..... and then harden them off. Be sure to read the FAQs on this forum about hardening off, it would be terrible to lose all your seedlings that far along.

Keriann~

I have a similar question, but have specific plants?

what's the rule of thumb for transplanting the following:
- tomatillos
- eggplants
- thai peppers (anything close)

thanks.