6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
should I continue to use seed starting soil when I transplant and should I start fertilizing with a weak fish emulsion?
That's a bit of a gray, multi-opinionated area. Since you have done some reading you already know that I'm not big on supplemental feeding of young seedlings and consider it risky. Once they develop a second set of true leaves, fine as they will need some. But many others disagree with that position so it's up to you.
Basically it all depends on what soil mix you are using. If it is one that already has added nutrients then its fine. Since I use ProMix BX and it has some mircros in it I don't need to change. If not, then it's best to move on to a growing medium of some kind. Or if only doing a few plants then use your nutrient-free mix and feed them a diluted 1/2 strength feeding once a week or so.
Keep in mind that while fish emulsion is great for established plants in the garden, it isn't all that micro-nutrient inclusive or balanced when dealing with young seedlings (not mention it can stink up the house ;) so if that is what you prefer to use you might want to mix in some additional micros.
Bottom line as hoosiercherokee always says on the Tomato forum - watch your plants and they will tell you what they need. :)
Dave
I'm still very new to this seed starting, but last year I repotted 1/2 my tomatoes (I overplanted big time). The remaining ones I left in the 9-pack starting cells. What a difference. The ones I left in the 9-packs were stunted while the others really took off.
I just finished repotting my peppers, tomorrow the eggplants. I got smart this year and only started as many tomatoes as I needed plus 1 extra for each in 4" pots from the beginning.
Need to keep in mind that hardening off - what you are setting out to do - is a very gradual process. It is done in stages just like kids learning to walk. ;)
Direct sun exposure and wind are the primary enemies to young house-grown seedlings so their exposure for the first few days has to be limited and protected.
So as long as it is well above freezing, find a shaded or dappled sun location OUT OF THE WIND and give them an hour or 2 exposure with close monitoring. Next day if all goes well you can go to 2-4 hours, etc.
Experienced gardeners will tell you that once your plants are fully hardened off they shouldn't come back inside as it only sets them back once again. So most of us won't even start the process until a week or 10 days before they can go into the garden. How long until you will be able to plant these in the garden in your zone 3? Since zone 5 growers are just now setting out their cold- hardys I'm guessing a month or more for you, right?
Dave
Yep Dave. I'm in zone 3 and never plant anything outside intil the first of May. Our last frost day is the end of May so they say, but we usually get one the first week of June. That doesn't bother seeds under the soil, or things that a light frost would bother. Tender things however I plant in early June
I sowed a flower bed with a packet of Oriental Mix of Reds seeds outside in the Fall of 2008, and nothing came up at all the following spring of 2009. Having another packet of the same seeds, later that summer (2009), I sowed some of the seeds into a flower pot outside and they grew like crazy and I let the seeds ripen and fall into the pot. But nothing has happened with them so far this spring. Maybe it's still too cold yet.
As an experiment on March 7th 2010, I took a few of the remaining leftover seeds (still had some from last years packet) and put them in 4 pellet pots and put them under a grow light in my kitchen. On March 14th, I had sprouts! As of today they are small, but doing fine inside. I'm hoping they will bet big enough (1 set of true leaves) to be able to harden them off and plant them outside in 4-6 weeks.
I had no trouble with the shirley poppies, but the Oriental poppies seem to be fussier about their growing condtions. I hope this helps :))
Whether they "droop" or go into shock when transplanted depends on how old they are when transplanted and the steps or manner you use to do it. The younger they are the better they do. But even in the worst case they will often recover if given a few days of shade, minimal water and no feeding.
Dave
I winter sowed one in a plastic milk jug around the 1st of January. This one has sprouts.
I sowed three in cow pots, put inside a plastic bag and refrigerated for 3 weeks. They have been out of fridge and outside for about a month. One has sprouts and two doesn't.
These are all different kinds.
I ordered more seed last week. Since it isn't really cold outside anymore, I guess I'll try the fridge method with these when I get the seeds.
Yea, as long as they have not gotten wet/soaked by anything other than water, moldy, etc., you should still be able to use them. Just rememeber to remove that netting & pot up sooner than normal (as soon as root start to show on bottom of pellet) and you will be fine. =)
Great!!, then i will go ahead and use them. I had lots of them left over from last year and didn't want them to go to waste.
Dave thanks for the link, not sure why other people had problems. I have had great success with peat pellets. As soon as I see germination in the pellets, I put them under lights for 3-4 weeks and then transplant the plants (after removing all netting) into plastic cups filled with seed starter mix and leave them under lights , till I am ready to plant outside.
I'm currently growing abuliton.
I purchased seeds from Pinetree. 5 seeds for $1.95.
I sowed the seeds without soaking on January 14th in Jiffy Mix, just barely covering the seeds.I covered the container with a plastic bag and placed it in my fairly warm kitchen. I didn't use any bottom heat or supplemental lighting.
Four seeds sprouted within one week. I lost one seedling due to allowing the potting mix to dry out excessively.
I am now growing my three remaining seedling in yogurt cups in a west window that has light reducing glass. The seedlings are about 3" high and have 3-4 sets of true leaves. I'll probably start growing the plants under my shop lights soon and hopefully that will accelerate their growth.
Most abutilon that is sold through cataloges are hybrids so I don't know if that might of effected the viability of your collected seed.
slackermom, thanks for the answer. So it can be done, just not by me I guess! I have sown at least 50 seeds that I saved and the 10 that I purchased from Parks. Mine are in a flat with ProMix under a plastic dome. Doesn't sound much different than what you did. Guess I'll just have to try another batch. Thank you.
It was in my attempt to transplant to a larger pot. Oilpainter is suggesting I wet the soil before trying to re-pot. I was thinking my transplant to a larger container would be like trying to plant a store bought plant, which now I think I understand is a "potting soil", not seed starting mix. This is my 1st attempt at seed starting more than just a few plants. I haven't killed anything yet, but trying to keep them going till a little warmer outside. Thanks
jim,
Don't worry about it. Tomato plants are actually very hardy. Plant them down as low as the seed leaves "cotyledons" (and remove them before replanting) and the plant will grow roots out the length of the stem that is under the soil. This process will actually lead to stronger, healthier plants in the long-run!
Wow lots of replies! I did harden them off in the greenhouse first but it got warm, I got antsy I planted a batch that day and they are good so far. It will be chilly tonight so we will see, I also stuck a zinnia in the ground it was already 5 inches tall. I have lots more in the greenhouse and inside still, plus others commelina, nicandra, marigolds, canterbury bells, nasturshims, cosmos, and more. Can't seem to sprout coleus or poppies or cleome to save my life.
You have to be careful when hardening them off, they shouldn't be placed out in full sun right away, you need to gradually expose them to the conditions outdoors (wind, sun, temps, etc...). They can easily go downhill if you don't "ween" them off the cozy conditions of being grown inside! I start by setting them out in the shade in a protected location out of the wind for a couple days, and gradually move them into the sun...then they are good to be planted in their new homes! But you should wait until you have no more frost, which is probably soon in your zone or you will have to cover them at night when frost is expected.
Yes I suppose I could have but you did ask and we did answer and you chose to ignore the advice given despite at least 4 or more of the same opinion. You did the same thing with all the advice you were given on lights and now you have a bunch of leggy seedlings as a result. So can you honestly blame us for feeling we might be wasting our time and effort?
Now I see you have another post up "what should you do with the cover? since people are telling me to take it off "the SECOND" they germinate what happens to the remaining pods that havent popped through the "soil"?"
and that too is discussed here in several posts one with almost the same title. You remove it anyway. The rest will germinate just fine or they never would have anyway. If the surface of those remaining cells starts to dry out, just mist it a bit to keep it moist so the seedling can break through.
Please don't get me wrong. We enjoy helping folks here but when they turn around and either ignore the answers they get or argue with the help we try to give and do just the opposite it sure makes it difficult to keep on trying to help them.
Dave
Both work best when direct seeded in the garden. And in your zone direct seeding has many advantages because your season is plenty long enough for them so starting them early has no advantages.
And unfortunately using the peat pots only creates additional problems for them. If you choose to use them you need to monitor the soil moisture closely because they wick the water away from the plant. And when you plant them in the garden you need to strip off all or at least the majority of the pot first.
Dave
I concur with what Dave has stated.
In your zone, they would have plenty of time to develop ripe, beautiful fruit.
I have had success by mounding my ÂhillsÂ, each planted with 3/4 seeds, and amending it with a lot or organic material (from my compost bin). They are hogs and love the extra nutrients. I also only water them in the evening to prevent powdery mildew (though it hasnÂt effected my fruit), and snip a few vines (in small increments) to promote fewer, but larger fruit.
Just my opinion and what has worked for me.
I am bummed, I turned my melon and pumpkin garden into ANOTHER dahlia/zinnia cutting bed : ). I will sure miss my fruit vines!
Keriann~
Are they all the same type of seed in the flat?
If so....
They will germinate in a few days as normal, and after a week or so, you could call the seeds 'duds' if they don't germinae
Domes are helpful when germinating (for most things), but they are not necessary.
Keriann~
Since you jumped all over other posters for not posting they way you 'wanted', please don't be offended if others pass up advising you now. Just an FYI
Here is one of several previous discussions of this question that should answer your question.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: remove cover and put under lights if only few have germinated?
sounds good. going to sow my lettuce outside today.
oilpainter - elsewhere you noted that we have different climates so my sweet pea method wouldn't work for you. Now it's my turn to say the your lettuce technique doesn't work as well for me as starting them indoors:) The main reason is slugs and snails. If I sow outside a 10 foot row can be gone in a night at the 2 leaf stage. By starting indoors and then setting out transplants I can steal a march on the gastropods. In my cool damp climate lettuce is a cinch to transplant. I sow a small pinch of seed in each cell and then just pull the individual plants from the clumps and stuff them into the ground.