6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I use MG potting soil for my seedlings and they do great. I do not fertilize them until they get in the ground or container in the Spring because MG comes with fertilizer in it already, as you know.
I have not compared it with using a Pro-Mix or other brand so I cannot say it is better or worse, but it works for me.
Keriann~
Thanks for all the responses. trying to keep the rabbits and cut worms off my seedlings. I only have soup cans; don't do coffee, but I think I'll try rock guy's suggestion of the tin snips to widen them. I'm glad they'll still get plenty of sun.
Thanks all!
Susan
They are in the basement and started out great but I got overzealous with the watering can. Should the growlight be right on top of them, the same as tomatoes and peppers? I was watering from the bottom when the tops of the container looked dry. It wasnt down in the soil mix below. I have drastically cut back on water now. They did have second leaves and are now about 4inchs tall in 4inch pots. Hoping they will recover but started some backup anyway, dont know what ill do with 100 brocolli plants if they all survive, lol.....
The info that came with my heating mat said not to put it on metal surfaces because of heat loss below, It said the best surface is styrofoam, cardboard or wood. I use a cardboard box lid flap to put mine on and it has worked well for 4 years now.
I suggest you take a cardboard box and cut it up to fit your shelves where you are going to put the mat. Put your plants that are in pots in a plastic tray and onto the mat and you are in business
If your setup is too hot try just putting a block of wood under each end to raise the container a bit. My grow mat is barely warm when I touch it, but after the containers are on it a while they are warm on the bottom when I pick them up.
By the way your paper pots are fine. I might have been thinking plastic when I wrote that
hank,
As mentioned before, the temps for germination will vary with plant types. Your temp range is basically ideal for peppers, eggplant and okra. If these are your target plants, then bravo! If not, you will want to decrease this temp a bit. Probably the easiest solution would be to just remove some of the length of the rope light. The more rope light that is submerged in the sand medium, the hotter it would be. The less submerged, the cooler it is.
According to tomclothier.hort.net, most plants optimum germination temp (highest % and shortest # of days) is 77 degrees.
NOTABLE EXCEPTION: Spinach - optimum temp 50 degrees. The germination rate drops to about 25% at 77 degrees.
digdirt...im in zone 7a, and am trying to grow eggplant from seed, indoors, and they dont seem to sprout. i have them on top of the refrigerator but its a new samsung and it doesnt seem to give alot of heat off.
can i simply start the seeds outdoors here? will they make it to fruiting, with the short season?
any advice from anyone is appreciated. thanks.
Tomatoes and peppers are the only things that I start early. Other than the annuals and perennials, that is. All the other veggies are sown in situ or planted as plants purchased from a local garden center. We have some good options around here for selection.
Oh, yes you are right... Thank you again for the intro to Geo.. what a great place.
My Corkscrew vines are pretty big and starting to curl around my lights. They sure are doing well. I hope they get about 12-14" before I get them outside so they can peak over the Iris' and get to the sun!
Keriann~
No problem! Glad to share the Geo love. :) We've finally had a spell of nice weather here, so that is just making my seed obsession worse. It's been 60 and sunny, I got all the beds and yard cleaned up, sprinkled some poppy and lupine seeds around, and I've been taking the seedlings out to lounge in the sun on the deck every day. Come on, spring!! :)
As mentioned above....your prices are high. You might actually want to consider some online shopping and see if you can get free shipping. Your prices are basically twice as high as I've seen in stores.
I have two 4 foot 2 bulb set ups (I just bought a new fixture and bulbs at HD for a TOTAL of less than $15.
zippity,
I'm not sure where you are right now, or what the temps are there right now, but I'm sure that some of the plants you started are more cold hardy than others. If you could put together a cold frame (about as low-tech as you can get), try putting some of the "extras" out there, to see how they fair. If your evening temps are too low, you can always bring them in at night.
Cold frame: If you have any old windows, just lean one up against the south side of your house, and put some kind of a wind barrier on the sides. It doesn't have to be fancy to be effective. If it is not air tight, that's ok for the day time. The sun will heat the frame QUICKLY if it is all closed up. So, air leaks aren't a big problem during the day. They ARE a problem at night, as they wouldn't hold the heat at night, and so the temp inside will be the same as the outside.
Hope this helps a little. Cold hardy crops are greens, cole crops, onions, etc. Tomatoes and peppers are heat LOVING plants, so these guys would not be the first choice for the cold frame.
OK thanks for the help. I like the idea of using something organic better than chemicals as well.
Where could I find a fish/seaweed type fertilizer?
Wait until they get a bit older, then use some Dyna Gro Foliage Pro 9-3-6. IMO, one of the best fertilizers available for any veggie plants. Start with a 1/2 strength dose at 5-6 weeks of age, then gradually work up to a full dose when about to place outdoors.