6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

yay for woody guthrie!!!

Sorry... had to.

Kim

Thanks for your response. The seed was planted about January 18th, and seems to be growing so slowly. I had started it in a small peat pot but have transplanted it all into a windowbox type planter which is about 24 inches long, 10 inches wide and about 10 inches deep. Its possible that the MG soil has too much nitrogen, but I have other things planted in that same medium and no problems. The lights are not hot to the touch, but maybe the lettuce only needs 10 hrs of light rather than 16? I dont have it planted to close to each other, so its not crowded,

Its just taking this so long to grow, but there is signs of growth, however so slow. I know you dont have a crystal ball, so thanks for the sugggestions.

This is my first time with seeds, so I am going to let it go for now and see what happens. I am finding everything is a learning experience!

jlum

Ooooh, pretty! I love ranunculus and dahlia; if we were going to be here beyond next year, I would love to have some dahlias. My nonstops are still struggling along; I've moved them out of the dreaded peat pots, so it's easier to manage the moisture levels. I think there should be a handful that pull through. The new ones I started have germinated; they're about the size of a pencil lead. I will hopefully do better with these guys. Sometimes I guess you just have to live and learn with these trickier seeds. Makes me really appreciate all the other seedlings that are so easy and forgiving. :)

I kept some of my dahlias in big pots last year and they did great! Maybe you could try that?

I love dahlias... they just keep blooming no matter what and make a great cut flower.

Keep your head up about your begonias. Tehy will be small but once outside in the spring they will take off!

Keriann~

I germinated alyssum seeds from 1997, so I will report back on some of my old tomato and lettuce seeds....and more!

Hopefully the seeds were stored properly. What a great gift; a box of Italian veggie seeds for FREE! Good luck.

for transplanting after the first true leaves come in.

Well I'm already on record as firm believer in bottom watering so I won't go into that part except to agree that it depends on the ProMix variety. ;)

But for growing-on mixes there are many available. Never used Schultz stuff as it isn't available around here but likely it is fine. I don't care for MG products for several reasons but some folks have reported excellent success with any of the MG with fertilizer in them. Exceptions: the one with Moisture Control shouldn't be used in self-watering containers and the Garden Soil shouldn't be used in ANY container.

Sta-Green is another brand and Walmart sells one under the name Expert Gardener that I have used in some large containers with good results. Fertilome is another brand that seems to get good reviews.

So if a fert-added mix is what you prefer I'd suggest trying a couple of different ones and see which you like best. Likely there isn't much difference between any of them.

My personal preference is to stick with the Pro-Mix BX and feed - only when necessary - with a diluted 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer, one that also contains micro-nutrients. Easy to do and that way I have more control over how much and how often the plants get it since they don't need much and since over-feeding is far more stressful on young seedling than is UNDER-feeding.

Dave

I only bottom water, both when the seeds are germinating and growing. It seems to be far better for the seedlings and I have never drowned a plant - even when I have forgotten to remove a tray and left it in the water overnight. The excess water drains off and the plants love it.

Mike

I would like to add a little modification to Dave's statement: "never seed more than one thing in the same tray."

While this is good advice, it is a bit overgeneralized. As Dave and others will note, even if you are starting all the same things, there can be variance of days up to a week for some seeds of the same type to all germinate. So while the rule of thumb is good, even planting all the same exact seeds can produce seeds at different times.

I would change it to never plant seeds with drastically different germination habits together.

If you start plants that all start in about the same amount of time at the same temperature together, that should produce seedlings with approximately the same germination time as each other.

On the other hand, marigolds and peppers would be a poor choice of plants to have together. Peppers are notoriously slow to germinate, sometimes even in the best of circumstances. Marigolds, however, germinate very easily and very quickly.

A combination of cole crops with lettuce works out pretty well as an example of different seed types that can work well together.

When the first seedlings come up, move the flat to a cooler, brighter location, and partially remove the cover. The others will still come along, but you will avoid "leggyness". As an aside, windowsills, generally, aren't the ideal spot either!

Transplant the marigolds even if they only have seed leaves. Marigold are tough and take transplanting easily. Marigolds have a big root system so make sure your containers are big enough. When you set them out separate the roots for the best blooms.

I think you may have started them too early. Marigolds only take about 6 weeks from planting to first blooms.Pinch off the first flower and they will branch out.

Peppers take quite some time to come up and do require a warm soil like stated by others.

Check your heating requirements and germination times if you are planting things together or better still give each thing it's own container.

I really hate to be a wet blanket here, well no I am enjoying this. I have a MG seed starting potting mix in front of me right now! I see no warnings any where about any heat registers. I do see step 4 "Keep moist and out of direct sunlight" Just a wild guess by me, but I do the same thing until the seeds sprout. That sounds like good advice to me. BTW it does work but I don"t like sphagnum moss products and won't be purchasing more.
Curt;)

Well they either added or did away with that instruction, because that's what #5 says unless my English is becoming suspect.

Like I said, they must have had a change of heart, but I'm not going to worry about it in any case.

Here is a link that might be useful: MG instructions

Mike, that is very interesting. First was he in NC or Ga and second were the seed sown with the tobacco seeds under cover or in the field?.

YES Dave, thanks again, your information to Joy is helpful to me also.
Tim

Agree with Al about the vibration but I doubt your dryer top would get hot enough to get the soil "too warm". More likely it isn't warm enough. ;)

Dave

Plus, the dryer doesn't run 24 hours a day. Soil temperature should remain consistently warm until germination occurs. Soil should be warm while the air temperatures can be downright chilly.

75-85 is needed for germination but once germinated the heat pad, along with the cover, is normally removed. As mentioned in several other discussions here continued heat makes the soil too hot for young tender roots and can cook them.

Once germinated plants prefer much cooler temps for growing on - avg. of 55-65 degrees is ideal as it produces stocky, sturdy plants with root systems that can support the top growth rather than long lanky plants with small root balls.

Dave

Thanks very much guys - I appreciate it!

Hi,

For my cold moist stratified seeds I don't use any different soil than my warm seeds(exm. tomatoes). I use a soilless mix(I like fafards or sungro)...just check at your local greenhouse...I am sure they will sell you what they use if they don't carry some of the name brands. Now, I do usually add chicken grit to my outside treatment containers...making a crumbly mix for good drainage. The chicken grit you can get at a feed store.

And don't worry about the mold...never had a problem with it. And I get my sharp sand at the concrete plant...more coarse with lots of rock sizes in it...many times I use this mixed into the soilless mix as well.

m

I use 75% vermiculite, 25% coarse, washed sand and I douse the container & mix with 3% hydrogen peroxide. It makes for easy mixing into a seed starting mix for flats or cells.

Proof? No. It doesn't exist because there are far too many variables in your hypothesis - "larger seeds = better plant and better harvest" - to be able to prove it.

Opinions? Sure. Millions of them. ;) Post it on the Seed Saving forum or the Growing Tomatoes forum as it comes up for discussion both places now and then if you want to get opinions.

IMPO based on many years of growing tomatoes from seed - with the exceptions of very old seeds or very dessicated seeds or seeds that were improperly stored - it makes little or no difference. Instead it is the growing conditions provided, once germinated, that have the greatest impact on plant health and production.

Dave

I can not speak for garden stuff, but as an old wheat farmer. Tests made my selecting larger wheat seed by screening gave a slight improvement in yield. Stronger seedling. I think it was some thing like 5 percent. I am not saying that this would carry over to future generations. I will leave that opinion to the experts.
KennyP