6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Sorry I think these questions were covered in your previous post about this. Didn't the "how-to video" cover this?
Whether they require cold stratification on not depends on the variety and you don't know the variety. If northern grown then yes the odds are they need it. If southern grown, probably not. Your choice. All you can do is try it both ways and see what happens.
How successful? Unknown since it is not the normal way to grow blueberries so it is seldom done...
It takes several weeks to germinate if they do and then several years before they produce fruit if they survive.
Dave
Stuck seed coats - aka helmet heads - require a very special method of removal. :) Spit, saliva. The enzymes in it quickly soften the shell so it can fall off or be easily remoned. Works better than anything else.
Just dab a drop of saliva on it wait an hour or so and it should slip off easily. Repeat application as needed.
1/4" long roots for just germinated seedlings is normal but should double in length within 24-48 hours assuming proper media and growing conditions.
Dave
Sunflowers are, in my opinion, some the easiest seeds to start. In warm soil, they usually sprout within a few days without any special treatment. Last year my toddler got ahold of a packet of sunflower seeds, I had them growing everywhere, cracks in the sidewalk, pepper pots, the pea gravel, you name it haha.
Id nix the soaking on those, since I don't see anything to be gained from it anyways.
This post was edited by ZachS on Wed, Apr 23, 14 at 20:35
Wow! Thanks, Dave! You've been a big help! I am going to try again taking all your advice! It's amazing that the soil blocks are still too wet today, even after they have not been watered or covered for 3 days (and I live in a dry climate). I was definitely watering way too much! I was so worried about them drying out... I gave them a little spray everyday, when I should have been not watering them at all, and letting them dry out a bit.
If anyone else has any advice, I'll be checking back soon ;)
Digdirt is right on the money with is suggestions.
Though, I'm also wondering if the soil blocks make it a bit challenging to begin with. I have no experience with them but looking at your pictures, I am wondering if they tend to try out faster compared to seed starter trays. So, you end up watering more to prevent drying it out and end up watering too much.
You said, you have had success with starting seeds in the past. Have you used the blocks back than as well or is this a new method?
Thanks for the reply naturemitch!
The browning on the tips hasn't spread, which is promising. I think you're right; it's just some minor scarring from coming in contact with the bulbs. I picked up some Dr. Earth Organic Home Grown liquid fertilizer (4-6-2) at Sky Nursery here in Seattle. I'll apply a half dose today to give them a shot of nutrients. I also plan to adjust my watering schedule, basically finger test that the mix is dry a half inch or so down before watering again.
Will post an update with pictures in a few days.
I agree with naturemitch. It's most likely a bit of burn from getting too close to the light. Happens to my plants from time to as well when I forget to raise up the lights.
Curious if you have a noticed a change with your new watering schedule. Overwatering is definitely a common problem. But your plants look really good. So, I don't think you have done any major damage here.
That is algae. It implies that the surface is a bit too wet but the seedlings are fine. You could carefully stir up the surface a bit with a table fork to let in a bit more air if you want to. But if there are more basil seeds to germinate yet you need to be careful.
Hi,
I've had the same problem. So I started them indoors and transferred them to bigger containers before putting them in the garden. I would suggest always after the last frost before transplanting in the garden. I always do multiple containers as some of the seeds turn to mush. Bush beans are a difficult plant until they take off.
I buy mine from Charley's Greenhouse. These days I'm sowing mostly perennials, shrubs, trees but my deep cell plug trays from Charley's are many years old and holding up well. I haven't bought the more shallow trays for annuals/vegetables recently enough to know if the quality is the same as always but I've never had a disappointing order from them, all my propagating supplies are ordered from Charley's.
I'm not sure they are on the right side of the country for you to consider shipping, they are close for me.
Here is a link that might be useful: Earlier thread with other suppliers named
For me, that wouldn't work very well.
I have critters that have been bitten by irradiated spiders and that are coursing underground at high rates of speed so most direct-seeded plants in my back yard have a very short life indeed.
Zinnias can do well if you don't mess with their roots, so planting in blocks or cups or pellets can work with them if you're aiming to get them thick enough aforehand to be too much to gnaw on by little teeny mutant mouths.
BUT, the real question is why everything died, innit? What was different this year from last?
PS:
One, greenhouse kits and lights are not really an answer. They're tools to solve particular problems and not worth diddly if you don't know what the problems really be.
Two, ignore what the packets say about germination times and maturity dates. It's all hype and the guys who write that don't know squat about you or your (micro) climate.
Speaking of which, you're on a world wide site and you don't say where you are. It's 85 degrees here and other peeps are seeing ice...
I am sure Dave is right about the footprint, but practically speaking, two double lamp fixtures (4 bulbs) are what most people use successfully for 4 standard sized trays of seedlings. With the narrower t-8 fixtures, some of my shelves have 3 double bulb lamps, but I am not seeing a big difference in the plant health / size., Nor do I see much difference in the plants that are "between" the bulbs, as opposed to directly under them.
I second Mandolls' thoughts. Here is my set-up.
No issues with 2 sets of t8's lighting 4 standard and 1 half tray. The trays the peppers are in are smaller than standard trays so I can easily light 5 of those trays. I too don't see much difference in the plants that fall between light bulbs.
Don't overthink it :)
They dried up again today, so I guess they are pretty much root-bound by now. I'll need to move them up to bigger pots tomorrow.
After separating them into their own pots, I have used up all the space underneath the t5 light.
Hopefully it warms up outdoors soon so I can get these guys outdoors.