6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

Herp - There are good books and terrible books just as with anything. But I fear this book has either seriously misled you or it is open to other interpretations. Surely the author of a gardening book would know how seeds germinate and the hazards of exposing young seedlings to bacteria and excess nitrogen. You said "seed starting mix" in your original post. Did they intend you to use peat pellets for germination instead? Perhaps they meant for it to be added to the growing mix, not the germination mix?

Seedlings don't need and can't even absorb/use calcium until after they develop the second set of trues leaves. Normally at that time they have to be transplanted anyway into larger containers with a good balanced soil-less growing mix - most of which have added nutrients in the form that the plants can use.

And the sugars in the Jello provide a happy breeding ground for all sorts of potentially harmful bacteria and mold. They love it! But it doesn't help the plant.

Since you used the peat pellets, which are prone to mold and mildew problems all on their own, your problem is compounded. Hopefully you aren't keeping them really wet - just barely moist only and let them dry out between waterings. Roots need air as much as they need water and wet soil doesn't allow them that oxygen.

So try this: separate the pellets that have germinated from the ones that have not. Return the ones that have not germinated to the heating pad/mat or whatever you are using but prop the cover over them 1/2 way open for more air and give them a bit more time to germinate. Remember that not all will so don't expect them to.

Meanwhile mix up a spray bottle of 1 part hydrogen peroxide (sold in drug stores) and 9 parts water and lightly mist, DON'T soak, the germinated pellets that have the fungus on them. Aim for the fungus, not the plant as much as possible. If the un-sprouted ones have fungus growing on them you can mist them too. Then add the fan to increase the air circulation and withhold water until the plants just being to get wilty before watering them again. Don't let them sit in water - pour it in the tray, let them absorb what they want, and then dump the rest.

As soon as possible, peel the netting off the pellets and get these transplanted into other containers like drink cups with drain holes cut in the bottom. Plant the pellets deeply into the cups filled with a good quality soil-less (no jello or milk) potting mix - cover the entire pellet with the fresh mix and they should then do fine. If you buy one with fertilizers already in it, fine. If not, feed them 1x with a 1/4 strength mix of a good liquid fertilizer.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Dave

Great advice above.

I just had to comment that this reminds me of my younger years as a kid when I poured milk on pansies to feel better! Needless to say, the pansies smelled like rotted food and they died in the blink of an eye.

man, what a time to stumble on this thread. I've gotten the majority of my seeds from burpee this year and I've been wondering WTF there hasn't been any germination from them. The two random packs of seeds I picked up from walmart that were Walmart branded are already up and jumping (mesclun & radishes) and everything else is just sitting there dead.

The worst part is that it takes FOREVER+++ to make those paper pots so I'll be most pissed that I wasted all the work on the pots than I would be on the wasted $$ from the bum seeds.

Crappola.

I purchased the majority of my veggies from Burpee. My germination was quite successful with the exception of my eggplants and peppers. I do know that these take a long time so I am still hoping!!

This is my first year starting from seed and have tried several different methods.

I found the best to be the coffee filter/baggie method. I liked that I could check every couple of days to see what was going on. I am a control freak and this suited my anal-ness the best.

Good luck!!!

Thanks all for the advice!

Just to let you know. . . . I thought I'd post here wondering if someone had some 'creative solutions'. I've not considered clover ~ however, will check into this.

I'm considering even a durable ground cover. I'm not sure grass is optimal for this area.

Also ~ 3 + 2 dogs is ALOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC!!!! Does the clover hold up?

Had this scenario years ago with the dogs, mud, and grass graveyard. What I ended up doing was to mulch the entire yard area (this was an urban yard) with 2 inches of pine bark. I had my garden strips along the side of the yard. Dogs would poo in the mulch, easy pickup. Just wash the mulch down with a hose, smells decent with pine or cedar bark, replenish with a bag or two evey few weeks. It saved my sanity, kitchen floor and rugs.

I usually have to pull up excess marigolds that have fallen from the plant last fall and been outside all winter.

Sometimes a freeze gets them first. I have a bunch of week old marigolds that just came up on their own outside that got frozen last night. More will probably come up in a few days. They are tough.

Thanks buddies.

I'm using the pellets too, my very first time to do so!
My question is, I've started an assortment of seeds, my problem is with the sunflowers that have popped up, their so top heavy they've fallen over, when I go to a peat/plastic pot, do I pay special attention to the base of the sunflower so it doesnt rot because new dirt is too high?

mamafish, I suggest using peatpots because you can simply plant the entire thing in your garden without disturbing the roots. Re your question, first put a layer of soilless mix to the bottom of the pot and then put your peat pellet on top leaving the base of the plant at near the rim of the pot.

Ianna

i love sowing in trays, but if ya have to use those peat thingi,s at least empty them into the trays, for some reason its worked better for me that way, now i just use stay green starter soil, works great!! and is cheaper than miracle grows. i love it!! i never knew about some of the things about dark germinataion til ponderosa lemons! LOL now i know they need the dark to germinate. mine never germinated, but once they were covered they did, the first ones i had forever never germ, but once cov. they did. ones i just got i covered inadvertantly right away and they germinated right off the bat!!! LOL its crazy about this stuff. just had to add this, dunno why :'))

I have used Jiffy 7 pellets for many years with ZERO problems. I use the "greenhouse" with 25 pellets 5x5.
Soak them to expand, open up the mesh on top and plant.
As soon as I start getting germination I remove the clear top an put them under lights. I have always had very good germination results.
I can't say much about flowers, as I don't really normally start any, only vegetables, mostly tomatoes and peppers.
I transplant up to newspaper pots filled about 2/3 with Miracle Grow potting soil when they are ready.
Always water these from the bottom.
In the extremely unusual event I see mold or whatever I use a very dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide (3% dilulted 20:1) in a small sprayer.
The last 2 years I have also used a heat mat which speeds things up considerably. I have the cheap one (about $20) with no thermostat. It heats about 10-15 degrees above the ambient temperature.
JMO,
Tom

those pics were taken after about 5 weeks

The comos I saw pictured were zinnia seedings not cosmos on the link.
I direct sow cosmos they are up in out after last frost in 7 days

I bought one about 5 years ago and am really happy with it. It's great as long as you don't have rock hard soil. I had to get a more powerful tiller to make new beds in areas that haven't been turned in 30 years but the Mantis works very well in existing gardens or soil that's fairly loose. It will work on compacted earth but you have to go over the same area so many times.
Karyn

Everyone I know that has one loves it, including one of the largest farmer in this area for their smaller home garden.
I still use my 25+ year Troy Bilt 2 cycle tiller made before the Mantis ones.