6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Reading these posts just gave me a great idea! I was all set to plunk out the money for seed-starting mats, but was looking for used ones or some alternative. I have a nice warm waterbed (my son's) just sitting there, unused! Can I use it? I can't drain it for the heating pad, but someone's post gave me the idea of just using the bed itself! What do you experts think? Any suggestions on how I can test the temperature and what I'm shooting for? Do I just lay a thermometer on the surface? Sure would appreciate anyone's comments. Thank you very much!
You should be interested in the temperature of the soil. The least expensive way I know is to get a cooking thermometer that has a metal probe and a dial that shows temperatures down to about room temperature. I think the one I have is called a candy thermometer.
Charts show most germination temperatures about 68-85°F. I usually find that two or three degrees above the information printed on the package is just fine.
Simple solution...If you have an easily accessible hot water heater start seeds on it. I have done this with some of my plants over the last few years and have had great success. I have never used a fridge. I will note I live in a townhouse with the water heater located either inside or outside in a storage room. Be creative.
Does this apply to starting storage onions too?
For sheet transplanting, we're just talking green onions or salad onions as some call them. It would be very overcrowded for storage onions without some aggressive thinning and I hate to waste seeds ;) But many plant storage onions - seeds or sets - very close together and then thin them out - use every other one as a green onion and let the rest bulb up.
Onion sets of course can be direct planted in the garden but storage onions from seed have to be started at least a couple of months in advance (January here) so I start mine in what are called plug trays and transplant them individually to the garden when the time is right.
Dave
Ahhhh....the "hunk o'seedlings" method. That is a good question about overcrowding tho'. Sure they don't need much room, so I guess that thinning them out as they grow should be OK, shouldn't it?
And when I say "thin them out," I mean, "pick what I want to eat today."
Kay.
You'll find the seed exchanges linked at the top of each forum page. The main exchange page is linked below for you.
Here is a link that might be useful: Seed Exchanges
Try planting them a little deeper so they are able to pull themselves out of the seed as the seed is still moist and anchored in the soil. Otherwise, I've had success placing a light layer of cotton over the seedlings and misting them. It should take a day for them to expand enough to shed the seed..Sometimes if you see the seed at the soil level once it has germinated, you can place a pinch of soil there and mist it..this helps.. Good luck
You know you don't actually need one to start seeds. See the "What's you favorite seed starting container" discussion further down the forum page (I linked it below).
You can germinate the seeds in just about any old container and since they will need to be transplanted at least once before the garden you can then pick up one of the inexpensive empty cell trays (available many places for about $5.00) or even just some styrofoam coffee or Dixie cups for growing the seedlings on to garden time. It's much cheaper if you plan to do lots of seedlings.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: What's your favorite seed starting container...
Here's a link to a long previous discussion on using them.
I agree that you don't want to use garden soil in the mix, good compost works if it is soil-less compost. I have found it a little difficult to mix up just the right mix so that the blocks won't fall apart but Jiffy mix works pretty good for me. Over all, I'm not too impressed with the blocks vs. cell packs. Cell packs are easier to work with.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Using Soil Block Maker
Just really make sure you're up to the commitment to clip those pods. When we moved into our house 20 years ago, the entire back yard was full of sprouting trumpet vine. It was everywhere, from up the side of the house itself to choking the lilac bush, and all open spaces in between. I have used gallons of Round-up over the years in my efforts to control/eradicate it. It has an extremely deep root, near impossible to just pull, and even if you dig below dirtline and cut it still comes back. I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want to grow the stuff. I probably have an extreme case gone wild, but I recommend being very diligent in your care of the little monster!
You can try insecticidal soap for the seedlings you have growing. You can moisten grow mix you are going to use and heat it in a microwave to 180 degrees. That should take care of any gnats and mold that may develop. Some mixes will not be as sterile as others. You can buy a mix from gardener's supply that will be free of pests but it is not cheap.
I don't see any reason why you shouldn't use it, especially if it's still sealed. I use old (open bag) and recycled potting mix for winter sowing and a sterile mix for starting seeds inside or in the greenhouse. If you are concerned you can sterilize it in the oven but honestly I think that's too much trouble and would just buy a new bag if I was worried about it.
Karyn
lol, no, the seedlings in the round pot are Cherry Lupines.
Wow, I guessed right about the round pot. I thought lupine - (not cherry, I'm not that good! lol - What's behind it, Cosmos ?
Cute babies!
kim