Seed starting

[sebrightlover]

I plan to only start a few seeds at a time (like 1 flat of whatever) so I can learn how to do it without wasting alot of my seeds.

I will be getting fluorescent grow lights (probably a small one like 24 inches) and probably 1 or 2 gro spot light like bulbs to play with if/when I start getting african violets.

How warm should the soil be? I have access to heat mats for reptiles, so I can use those on a rheostat if need be.

I must always overwater. In the past, everything I have tried has died because of dampening off (I think that's what it is called) - croaking at the soil line.

I'll probably be doing this in the computer room, not near a window to keep it away from the yellow demon cat who eats everything. It does get warm in here because of the computer generated heat. Although right now, the thermometer laying on my empty brooder says its 68.

I'm soooo excited to be doing this this year! Come on end of March so I can start seeds!!!!!!!!

Who'd a thunk I'd try becoming self-sufficient?!! Okay, is it self-sufficient if a friend is raising my chooks since I can't have them in city limits?

 

[patandchickens]

I plan to only start a few seeds at a time (like 1 flat of whatever) so I can learn how to do it without wasting alot of my seeds.

I know this may sound backwards but in my opinion the best way to learn without waste is actually to plant MORE seeds not less Here is why:

If you plant just a few seeds/pots of just a few kinds of plant, more than likely either some will fail or some will turn out to have been planted too early, and you will wind up with few successes *and* few failures and thus little to learn from overall.

On the other hand, if you plant a reasonable number of starts and plan on doing it sequentially every 2-3 weeks or so, you will be much more likely to have enough survivors for your garden that are in the right stage for proper transplanting, and you will wind up having had a lot more seed-starting under your belt to learn from.

So, I dunno what you were planning on, but I would not start fewer than, say, 4-5 pots of each variety (with at least several seeds per pot), or if you're going to start in flats and then prick out, then enough to wind up with 3-4 pots. And plan to start each variety several times -- earlier than you think you should, when you think you should, and later than you think you should -- in case of 'crop failures' or mistaken judgement.

The extras can be given away or composted, and in the meantime you'll have learned a lot from them!

I will be getting fluorescent grow lights (probably a small one like 24 inches) and probably 1 or 2 gro spot light like bulbs to play with if/when I start getting african violets.

Jeez, a 24" light, even if double, is not going to fit hardly anything... unless you physically have no room for more than that (in which case I think the solution is to try to make room for more than that <g>) I'd suggest at least one 4' double-tube fixture (two is more than twice as good as one if you can put them side by side, in terms of how many plants you can grow).

Don't underestimate how large and how fast your plants will grow before being ready for transplanting! Another advantage of having multiple fixtures is that it makes it MUCH easier to accommodate different height plants -- the light needs to be a couple few inches above the top of the plant, and you do not want to have to be putting your lettuce 'up on blocks' to make it the same height as your tomatoes! (makes watering much harder)

How warm should the soil be? I have access to heat mats for reptiles, so I can use those on a rheostat if need be.

It depends entirely on the particular plants you're starting. Look in a book or the Stokes catalog (frankly I'd recommend the latter, as having more information) to see what you need to plan for. Some need cool soil, some need warm, some need one temperature for germination and another temperature for growing.

I start my seeds in the basement (reliable 55 F), partly because of rampaging cats but mostly because some things oughta grow cool like that and it is easy enough to add heat (or move) things that want warmer, whereas the opposite is not so easy to achieve.

I must always overwater. In the past, everything I have tried has died because of dampening off (I think that's what it is called) - croaking at the soil line.

It could be overwatering, yes... (don't overwater, and don't let them stand in water for more than the 10 minutes or so it takes the pots/flats to absorb what you put in)...

On the other hand it is perhaps more likely to be a matter of insufficient air circulation. Don't close your starts into a greenhouse-like chamber. Leave them largely or entirely open to the room air, and if necessary in a very humid room add a gentle fan (NOT blowing directly on them!!). I dunno what containers and soil you're using, but if you're having trouble with damping-off you might want to use commercial bagged 'soillless mix' potting soil and either brand spankin' new commercial containers (those plastic cell packs or whatever) or if reusing containers then first soak 'em in a bleach solution and let dry in sunlight.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[digitS']

Very good advice, Pat. I too start nearly everything twice and somethings 3 times - cheap insurance, just use small containers for starting.

The initial containers aren't anything as large as a flat (except for onions and I have gardens that total about one-half acre. At some point, there's going to be a need for a great number of plants out there. My seed-starting container of choice is a clear plastic cookie box.

If the gardener is planting for a garden of 1,000 square feet or so, I think that the smallest box from the deli (what would that be for - a slice of cheese cake? might be the best choice. As soon, and I mean as soon, as the plants appear above ground, the plastic lid comes open and I carry the box to a south window. They will end up in my greenhouse after few days.

The temperature in this south window (beside my left elbow is cool unless there's lots of sun. The temperature in the greenhouse is going to be even cooler. Stokes provides a great guide and I'm continually referring to it for all sorts of things! I can't follow it exactly but here is what it says about tomatoes: "Sow. . . seeds . . . a soil temp. of 80F/27C for 5-12 days. Grow seedlings 60F/16C . . ."

I don't use heat mats and the consistently warmest place in my house (unless I did something crazy and put them on my hot water heater is above the refrigerator at 70F plus. After they pop up, I've got lots of things in the greenhouse by the middle of March including peppers which Stokes says to grow at 70F in the daytime and above 62F at night . . . I just strive for a happy medium temp for growing unless it's really sunny - then the temperature can climb. One thing for sure - I'm not going to blast in 45 outside air using a fan without doing a lot of head-scratching and fretting.

Steve
I'm good at fretting . . .

 

[digitS']

Timely Tips on Starting Seedlings at Home - Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University

 

[sebrightlover]

Thanks for all the tips y'all

Going to the Stokes site And will; check out the other site DigitS

 

[sebrightlover]

Does the stokes catalog have the detailed growing instructions in it that are on the site?

 

[patandchickens]

Does the stokes catalog have the detailed growing instructions in it that are on the site?

yes!


Pat