sixshooter
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starting from seed

Is this as hard as I imagine? I don't have a lot of space to work with. would I need lamps/lights? I want to try some pepper plants next year that I'm not sure ill be able to find as starter plants.

mr_tumnas
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It's not hard at all, actually. All you need is-

Seed Starting mix
Pots or flats
A set of florescent shop lights or a sunny window
Seed

Pepper seed germinates very easily. You don't necessarily need lights, it just makes the process easier and the end result is usually better.
The quality of the mix is important. You want material that doesn't dry out too fast. You can buy a pre mixed bag of peat, vermiculite, and perlite (probably the best idea for starting out) or come up with your own mixtures (a lot of people like coconut coir)
The flats or pots can be anything. For peppers, I like to start them in the those 3-cell pots that tomato transplants always come it. Other people start in flats, but I hate transplating from one container to another so I start them in the pot they'll end up in.

Peppers usually take about ten days to germinate for me. Just keep the soil consistently moist in a warm spot (top of fridge) until they pop up. Then put them in your window or under your lights. Spray them with Fish emulsion once or twice a week and your done.

sixshooter
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thank you. I'm encouraged and ill be starting some from seed this year.

anyone know any good websites to get seeds from?

sixshooter
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I'm gonna order some seeds from pepperjoes.com

so heres my question.

if I plan on planting them in the ground in late may, when should I start the seeds? can I start them too early?

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rootsy
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SixShooter wrote:thank you. I'm encouraged and ill be starting some from seed this year.

anyone know any good websites to get seeds from?
reimerseeds.com

ruppseeds.com

jordanseeds.com

henryfields.com

and a million others... rupp and jordan are bulk suppliers... For those who need more than the small packet you buy at walley world...

cynthia_h
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An Internet search on "how to start vegetable seeds" yielded 495,000 hits. One of the first 10 hits was

https://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=9659

Many seed companies have information on starting seeds indoors to help gardeners grow the most plants, esp. in areas with a short growing season, so read around on the seed merchants' sites for as much information as you can get.

Almost all seed-starting calculations center on the average date of the last frost in your area. A county extension agent or Master Gardener at your county could help you figure this one out if you don't already know it from experience living where you do.

In the Bay Area, if we're going to get a freeze, it *usually* happens in late January. However, in 1990 and again last week (18 years apart), there was a hard freeze (25 deg. F) before Christmas in the Bay Area. Only once since I've lived here (let's just say it's been "more than" 25 years) has there been a freeze in March, so the average last expected frost would be Feb. 1, more or less. So it's not as necessary for us to start seeds indoors to avoid frost.

HOWEVER, it *is* advisable for Bay Area gardeners to start seeds indoors to avoid late-season rains, which can wash seeds out of even raised beds. It's also advisable for us to start the seeds of heat-loving plants ahead of time, since we need to have plants ready to go (or money ready to buy transplants) when it finally warms up: anywhere from mid-April to mid-May. Last year was very weird all over the country, even here:

DH and I put in a few hardy plants, including potatoes, on St. Patrick's Day. Then the weather got cold again.

About mid-April, I planted seeds for leeks, carrots, beets, runner beans, bok choy, peppers, and eggplant.

There was a late-season rain the last Tuesday of April.

There were two record-breaking heat waves in May, including back-to-back days of 100-deg.-plus temps. Almost all of my cool-weather plants died. I purchased zucchini and yellow squash plants and planted tomato seeds.

The summer was unusually cool.

Etc.

My Roma tomatoes finally started coming in around mid-October. I harvested the last ones Saturday night off of a mostly dead vine. They didn't have a lot of taste, these last ones, but the color was OK (not good, but OK).

Now that I know this particular house has a cooler situation than the one in Berkeley did, or even ones elsewhere in El Cerrito, I know that I need to assume that *this house* has a cooler and shorter growing season. (This was the first season since we moved into the house in 1997 that I was able to have a garden--all of 24 square feet to start with--due to health "stuff.")

So I *will* be starting seeds indoors, probably in late January/early February. This will also be a learning experience, since I've never done it before. I've started seeds outside in little pots and then moved them to the main bed, but I haven't started them indoors before. I'm just glad I have one south-facing window where I'll be able to sit the trays.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

damethod
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Location: Miami, FL

I've purchased seeds from this site before:

https://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/index.html

I have had spectacular results with the different tomato seeds I've purchased. I purchased 3 types of peppers too, but only tried planting one. It is doing pretty well.

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applestar
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Cynthia, Cynthia... I, too had health and other issues and hadn't gardened in a while until last year :shock: :wink:

I remember one year, when I WAS starting seeds, etc. I got carried away and started them too early! Under a primitive and shoestring-budget lighting set up I had, my burgeoning veggies and flowers were pushing at the lights and trying to crawl out of the pots BEFORE the weather was mild enough for them to go outside!

I was reminded that year that growing garden starts from seeds is like a big dinner party -- you have to to plan, prepare, and "cook" the "courses" so that they are ready to "serve" at the right temperature and at the correct time, while trying to accurately predict attendance and arrival time of your "guests" and keeping a "weather-eye" on the climate. :roll: :lol:

Good luck to everyone's gardening endeavors this spring! :D

sixshooter
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I put a few of the seeds I got for xmas into some god awful dirt I had in a little pot and took it to my office a few eeks ago and today I have a sprout!! I'm pretty excited, its my first time starting from seed and this was just a little test batch. we'll see how the lil pepper plant does.

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jal_ut
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https://www.eburgess.com/index.asp

[url=https://gurneys.com/default.asp?eid=081506&sid=506238&gclid=CLCNy4uboJgCFRwwawod0joUnA&bhcd2=1232559417]Gurneys[/url]

Here is a couple of good seed companies.

My only objection to buying from seed companies is that they most all charge a high postage and handling charge. If you are only wanting a few things, you really pay a premium to get the stuff. You about have to order $100 worth to come out on the postage.

I prefer to shop at the local seed and nursery companies. Some of them have seed in bulk and you can buy seed for about half what it costs in a packet. They also have asparagus roots, onion sets and plants, and seed potatoes at a much better price.

If I am buying trees, then its a different story. That Burgess company has the best deal I have ever seen on 3 to 4 year old Blue Spruce bare root trees.

I like to get my trees bareroot from the mail order companies rather than getting them locally in pots. The trees seem to do bettter when planted bare root and are cheaper.

I have had good luck using some of my garden soil mixed with peat moss for a seed starting medium. I think it works good because the little plants
are growing in the same soil they will be planted in later. They don't have to make any adjustments for the soil.

I put a table in front of a South window, and hang a four foot (2 tube)flourescent light over it. The light is left on all the time. The light is hung from chains so it is adjustable up and down. The light should be within 4 inches of the plants. This works very well for starting plants indoors.

Start your peppers 8 weeks before you can put them in the garden. Start tomatoes 6 weeks before planting out time.

sixshooter
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Location: Davison Mi

^ thanks for all that info!

what happens if you start your seed too early? the just get skinny pale tall and weak id presume.

Are there any arguments AGAINST buying starter plants at a farmers market? I had great success with all my plants last year by doing this. \

I'm guessing my seed expreiment will fail this year due to not having a ton of light, and the whole plant hardening thing I didnt know about. my garden is on my parents acreage and I live about 20. kinda adds an extra challenge. I'm hopeful tho.

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hendi_alex
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Six shooter, you may want to read my post on the tomato growing forum. The post has some info based upon experience and has a few photos to illustrate. I think that with bottom heat, most any kind of supplemental light, and gradual hardening off (exposing the tender plants to direct sunlight and air very gradually) that most vegetable seeds are easy to start indoors. Those like tomatoes, egg plant, and to a less extent pepper plants seem to have no particular negative effect when planted [too early]. Most plants probably should be started no more than six to ten weeks prior to the planting date. If tomatoes are planted really early, just size the pots up every few weeks. You would not believe how fast a tomato will jump when you move it from a three inch pot to a five or six inch pot. To get good results I think that you need some kind of bottom heat and some kind of supplemental light (most any kind is o.k. as long as it is very close to the plants). Placing plants in natural light and air as soon as possible helps form very stocky, lush plants that need no "hardening." Here in S.C. we have lots of 60-75 degree days in January and February. My plants always go outside during those mild days. As a consequence the plants never get sun scald, and never wilt from a breezy or windy day. If such a practice is not possible in your area, then you will need to harden the plants gradually as they are moved outside. Perhaps start them out in shade with a wind barrier, and gradually move the plants to the open sun and wind.

The one disadvantage to starting tomatoes really early is that the plants seem to become spent and tired much earlier in the season. So I plant the early seedlings to get a jump on the season, but rely on a later batch of seedlings for a succession planting for mid to late summer tomatoes.

Link to tomato forum post:



[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11337[/url]

xmechman93x
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if you hop over to www.thehotpepper.com its a forum deticated to all things hot. theres a section just for growing hot peppers also. I'm PwnedPepper on the site.

sixshooter
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Location: Davison Mi

cool ill heck it out.

I'm starting to get nervous about starting from seed. last year was my first year gardening and I had great sucess. I only lost a couple plants and that was due to a rabbit. my plants produced wonderfully and I jarred and froze a ton of tomato salasa and peppers. I decided to order some seeds for this year as a pet project for earlier in the spring to scratch my gardening itch. however I don't know if I can pull it off.

is there any case AGAINST buying starter plants? if so please let me know. I'm going to go ahead and try to grow my seeds, but who knows if ill time it right and if all the variables will come togethor.

Timlin
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6shooter I know where you're coming from.

20 years ago when we moved here to the lake I decided to begin gardening to prevent boredom. At that time we had no computer/internet/tv and we were up with the birds and to bed by 9 p.m. I thought I'd soon have trouble entertaining myself if I didn't develop a hobby.

I bought gardening magazines (my parents had never gardened and I had never been around anyone who gardened so I was totally clueless) and read and read and read. I bought "The Joy of Gardening" by Dick Raymond and another book on perennials. I wore those books out and had to replace them. A few years back I gave large boxes of gardening magazines to young neighbours who wanted to start gardening.

I decided to start from seed because I could try things that were not available in the nurseries. Especially tomatoes were fun to experiment with all the different types.

I have since moved up to a medium sized greenhouse and I have it busting at the seams by the time planting warmth rolls around.

Seedlings you nurse from seeds to the table are special. You feel a great sense of accomplishment by doing it all the way.

Purchase a couple cheap 4' shop lites (always use the cold florescent tubes because all your seedlings need is mega light not more warmth and the gro lights throw heat.)

buy soiless seedling mix and begin to plant.......the seed packages give you instructions enough to get you going and you can google any seed your thinking of planting and get great directions. Ask at your local nursery and they will tell you what date is your frost free date in the spring. From that you can determine when to plant according to the instruction on the seed package.

It's not a big mystery and it's not hard. It's fun and satisfying and you'll love it! Go for it. It can only cost you a few $ if it doesn't go well......

Jump in you'll learn to swim in no time!!

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Gnome
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SixShooter,
is there any case AGAINST buying starter plants? if so please let me know. I'm going to go ahead and try to grow my seeds, but who knows if ill time it right and if all the variables will come togethor.
Not so much a case against starter plants as a case for seedlings would be, as Timlin noted, the option of trying many more varieties than are commonly available as transplants.

Norm

sixshooter
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Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:00 pm
Location: Davison Mi

thanks for the encouragement everyone!



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