I Think I Like to Worry

[stella1751]

Every year, I start 33% more seeds than I need. I worry that I will only get a 70% germination rate, and I can't chance not filling my beds with my favorite (or brand new) varieties.

After about 48 hours (these are peppers and tomatoes), I begin to worry that I won't get anything. I worry that the pots are too cold, too hot, too wet, or too dry.

After the first flush of seedlings emerge, I begin to worry about the laggards. Will they germinate? Completely forgetting that I planted extras of everything, I fret about the ones that haven't germinated, watering the heck out of everything, turning up the thermostat to uncomfortable levels.

I next worry about the seedlings that come up with seed pods attached. First, I try pinching them off. I generally kill at least one plant a year that way. I should be happy. By that time, I generally have more seedlings than I need. I'm not happy, though. I worry that I am responsible for these poor seeds that didn't get a chance to achieve their purpose.

I am now in the final stage of worrying. I have too many plants. My light table is 100% full. Having let my tomato seeds sit for a year, I planted fifteen tomatoes, hoping I would get ten. I have seventeen. Two seeds must have stuck together on two of them. Three dozen peppers will need to be up-potted by the week's end, which will fill my light table to overflowing. Two humongous plants need to be transplanted, which will free up the necessary space on the light table, but the weather is crummy.

I must like to worry. I do this every single year

[hendi_alex]

Hopefully you will start getting more day time temperatures that allow the plants to be placed outside in the sunlight. Mine are placed outside starting in January, any day that it is sunny and the temperatures hit 50 degrees or warmer. Fifty to sixty degrees and the plants are placed in a portable cold frame. Sixty or warmer and they placed in the direct sunlight, but protected from strong wind.

I never worry about germination, as have never really had a failure. Every now and again the seeds in a container don't germinate, but mine are started so early that the failure is no big deal. We just plant a second batch. But most everything germinates at 80% or better, even with very old seeds.

[Duh_Vinci]

Oh the worries

I use to worry about initial germination, but after many trials during the winter months, just for fun, I finally figured out what works (for me at least)

I only start with 4 seeds of each variety (for tomatoes and peppers), since generally germination rate is 80% or better if done properly and the seeds are viable.

After one week, if there is no germination of one particular tomato variety (very rare, but has happened with some very old seeds), I re-seed those again, but give them 30min treatment of 50/50 bleach/water solution. Not only it kills possible pathogens, but actually softens up the seed shell dramatically, almost makes it translucent. And after that - germination is pretty much a guaranteed, at least a few...

Too cold, too dry, too wet... Everyone has their favorite methods and brands for seed starting mixes. I love Espoma Organic Seed Starting Mix. It has plenty of nutrients, has mycorrhizae, holds the moisture well, works for me. The only thing I add to the mix is Worm Castings. The difference with and with out them is rather dramatic

[img]https://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i230/duhvinci/2009_garden/seedlings_tests/11_15_2009_1.jpg[/img]

Starting seeds in the small cells (6/9 typical black cells where entire flat of 72 fits right into the 1020 tray makes it easy, and well organized seed starting... Once the cells are filled, I water them thoroughly, and let the trays sit and drain any excess for 2 days indoors, this way the mix not well moist, but not wet. Now I load the seed, and into the same 1020 tray with the lid and bottom heat (heating mat), regulated to the point where the germination chamber stays at 79-82F

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/photos/1176693932_3ViBR-O.jpg[/img]

Once the seedlings have their first set of true leafs, I transplant them into 2.5' pots, also fitted into the same 1020 tray, neat, clean, organized and reused:

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/photos/789405972_vata8-O.jpg[/img]

In a week, I water them with 1/2 strength fish emulsion, giving them just enough boost...

Two weeks later, these are pretty much ready for hardening off (if weather permits):

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/photos/798168697_bQ9DN-O-1.jpg[/img]

Since I usually keep only one seedling per variety for myself, at this point, I will up-pot only what I need into 6" pots, the rest are give-aways, and stay in their 2.5" pots

I like using these trays/pots for few reasons:

Everything is a universal fit into the same 1020 trays, one 2"x4" light fixture covers 4 of those trays, and each tray holds 32 pots, that is plenty! 128 plants under one light fixture!

Everything stays well organized and neat

Easy to water from the bottom - just lift up the insert, poor one gallon of water into the tray, and place the insert with the plants back into the tray - done

Transporting 4 trays with 128 plants outside for hardening off (and back inside when cold) is so easy!

That's my story

Regards,
D