A Happy Seedling
Green Thumb
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:41 pm
Location: USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

A Thought About...Seed Starting!

I'm hoping to start an inventive new series in these forums, called "A Thought About...!". It will be about ways to do a certain thing (Seed Starting in this case) and tips for beginners, plus insight on why you might want to do this thing (if it's not obvious). So, welcome to A Thought About...Seed Starting!


Many have become frustrated at their stubborn seeds, which may remain inert no matter how one pampers them. If this has happened to you, maybe you should lend some time to A Thought About seed starting. Because if you do, you will end up reading over the five best ways to start seeds. Enough intro. Let's begin!



1. Transparent small-item sorters. Do you keep jewelry in a small plastic box with many cells? Put soil in each, and put seeds in them. [WARNING: transplant the seedlings as soon as they sprout!]
2. Egg cases (plastic) or egg cartons (cardboard). The holes are perfectly sized for seeds.
3. Apple cases. Those plastic cases apples come in are very useful!
4. Burpee brand seed starters. They come with peat tablets!
5. Water bottle bottoms. Arrange in nice shapes, since they're single cells.



Tips: Don't love your dirt to death! If a plant is used to poor soil, give it poor soil! If it's a cactus, don't give it Miracle-Grow!

Overwatering doesn't help. Seeds of any kind do not like to grow in watery dirt slurry.

Bobberman
Super Green Thumb
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Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Latrobe Pa.

I lived in Woodbridge for a few months in 1990 while selling carpet in the area. I fished the ococwan river.. It was very hot that year and I had a one room place to live for a few months. Liked the area but it was too hot that year.

I use Styrofoam grape boxes to start my seeds for the last 5 years. They work great but I have not seen them in the last 2 years. They were replaced with cardboard. I like to use boxes placed inside a white plastic bag which makes them very clean. A small pin hole in the plastic will drain them slow. I also like the 8 ounce Styrofoam cups which are very cheap and easy to pin hole near the bottom so they hold about a inch of water. A few stones or sand in the bottom also seems to help with bottom watering.

A Happy Seedling
Green Thumb
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:41 pm
Location: USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

That's interesting! By the way, have you tried catching minnows in Hooes Run (a stream behind my house) for bait? There are so many minnows there I caught them with my bare hands.

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

About seed starting
1. Make sure your seeds are stored properly. Cold and dry. I use the veggie drawer of my refrigerator and I put the seeds in paper envelopes in zip lock bags. Seeds can also be frozen. Take out only as many seeds as you need. Seeds don't like to have wide temperature changes.

2. Make sure the seeds are fresh
If you collect your own seeds, make sure you dry them properly. Some seeds like papaya. tomaotes, and peppers are normally spread by birds. They have a coating that needs to be removed to help the seeds germinate better. So fermentation works best when preparing saved seeds3

3. Different seeds have different shelf lives. Seeds that are not stored properly will also not germinate as well. Some seeds like corn should be used the year they are bought. Most seeds will last 3-5 years and some seeds like bean and dill can last 10 years. The longer seeds are kept, the fewer seeds will germinate. If you have old seeds do a germination test. Seeds that float are no good, seed that sink are keepers.

https://www.clearcreekseeds.com/seed-viability-chart/

4. Be careful saving seeds. Seeds from hybrids will not breed true. Seeds from open-pollinated plants will only breed true if they have not crossed with another variety. Some plants are being bred to be seedless, parthenocarpic cultivars that are self pollinating have few or no seeds and some varieties of sunflowers are being bred to be seedless.

5. Make sure you start your seeds at the ideal temperatures. Peppers especially germinate better between 70-80 degrees.

6. Seeds do not need fertilizer. Too much nitrogen in the seed starting mix may prevent germination. Fertilize seedlings after the true leaves appear. The seed will provide all the plant needs for the first few weeks of life.

7. Starting seeds in community pots saves space, but seeds that do not transplant well are best started in individual cells.

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lakngulf
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Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 4:34 pm
Location: Lake Martin, AL

To create your own little "compartments" for each seed use 1/3 cuts of toilet paper core. These fit down into the potting soil in the flats and gives lots of growing cylinders. They are small enough that I normally place just one seed per core, which gives a true stat on germination rate.

Once the plants hit those second leaves it is so simple to lift out the core for up potting.

Image
Last edited by lakngulf on Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A Happy Seedling
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Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:41 pm
Location: USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

Thanks guys! It's an honor to see Greener Thumbs and Super Green Thumbs coming here!

A Happy Seedling
Green Thumb
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:41 pm
Location: USDA Hardiness Zone 7a

That's cool! Check the Fruit Forum for A Thought About...Fruit From Seed!



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