Comments on my seed starting method? (and where to find h2o2?)

17 years ago

Hello all

Last year I tried a seed starting method which was relatively successful compared with my previous attempts. I bought a 5 x 10 slot seed-starting tray with a transparent plastic cover. It came with 50 round compressed peat moss pellets, each contained within a fine-meshed netting. These expanded to around 1.5" tall, 1.5" diameter round "plugs" when soaked in water. I kept this arrangement under some LED grow lights I had bought (good, but expensive). Some seeds sprouted quickly (eg cucumbers... I started them *way* too early), others took longer (eg Impatiens), and others never emerged (eg peppers; the seeds might have been old/bad though). Though this worked relatively well, I did have some kind of mold spreading over some of the "plugs" before I took them outside. I wasn't sure whether this mold caused any problems or not. I also noticed that the seedlings were leggier than I was expecting.

One thing I liked about this method was that the "plugs" had quite a bit of volume for root growth, so transplanting didn't seem necessary for quite a while. I was also able to see when the seedlings were starting to get big enough to need more growing medium, since the roots could be seen poking out of the sides of the "plugs" or spreading along the bottom of the starter tray. Also, all I had to do to transplant was to put the whole "plug" into a hole in the soil; the seedling was already strong enough that I did not need to be particularly delicate.

This year to try to improve my germination rate, I bought a cheap heating pad from Kmart. I'm currently fiddling with the heat setting to try to consistently keep the temperature between 75 and 80 degrees F.

I also ran out of new peat disks, so I had to re-use some of my old ones (once the previous plant dies back, the "plug" is still mostly intact and looks like it should be re-usable). To try to kill off mold and micro-organisms the recycled "plugs" might contain, I first immersed the old "plugs" in 3% hydrogen peroxide. This is the kind you buy at the drug store. Since it supposedly has chemical stabilizers, I only used the h2o2 on the "plugs" I was seeding with ornamental flowers. I think I'm already seeing mold growing, so this might not have worked. I just read in the FAQ about using boiling water for sterilization, so I might try that.

So with all that being said:

Has anyone tried this kind of setup (eg, a seed-starting tray with peat moss "plugs") and compared it to other methods? I just read about the baggy-and-coffee-filter method and wondering how this compares.

Would it be worth it to boil the "plugs" and re-start the seeds, or is the mold harmless?

I heard about using h2o2 to benefit seed sprouting and later plant growth. Does anyone have personal experience with this? Where did you acquire agricultural-grade hydrogen peroxide?

Peat moss doesn't contain any nutrients, right? So would I need to fertilize my seedlings at some point before setting them outside? When/how often/with what?

What would be the best way to sterilize the starter tray? Would bleach harm the tray's plastic or leave any harmful/toxic residue?

Any other comments or observations?

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Comments (7)

georgez5il
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Dont "Boil Plugs" heat in oven if you must,
Other methods all have things in common. light/darkness on seed. pretreatment if needed. (soil temp. light, temp, water, pH, fertilization after germination) your choice, availability of materials, ertcare the basis for deciding which method to use.
Yes you need to lightly fertilize after seedling has 1-2 set of true leaves.
Under most uses Bleech will NOT harm tray or soil or plant
tastefullyjulie
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
First of all, I would not reuse the peat pellets. That is just asking for trouble. I suppose you could sterilize them in the oven but I'm not even sure about that because the peat in the middle might still harbor some micro-organisms. Why can't you get new ones at HD or Walmart, they're not too expensive.

I've used peat pellets before. I prefer the ones that are in little trays of no more than 10 since, like you said, some seeds germinate before others so I like the keep different types of plants separate. They work ok though. I always rip the netting off when I pot them up or plant out. It seems too constricting for the roots.

I mist immature seedlings with a solution of regular drugstore H2O2 and water at a ratio of about 1 to 10. I do it every couple of days until they reach a certain size. I've never had damp-off in my life.

I usually don't start to fertilize until the plants have their 2nd set of true leaves. I dilute to 1/4 strength.

Last, I sterilize containers with bleach, unless I'm feeling particularly lazy and them I use the spray for my kitchen counter and very hot water.
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maineman
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
RedMoss,

You can purchase 3% hydrogen peroxide in most drug stores and some grocery stores. It's inexpensive.

MM
deborahz7
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Those peat pellets are awful. Why not reuse the tray and dome but make newspaper pots instead? I simply roll up a sheet of newspaper and use masking tape to secure it. You can make them in any size you need. I make mine about 3-4" tall. To transplant (which you won't have to do for quite some time) I just remove the tape and slide the whole newspaper pot in a larger pot. The newspaper is biodegradable and won't hurt a thing. (I don't use newspaper with color though just in case)

Your only expense this way is soil less seed starter. I use 2 parts Miracle Gro Moisture Control to 1 part each of spanghum moss, vermiculte and perlite. Germination has been great.
sheltieche
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I agree reusing peat pellets is asking for trouble. You might get away with it if you sow outside but inside you have to be pretty careful not to create damp off. I use regular hydrogen peroxide to saok up seeds and have not seen any harm, also I did not see that is speeds up germination/ although my seeds do tend to germinate fast but I use optimum temps and lights and I had no control groups to experiment properly/.
I really do not like starting in the trays since as you mentioned some seeds germinate fast and some don't and you wasting precious space under lights. My personal preferences lie toward Promix and using starting tray or pot, placed in the plastic bag or under plastic cover. I transplant my seeds as they germinate and use 7-7-7 fertilizer starting about half strenght and adding as seedlings grow. I have great results and so far very little no- germination or damp off.
About eggplants and peppers- they really like it hot and will germinate and grow great with lots of light and gentle bottom heat. If you can't provide those conditions now you might want to start them later- your harvest will be later but you will have it.
gardenfanatic2003
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I've never used peat pots, but last year I reused potting soil. I "baked" it in the oven. It had a burnt smell to it afterwards. Don't know if it was because of the reused soil, but I had the worst seedling die off rate I've ever had. Yes, it saved me some money on potting soil, but I wasted my money on seeds that didn't grow. I won't do that again.

Not only will bleach not hurt your flats, but I'd recommend it. Seeds need to be started with sterilized equipment. They're like babies - they don't have their immunities built up against all the "nasties" floating around.

Deanna
taxonomist
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Many of you people are missing out on the very best and easiest method of growing medium sterilisation; your microwave oven.A slightly moist used peat pot or reused potting soil in a sealed plastic bag can be rendered almost completely organism free by zapping it for about 5 minutes for a half kilo of whatever needs to be sterile. Seed starting media can be used many times if necessary by the use of this procedure.The product should be very steamy when taken from the microwave.

Comments on my seed starting method? (and where to find h2o2?)

Comments (7)

georgez5il

tastefullyjulie

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