Seed Starting Indoors - FYI

14 years ago

It is that time of year we all start thinking about seed starting and getting our prep stuff together.

Below is a link to a great website which was discussed on the forum last year. It compares 3 ways of starting seeds indoors "On The Rocks, Soaking and Jiffy Peat Pellet" method.

For those of you new to the forum or new to starting seeds indoors, you will find the website a great reference. I've kept this one bookmarked as a favorite.

Julia

Here is a link that might be useful: Daylily Germination Methods

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

uroboros5
14 years ago
I've had great success just planting my seeds directly in the pots.
0
bambi_too
14 years ago
Same here, sowing them in pots or beverage cups works the best for me. I tried the pellets once and was not too happy with the results.
0
Related Discussions
Can I Start Dahlia Tubars Indoors Using Seed Starting Medium?
Q
Comments (2)
In my experience tubers need: 1. Water 2. Light inside. When they go outside, the need soil. In other words, you could start them in wet newspapers and they'd likely eye up and sprout. Soil only comes into it when they sprout roots, and when you're starting tubers you're not really going after roots, you want sprouts. The more roots they grow indoors, the more work it is to transplant safely. I'd use the loosest soil you can find, and keep the tubers shallow in the mix. I started mine in a 50-50 mix of Miracle Grow Seed Starter and peat. Worked fine, but I doubt the soil had anything to do with anything. Cheers, Russ
...See More
Zone 7 - Is mid February too soon to start tomato seeds indoors?
Q
Comments (49)
MaryMcP, you make important points. Soil temp can be a killer, especially in hot climates, because in hot climates. our tomato growing season is short. By late June, I'm all done for the summer. I chuckle when I hear northerners taking pride in getting their first tomato by the Fourth of July. Getting tomatoes in the ground outside for us is a race against the eventual heat. That said, the Syngenta tool says that the average soil temp in Phoenix on March 1 is 60F. Pretty much like for me. So some years are harder than others. As to why folks don't start new threads, and instead glom onto archaic ones, should we suspect it's shyness? Now, I answered that original thread because I didn't notice that it was old. Is this your question, or someone else's question? Some resurrected threads here are old enough that the people that started them are probably well composted.
...See More
Starting snapdragon seeds indoors?
Q
Comments (4)
Hi! How exciting! I'll give you the short version of my indoor planting experience. I like to start tomatoes, peppers, marigolds and gaillardia indoors. The troubles I've had include: 1) too lanky 2) difficult to "harden off" I'm going to try to fix #1 lanky problem by keeping the plants closer to the bulbs (or the bulbs closer to the leaves). That means I'm going to have to adjust the lighting as they grow. That being said I wouldn't want to have to do that with Cosmos because they shoot up so fast and tall. I think your snapdragons would do very well and what a glorious flower bed you will have. I would try the small trays and see how it goes. Knowing you won't keep the snapdragons in the tiny cells for months--they might stop growing taller and bigger--and just maintain themselves as their roots fill up the little space. Then as they acclimate to the outside and their roots have room to expand they can take off again. My experience with marigolds, tomatoes and peppers has been that I've never had to transplant them into larger containers before planting outside. I've had more trouble with my baby plants when I started the seeds too soon. They sprouted up, started to grow, then fizzled out and died. I have to restrain myself from starting too soon. I don't know what zone you're in. I'm in zone 4/5 so I have to guard against freezing weather. As a newbie can I ask you a favor? Do you mind setting up your messaging? If you click on someone's name (like xiangirl) it takes you to my page. In the top right corner there's a box that says MESSAGE. That allows people to email directly, give addresses and information without posting it to the threads. Then we don't attract stalkers. Also if you edit your username include your location at the end. You might put Samantha M (Alabama zone 7) or wherever you're from. That helps us know what USDA zone you're in, what seeds will do best in your area, fine-tune advice to your area. I hope you get more answers. Please share photos of your set up and your successes! I'd love to see 72 blooming snapdragons! That would make my day! Sorry if I sound bossy--not trying to tell you what to do. Check out Gardening/Round Robin/FOTESS (Friends of the Earth Simple Swaps). We're a group that swaps seeds and cards once a month. We get to know each other better. If you're interested in joining a swap we'd love to have you. Heidi
...See More
Anyone starting seeds indoors in zone 8 (MS.) yet?
Q
Comments (1)
It simply depends on how big you want them to be when you plant them out. Shouldn't be much bigger than the containers they are in. I start in 4-inch pots, and start my tomatoes and peppers around the end of January, looking at a last freeze around the end of February. BTW, the USDA garden zone isn't a very good measure of when the last freeze is. In many respects, it's a poor representation of the growing climate.
...See More
Julia WV (6b)
Original Author
14 years ago
I tried several methods last winter to see what was easiest and produced results without spending a huge amount of $$'s. Since I had a mix of seeds- some known crosses and others unknown- with the largest pack (50) being unknown crosses from a Florida seller I'm not sure if the crosses caused the lack of germination in some of the methods or my own inexperience. Lessons learned :).
On The Rocks - poor germination results. Could have been my own fault.
Presoaking in peroxide/water mix - 70% germinated but not all grew once planted in the medium.
No presoaking- planted seeds in plastic shoe boxes with the lid on(50 seeds),placed in a south facing window. No bottom heat. All but 2 germinated and produced nice size fans.
Downside to the shoe box. If you don't transplant early after the last frost to the outside garden bed, the roots really are tangled together and tough getting them apart. Upside - minimal space used.

Still alot of fun to try different methods and pass the time during the winter months. Was thinking to try grow lights this year but not sure about the overall cost for setup and running the lights.

Julia
0
lilynut
14 years ago
On The Rocks is my preferred method and have great results. I keep the water level just lower than the top of the gravel. They also get some bottom heat.

Tanya likes her coffee filter method and it works well, but I didn't like it for some reason.

If you have flourescent light go get some 6,500k bulbs. I get mine by the case at either Lowes or Home Depot.

FWIW

Here is a link that might be useful: Our Nursery Room
0
northerndaylily
14 years ago
"If you don't transplant early after the last frost to the outside garden bed, the roots really are tangled together and tough getting them apart" writes Julia.

Julia I haven't had this problem to that extent.. reason for my posting to this is I believe my adding the lightening agents to the soil allows them to shake free pretty easily. I've went out to 10 weeks in the boxes a few times... plants still came out fine.
0
pamghatten
14 years ago
Julia, thanks for the link for the "Rocks" metod. Never heard of that before, great photography!

I presoak for a few days, and then plant in the shoe boxes. I fill the soil up as far as possible in the shoe box, and don't have any trouble separating the roots in the spring.
0
Julia WV (6b)
Original Author
14 years ago
I had let mine stay in the boxes too long and they were really crowded. I think it must have been July when I got the time to move them to pots and well, that was not such a good idea. I should have just put them in the ground but the bed I was working on wasn't ready yet. All the rain we got this year got the plants going at full speed ahead.
I use Promix for starting my seeds indoors.
What is lightening agents?

Julia
0
northerndaylily
14 years ago
"What is lightening agents?"

Like coarse vermiculite... I've used the stryofoam balls used in concrete construction mostly of late... large bags at Menards or Lowes for around $6.

More air in the mix.. better germination.
0
Julia WV (6b)
Original Author
14 years ago
Interesting concept. Had not heard of that process.
Julia
0

Seed Starting Indoors - FYI

Comments (9)

uroboros5

bambi_too

Related Discussions

Julia WV (6b)
Original Author

lilynut

northerndaylily

pamghatten

Julia WV (6b)
Original Author

northerndaylily

Julia WV (6b)
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Seed Starting Indoors - FYI

Comments (9)

uroboros5

bambi_too

Related Discussions

Julia WV (6b)Original Author

lilynut

northerndaylily

pamghatten

Julia WV (6b)Original Author

northerndaylily

Julia WV (6b)Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Julia WV (6b)
Original Author

Julia WV (6b)
Original Author

Julia WV (6b)
Original Author