Looks to me that your seedlings are off to a great start! I have used the pellets for a number of years to start a variety of flowers and tomatoes. Regarding transplanting, I do transplant the seedlings into 3-inch pots. I find that the plants outgrow the pellets quite quickly--roots start showing through, and it can be difficult to keep them from drying out. So once I know I have good healthy seedlings, they can be transplanted any time. (Of course this takes MUCH more space under lights, but that's what happens!) The variety of plants (e.g. dwarf), or your climate may make a difference. I live in Alberta, Canada, and plants cannot go outside until late May/early June, so by that time they are far too large for the pellets. Just some friendly feedback!

After many years of fussing around with those flimsy domed trays, cell packs, and jiffy pots, and expensive full spectrum/hydroponic lights, I started reading and thinking!! I save money by not using starting flats. I start all my indoor seed (tomatoes,peppers, and some annuals & veggies) by placing them in folded coffee filters (they are stronger than paper towels), moistened with a weak solution of orange pekoe tea. They are stacked on an old pie plate over the heating vent in my dining room (instant heat mat). Once they germinate and have a fair-sized root on them, I transfer them to styrofoam cups (I re-use them), and place them under lights in my basement, until time for planting out. The lights are tied to existing shelving. Initially, I used expensive ($38.00) hydroponic lights, but found that regular fluorescent tubes from Home Depot worked just as well. Bits of styrofoam packaging under the trays keep the seedlings nearer the lights initilly. To prevent damping off and other fungi, a weak solution of chamomile tea, and watering from below seems to work. I found some really good trays (I don't know what they came from) at a Goodwill store which are sturdy and do not flop around like those regular gardening trays, which I find completey useless. I do shell out for seed starting mix especially for my indoor plants because I have had infestations of aphids that killed off entire sets of tomato seedlings, so I like everything to be sterile. Every now and then, a fan is used to strengthen the seedlings and also prevent any bugs which may be lurking to infect them, but I do not keep it running constantly. Perennials and hardier annuals get the winter sowing treatment. I also use seed starter, but the cheaper Walmart stuff, and I use (and re-cycle) 2-litre pop bottles for my containers (some stolen from neighbourhood blue boxes). Margarine and yogurt tubs are good for lettuces and petunias which do not grow very tall. A few years ago I purchased a 'Root Trainer' system which works very well, but is best if you are growing 20 seedlings of any one plant, which I never do. The cells are very deep, grooved to keep the roots contained and dircted downward, comes with a sturdy tray and dome. The cells come apart so there is no stress at transplant time. I used it last night for my peppers - a nice compact little system for about $12.00 designed to be re-used. That being said, every year I yearn for a heat mat so I can start my seeds in the basement. It's much too cold up here in March & April. I also yearn for one of those small green houses, but also, we go from winter to summer so it would not really be useful. Every summer, I'm glad I resisted the temptation. In reality, seed starting is forgotten once we get those little seedlings in the ground.

Jo Last check of the evening... not yet. I admire you folks up north. Out for summer... in for winter. Sounds like a lot of work. Mine only come in when the serious hurricane threats pop up. Which could be this weekend :(. And then, the in-ground trees, really take a beating. One of my Aztec Golds has, at least, 12 inflos, right now. Would hate to miss out on the show!! Chris Don't worry... first sign of Fay heading our way, and these little guys come in. Don't want them in the chlorinated pool! Hope it stays clear. The gardens look their best, since before the the first round of hurricanes back in 04'. You remember them well, I'm sure. Looking forward to the next step in the process. Can't wait to see those little leaves. Another question: Why do the Plumeria seeds not produce flowers true to the mother? How similar, or dissimilar can I expect them to be... assuming success, of course? Mahalo, Bob

I just placed an order with them. Should be here Wednesday. They're about an hour away from me, but their nursery is open only by appointment and I wanted sale roses. Those bands look a lot better than the ones I got from RVR a few weeks ago. Sorry to say, but I have three Old Blush in one gallon pots that I started from cuttings from an old bush down the street back in March and they're already bigger than the bands I got from RVR.