Seed Starting Sticky! Please post your questions and answers here!

[texmati]

I've just been noticing that there are a lot of questions about seed starting lately. (I know I'm partly to blame!) The compost sticky has been a great resource for me, esp since I know any questions I have will most likely be answered there.

I was hoping that we could begin posting our seed starting questions, answers and experiences here on this thread. Later, we could lobby to have this thread promoted to a sticky.
:

So... any questions to start with?

[lmonter]

Just email one of the mods to sticky a thread I believe.

[texmati]

good idea. I'll ask her what she thinks about it. I don't know which thread we should sticky!

[FarmerCathy]

That is a great idea since we get lots of these same questions every year. Maybe we should start a new one.

[texmati]

ok... So I pm'd a mod about this. But I think for now I'll changed the title and content of the OP, so that other people can post questions and answers here.

If it's not impolite, I'll also ask people to copy and paste (there own) posts that they might think were really useful (I know that both of you probably have a ton, Lmonter and Farmer Cathy). Otherwise I can go and search for them myself, and get permission. Whichever everyone feels is best.

[FarmerCathy]

Suggestions. Hope this helps someone.

Also, when starting seeds inside have your lights come on for 16 hours and off for the rest. The seedlings need some dark to re-coup for the day. I use one of those light timers. They are great!

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy

Petting them or using an oscillating fan for 20 minutes a day work the best to keep them strong and from going leggy. Going leggy is more from the stems getting too high without strengthing by the wind pushing them back and forth than from light.

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy

Hi gothnurse3,

Yes, pinch off the largest and smallest and leave the healthiest medium sized plant in each. You will need to transplant them into bigger pots. Wait until they have thier second set of leaves if they don't have them already before transplanting. This is what I'm using this year. It's cheap and easy.

http://farminginsuburbia.blogspot.co...ot-making.html

http://farminginsuburbia.blogspot.co...ot-making.html

Put a fan on them or pet them to keep them strong and from going spindly too.

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy

Also a good seed starting mix and an osolating fan will help. Hahahaha, I spelled that wrong. : I do a mix of 1/3 worm castings, 1/3 good potting soil or compost, 1/3 perlite. I'm using this soiless mix to start with this year since I'm planting densely (is that a word ) and then transplanting into the mix above. I'm putting them in 4" pots at 4 weeks.

[lmonter]

Just tell me what you want me to repost here and I'll come back and edit.

I am keeping my garden and seed starting entries on my blog open. I know I like browsing through what other people have, so I attempt to return the favor.

[eirual]

This is my first year trying to get a real head start, so a newbie question:

Which seeds/plants should I start indoors??

Does it matter what your light source is?? I am getting a seed-starting shelving unit from my brother. It looks like it has large flourescent lights in it. Certainly they shouldn't be run-of-the-mill flourescent lights?

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by eirual

This is my first year trying to get a real head start, so a newbie question:

Which seeds/plants should I start indoors??

Does it matter what your light source is?? I am getting a seed-starting shelving unit from my brother. It looks like it has large flourescent lights in it. Certainly they shouldn't be run-of-the-mill flourescent lights?

Veggies: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli,

Veggies that don't have to be, but I do anyway: basil, onion,

Flowers so they will bloom the same year: sweet william, rudbeckia, snapdragon and to give them a head start butterfly bush, ageratum, gomphrena, and celosia. Just in case you wanted to know.

Please anyone add to my list, I know its not complete, but I can't think.

Yes, regular flourescents will work just fine.

[Belleweather]

Could we make a sort of "shopping list" for seed starting?

As a beginner, it sounds like I would needto buy or find:

-Flats
-Pots/something to hold seedlings
-seeds
-a light fixture (which can be raised or lowered as seedlngs grow?)
-a light timer
-a heating pad
-a fan
-seed starting potting mix

Anything else?

[purplegirl]

I'll be glad to add a sticky! This thread?

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by purplegirl

I'll be glad to add a sticky! This thread?

Yep! Thanks!

[Audreysmama]

I am in zone 5, and we try to get our plants in the ground bt Memorial Day and I am wondering when to start tomatoes and peppers inside. Thanks!

[chrissy]

so, would you start cucumbers directly outside?

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by chrissy

so, would you start cucumbers directly outside?

I am in Maryland and start my cukes directly in the garden. Well, not completely true -- I always sow a few indoors because I am impatient, transplant them to the garden where the promptly die. My direct sewn seeds flourish though and we eat mountains of cucumbers.

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by Audreysmama

I am in zone 5, and we try to get our plants in the ground bt Memorial Day and I am wondering when to start tomatoes and peppers inside. Thanks!

March. Early March if you have enough room for them to grow, mid-March if you don't have so much room inside for 'em.

[Blooming]

I just ordered all my seeds from Baker Creek, does anyone know how long they usually take? Can you tell I'm a little excited?

[Jennifer3141]

I ordered from Baker on January 1 and I'm still waiting!! I did email them today about it and if I get an update; I'll let you know, Blooming.

[Blooming]

Thanks Jennifer. I thought it might be a long wait, here's hoping it's not too long...

[Smokering]

FarmerCathy: Which veggie were you talking about when you said to remove the biggest and smallest seedlings and leave a medium-sized one? I've always left the biggest seedling of whatever I've planted... was that wrong?