Seed Starting Sticky! Please post your questions and answers here! - Page 3

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by meandk0610

is it actually necessary to use a heating pad? i need to start some of my cold-weather stuff but i've never heard of a heating pad for seeds before (then again, this is only my 2nd year gardening ).

The colder the soil, the longer it'll take for peppers to germinate. And sometimes tomatoes. I like having sprouts come up in a week or less. Rather then the up to 3 weeks it can take for peppers in 40-50* soil (it does depend on how warm/cold you keep your house as to the soil's temp I'm sure).

So no, it's not necessary, but it is nice. Then if you realize your seeds have awful germination, you have a better shot at a redo in time for planting outside.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by 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?

I was talking about thinning. So, if you plant a few seeds, pick out the middle sized one. The biggest sometimes get a little spindly because they are growing too fast.

Originally Posted by allielb

How productive (or whatever) are old seeds? I have some from 2005, is it worth it to plant them?

As a newbie, how do you pick which variety? There are so many kinds of tomatoes, peppers, corn, etc. And having no real experience with any, I have no idea which to choose or which company to get them from.

TIA

This is the site I use if I don't recognize a variety. It helps to see if they grow well in your climate before you plant. The first couple yrs I planted several varieties that didn't do well here.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/fin...toes&submit=Go

Originally Posted by meandk0610

is it actually necessary to use a heating pad? i need to start some of my cold-weather stuff but i've never heard of a heating pad for seeds before (then again, this is only my 2nd year gardening ).

Yeah, just tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants mainly. I do use it to also germinate some flower varieties as well.

[berrymama]

So you just put the heating pad under the catch tray? Or is it more complicated than that? Unfortunately we have cabinets over our refrigerator...

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by berrymama

So you just put the heating pad under the catch tray? Or is it more complicated than that? Unfortunately we have cabinets over our refrigerator...

Yeah, it's that easy.

[Blooming]

I know the heating pad seems like an easy concept but I'm just concerned about it getting wet.


I will be planting in these...
http://www.gardeners.com/Seedstartin...efault,cp.html

So I would just put some sort of tray underneath them and them the heating pad? The tray should be plastic right?

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by Blooming

I know the heating pad seems like an easy concept but I'm just concerned about it getting wet.


I will be planting in these...
http://www.gardeners.com/Seedstartin...efault,cp.html

So I would just put some sort of tray underneath them and them the heating pad? The tray should be plastic right?

Yep. You can get them at Home Depot over by the seed starting kits.

[FarmerCathy]

Like this one, just the bottom part. I have a whole bunch of those.

http://groworganic.com/item_GP361_Fl...Systems_S.html

[kellykins]

Sooo. overzealous former Floridians now in Zone 5 started seeds last weekend.... lots of them...dh is planning on getting a light kit rigged up for the basement this weekend, and we already have sprouts... So, sinc ewe started SUPER early, Im guessing we will just transfer the sedlings out of their little "cells" and into say 3" pots when they get too big, and then into the ground when it comes time??? Or did we screw up starting too early? I figure they will be small plants by planting time, like I bought last year, at least if the grow lights work as they should.... right???

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by kellykins

Sooo. overzealous former Floridians now in Zone 5 started seeds last weekend.... lots of them...dh is planning on getting a light kit rigged up for the basement this weekend, and we already have sprouts... So, sinc ewe started SUPER early, Im guessing we will just transfer the sedlings out of their little "cells" and into say 3" pots when they get too big, and then into the ground when it comes time??? Or did we screw up starting too early? I figure they will be small plants by planting time, like I bought last year, at least if the grow lights work as they should.... right???

Yes, I use 4" paper pots you can make yourself. Oh, make sure that you pet or use an oscillating fan on them to keep them strong. Depending on where you are you may have to transplant them in to 1 gallon pots before planting them out.

Here are the links to the 4" pots I make.

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

[kellykins]

PERFECT!! Thank you so much!!!
So I guess it will depend on the plant as to if it needs a bigger house before planting? Our last frost date is like, mid May...

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by kellykins

PERFECT!! Thank you so much!!!
So I guess it will depend on the plant as to if it needs a bigger house before planting? Our last frost date is like, mid May...

Yep, esp. if you started tomatoes, they will def. need 1 gallon pot. Probably best to put them in that at 4 weeks.

[pinky]

Can anyone offer some advice on setting up lighting?

I was at Lowe's this morning and was kind of overwhelmed.

I do have some good south-facing windows--wondering if I can just somehow supplement that natural light.

thanks!

[FarmerCathy]

You can use all kinds of things. Lights hanging from wood or metal shelves. A book case could work. Anything you could hang a light over. I've got some lights hanging from a metal shelf and the top shelf the lights are hanging from wood. Just depends on what you have at hand. I've seen someone here build shelves from PVC.

[njbeachgirl]

Do they have to be fluorescent lights? Can I use regular lamps?

[FarmerCathy]

I don't know if lamps would work. I use shop lights and they need to be 4-6" above your seedlings or trays if they haven't germinated yet.

[njbeachgirl]

Shop lights! You mean the ones that clip onto things right? Great idea! thank you.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by njbeachgirl

Shop lights! You mean the ones that clip onto things right? Great idea! thank you.

I guess I should have elaborated on what lights to use. Home Depot has pretty good price on them.

[candm]

A lighting question for you experts. We are in zone 3 (boo, hiss). We are building a home that we should be moving into at the end of March (just in time to gear up for seedlings). We have a fairly good sized sun room (designed for passive solar heat gain) with 5 large south-facing windows. I always assumed I could just put my seedlings in front of the windows w/o providing a synthetic light source. Is this true? Thanks.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2qa2w52.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/33peu05.jpg

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by candm

A lighting question for you experts. We are in zone 3 (boo, hiss). We are building a home that we should be moving into at the end of March (just in time to gear up for seedlings). We have a fairly good sized sun room (designed for passive solar heat gain) with 5 large south-facing windows. I always assumed I could just put my seedlings in front of the windows w/o providing a synthetic light source. Is this true? Thanks.

Oooh, pretty!! Yes, I'm pretty sure you can put your seedlings in front of the windows. But. Since you're so far north (right?) you may want to supplement the seedlings with some artificial light depending on how much sunlight you get each day. I typically have our lights 12 hours on, 12 hours off.

[ChristyMarie]

Heat for germinating....

So I think I have too many to buy heating pads. I'm starting with 10 trays. If I put them on the counter, under the under-cabinet mount puck lights, will that generate enough heat with a plastic dome on the trays?