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Junior Member
 
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Last Login: 6/3/2009 7:22:53 PM
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Hi,
Let's think spring  This year I'm hoping to get a head start by starting some seeds indoors, something I haven't attempted in years (I didn't have very good luck). Would any of you be willing to share some advice or tips on this topic? I'd be especially interested to learn what kind of set-up folks have for starting seeds indoors that's not hugely expensive. How early do you usually start your seeds? Our special circumstances: no greenhouse (yet), smallish house, little light coming through windows, indoor cats that devour anything green and living!
Thanks a bunch
Cherie
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 10/8/2010 9:14:01 AM
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I'm planning on trying to use our old fish tank and light to grown seeds. i read where a fish tank won't work, but they refrence the lid and it getting to hot. I don't have a lid, all I have a chicken wire top for the light to sit on...so...we'll se how that goes....But, yeah, this is our first year for growing seeds...we're going to try heirloom seeds, so we can save them.... so, any tips for heirloom seed raising people?
www.twinoaksstable.blogspot.com************************************** The horse stopped with a jerk, and the jerk fell off ************************************** It's kind of like nuts-and-bolts, if the rider's nuts the horse bolts.
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 9/18/2011 5:46:21 PM
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| Plants need A LOT of light to grow -- unfortunately, sun coming in through the window isn't generally enough. This time of year (and even closer to spring, too), the sun is low in the sky, the days are short, and there tends to be cloud cover. (Unless you live in the desert, and then all bets are off!) And most modern windows are coated or gas-enclosed thermopane, all of which cut off certain wavelengths of light -- good for preserving fabrics, but not so great for growing plants. So, you will need supplemental lighting. There are lots of different set-ups, ranging from bought to homemade. The biggest thing to be aware of is that fluorescent lights need to be 1" - 2" above the top of the plants, which means that either the lights or the shelves need to be adjustable. And don't spend money on those pricey gro-lights! Get a 2-tube fixture, and use 1 cool white tube and 1 warm white tube. This will give you the entire spectrum and be a whole lot less expensive. If a windowsill is all you have, make a reflector out of aluminum-covered or white-painted cardboard to put in back of the plants. And rotate them every couple of days, so they all get as much light as possible. Seeds also need warmth. Some people put the seed flats in a warm place to germinate (like on top of the refrigerator) and move them to a sunny spot as soon as the cotyledons show. There are also heat mats made especially for germinating seeds -- a good average temperature is 70°. We don't keep our house that warm! After seeds have germinated and have one or two sets of true leaves, almost all plants can take a lot cooler temperatures. Unless you have space for larger plants, don't start your babies too soon. A plant needs to have enough roots for its top so it growns best and is strong and sturdy, which means that you will be transplanting and taking care of larger plants in the house if you start too soon. Most catalogs and the extension service have information about when to start seeds. Remember, long and leggy is good for models, not plants! Germinating seeds and very young plants don't need fertilizer, but will once they have a couple of sets of true leaves. Don't overdo it though, or you'll burn the roots. Best of luck to you! It's a lot of fun to start your own plants.
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| Speaking from the frozen tundra of western Wisconsin, it is WAY to early to even think about seed starting. However, I will contribute a little of what I do, then try to wipe it from my memory banks and resist trying to start anything until the beginning of April! I have an old metal shelving unit that I use for starting my seedlings. I use the two bulb fluorescent fixtures and have them hung on chains (took some creative drilling of holes in the shelving) so that the fixtures can be raised and lowered. The unit is in my sunroom, which is unheated, so I wrapped it all in clear plastic, leaving one side open, but with overlapping flaps, so that I can access my seedlings for watering, etc. By keeping the plastic closed and a 60 watt light fixture on the lowest shelf (this one on all day and night) it keeps everything nice and warm for growth. When waiting for the seedlings to appear, I place the flats on the top of my refrigerator. I start my seeds in homemade flats from the bottoms of milk jugs. Cut them about 2 inches from the bottom. Save the tops for mini greenhouses when you first put your tomato plants out in the garden. Put your starting mix (nicely damp - like a wrung out sponge) in the flat, then scatter seeds and cover to the recommended depth. When the seedlings have their first set of true leaves, I use a pickle fork to lift the best seedlings and put them into six-packs that I have saved from buying plants in the past. You use less seeds that way and only keep the very best ones. If you have extra starts that look really good, you can sell or give them away. A week or two before I start hardening off my seedlings, I open up the front of the shelving unit and blow an ocillating fan gently across the seedlings. It helps to strengthen the stalks and prepares them for life in the great outdoors.
Karen http://www.facebook.com/MrsKsCreations
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 6/3/2009 7:22:53 PM
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Thanks so much for the great seed-starting advice!
I can hardly wait to start my seeds....(sigh) but I'll try to be patient!
Hope you're all having a good weekend
Cherie
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 5/16/2009 11:15:30 AM
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| I am a bit pessimistic about starting seeds this year. I have tried in the past and did well inside, but once I replanted them outside in the garden they all die. So I ended up planting the entire garden again from seeds in the ground (same seeds) and they did fine. I wonder what I'm doing wrong?
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| james - how slowly and carefully did you harden them off? I find time invested in that - bringing the flats in and out - covering them at first and so on makes a big difference cheers andrea www.vareharrifarm.blogspot.com
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| This will be my first year of seed starting so I am more than a little anxious on this. Since I live in the equally frigid ND where it was a balmy 27 below this morning, I can only dream about it right now. However, I am a complete Elliot Coleman groupie and he makes his own soil blocks using equipment from Johnny's and it makes some sense to me. If you make a 3/4" block you can then pot it into a 2" block and (if you want) then into a 4" block and you don't have to buy and replace those plastic trays (although recycling things is wonderful) and I believe that I will do less damage to the roots if I don't have to pop them out of trays so that is what I am going to do this year and we'll see how it works. The 3/4 and 2 inch size ones are about $35 each (they make 6-12 blocks) but the 4" one is pretty expensive. Mary Ann
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CounrtyGal (1/26/2009)
I too am new to starting seeds inside. what is the proper time to start them in southwestern montana?  You'll need to find out what gardening zone you live in, with latest spring frost dates and earliest fall frost dates. This link might help you: http://www.humeseeds.com/frost1.htm Seed packets will usually say something along the lines of "Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before latest frost date". I used to think I could get ahead by planting earlier than that, but just ended up with really leggy tomato plants that didn't produce any earlier than anything else did. When the packet gives you days to first fruit, it is talking about the average from when it was transplanted into the garden to when you will have your first ripe tomatoes, peppers, whatever.
Karen http://www.facebook.com/MrsKsCreations
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