A lil' Dilemma...

[huntsman]

Thanks for the help, guys -

Here's my makeshift 'gottagetitdoneuntilicandobetterinthemorning' attempt. Temps are at 28C/83F at the moment (8.30am) and all seems cool...I have an oil heater under the far tray, and three heating pads under the closer one.

I'll hit the hardware store after cricket practice and improve the system, but clearly it's working, and thanks to you, my first challenge is met!

.

 

[patrick]

Hey huntsman. Looks like you have all the information you need to fix your problem, congrats.

Next time use cups filled with your germinating mix or use the peat pots. Makes life easy buddy. Sorry for not passing this along to you earlier.

Good luck!

 

[thepodpiper]

huntsman, I'm not sure of your set up but I start my seeds in a 184 cell tray and as soon as the seedling breaks the surface I pot up into 72 cell trays and put them under the fluoro's with no ill effects to any of the seedlings. For sure you need to get them under lights immediately after they sprout for best results.

 

[wordwiz]

I'll add my method, just in case!

Using plastic 10" to-go plastic trays, I drill holes in the bottom and add about an inch of potting mix. I place the seeds just barely in the mix, then cover them with a very thin layer of more mix. Stick them in a tub of water and super saturate the mix, then let them drain off the excess before placing them over a heat source with the plastic cover on. As soon as the first seed pops up, the lid comes off and the tray goes under lights.

I don't transplant until they are about 3" tall when they go into 3" containers. Even that was done differently this year. Using 18 cell trays, I would fill them completely with potting mix and place them in the tub of water. Pack the mix down and allow it to get completely saturated. Remove the tray, allow the excess water to drain and set is aside for the evening. The next day I set the flat of containers beside the try of plants. Using my finger, poke a hole into the mix, pull a plant, stick it in the 3" cell, pack dirt around it. I also put the flat back in the tub so the potting mix helps settle the dirt.

I started a little over 1,000 plants this way this year and had very good success.

Mike

 

[huntsman]

Hey huntsman. Looks like you have all the information you need to fix your problem, congrats.

Next time use cups filled with your germinating mix or use the peat pots. Makes life easy buddy. Sorry for not passing this along to you earlier.

Good luck!

You kidding? You sure did tell me that method, though perhaps I misunderstood, Pat, as I was planning to pot up into the cups which are already bought. For this planting, I thought I'd use germ trays and also the 'wet paper' method, though I've had no results as yet from the latter. A few more days perhaps...

huntsman, I'm not sure of your set up but I start my seeds in a 184 cell tray and as soon as the seedling breaks the surface I pot up into 72 cell trays and put them under the fluoro's with no ill effects to any of the seedlings. For sure you need to get them under lights immediately after they sprout for best results.

Hey piper - I guess I misjudged the speed and frequency of the sprouts. I (stupidly) imagined they would all germinate within a few hours of one another, at which time I would pop the whole tray under the lights.

I'll add my method, just in case!

Using plastic 10" to-go plastic trays, I drill holes in the bottom and add about an inch of potting mix. I place the seeds just barely in the mix, then cover them with a very thin layer of more mix. Stick them in a tub of water and super saturate the mix, then let them drain off the excess before placing them over a heat source with the plastic cover on. As soon as the first seed pops up, the lid comes off and the tray goes under lights.

I don't transplant until they are about 3" tall when they go into 3" containers. Even that was done differently this year. Using 18 cell trays, I would fill them completely with potting mix and place them in the tub of water. Pack the mix down and allow it to get completely saturated. Remove the tray, allow the excess water to drain and set is aside for the evening. The next day I set the flat of containers beside the try of plants. Using my finger, poke a hole into the mix, pull a plant, stick it in the 3" cell, pack dirt around it. I also put the flat back in the tub so the potting mix helps settle the dirt.

I started a little over 1,000 plants this way this year and had very good success.

Mike

I used the same method of saturation for the first stage, Mike, but didn't really know what to do when the sprouts started a-comin'...! The two trays are now under lights, but I would have preferred the lights a little lower, so I'll adjust the system once again after work tomorrow.

I might actually pot the sprouts up, and place the ungerminated seeds back into the germ bin where there is more humidity, and then place the potted up juveniles very close to the lights...

Thanks for the input, guys!