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Another Newbie question

HotPeppersFlyFishing

HotPeppersFlyFishing

Hello again
Ok I got the seeds i want coming in the next week and getting ready to start. So Heres my next 2 questions.I plan on using a 10 gallon tank and an under tank heater(i used to own many reptiles) and starting the seeds in cups or half bottles. question is is this good enough to start them.(once they start(hopefully) sprouting i plan on gettin a uv light(also for reptiles got a few leftovers)? I also am going to get some "decent soil" at a gardening center so my main question was the tank and under heater.Any tips would be great. I am also somewhat budget limited(saving for a new family memeber "puppy)
Tom
 
HotPeppersFlyFishing said:
Hello again
Ok I got the seeds i want coming in the next week and getting ready to start. So Heres my next 2 questions.I plan on using a 10 gallon tank and an under tank heater(i used to own many reptiles) and starting the seeds in cups or half bottles. question is is this good enough to start them.(once they start(hopefully) sprouting i plan on gettin a uv light(also for reptiles got a few leftovers)? I also am going to get some "decent soil" at a gardening center so my main question was the tank and under heater.Any tips would be great. I am also somewhat budget limited(saving for a new family memeber "puppy)
Tom
Click to expand...

How many seeds are you going to start?

Cups are good, just make sure they aren't paper. Yes, they will work fine for starting seeds and from my experience you will have about 4 weeks from seed planting until they become somewhat rootbound in 9 oz cups (what I use for planting less than 60 seeds). Pam uses 16 oz cups and says she doesn't transplant until "plant out" time.

When it comes to light, you need to understand the way the plant uses light. I don't think UV would be recommended for plants. There are several threads here that talk about color temperature of fluorescent lights and the chlorophyll activity of the plants using different "color temperatures' across the light spectrum. The red end of the spectrum is for flowering/fruiting and the blue end of for plant growth. I use a combination of 4100K (near the red end) and 6500K (near the blue end) fluorescent bulbs and it has worked well for me. These are in 4' shop light fixtures. You probably won't be able to use that long of a fixture but you may be able to find the right "temperature" bulbs for the fixtures you already have. You don't need light until the seeds sprout, then you need a lot of light within 1-2" from the tops of the seedlings.

See your local nursery and ask them for seed starting soil...I use Hoffmans Seed Starter. A bag big enough to start 30 9 oz cups is about 6 USD.

Good luck...
 
Well, I use the 9 ounce plastic cups and they seem to work fine for me, just make sure its nothing paper otherwise it will get to wet and possibly moldy. Make sure you cut a hole in the first cup to allow proper drainage, and then cover the cup with the hole in it with another cup. I use rubber bands to support the first cup, to allow room for proper drainage, so the 2 cups arent touching on the bottom. Look here, and see how much room I give it to drain, just my personal opinion. Other people just put them touching.

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Its up to you, enjoy!
 
Those plastic cups are a good idea. You'd be able to see the roots through them as well to know exactly when to re-pot. I bet they're easy to get the plants out of without making a real mess.
 
HPFF, If you are going to just keep about 6-10 plants under lights and are trying to go cheap just go to HD and get one 4' fluorescent fixture (9 bucks with tax) and two of the cheapest bulbs they have it does'nt matter if they are cool white or warm white (2 bucks apiece) all that matters is that they are lights and you will do fine until it is time to plant outside. Now if you want them to stay inside all year and produce an abundance of fruit then these lights I would not recommend.

Dale

plantprogressionApril039.jpg
 
Yea, the plastic cups are a great way to go. They're so cheap I can buy them with change left in my car, for an abundance of cups as well. The whole clear thing is great just as you mentioned, can keep an eye on everything happening. :)
 
Thanks once again for all the tips and help.Goin with the cup idea.Going to start em sometime between this weekend and March 15th.wish me luck gonna start with 6 to 8 plants. gonna start slow so wish me luck(ima gonna need it:lol: ) now i gotta make a store run for cups and soil(and hopefully puppy chow)
Thanks again
Tom
 
Thanks again everyone.You all have been so helpful.Ok I revised my plan a bit.Still gonna use the undertank heater thing(its a low/medium heat it doesnt blaze) and using 2 liter coke bottles cut in half with holes in the bottom elevated my thinking is since winter here might go a week or 2 longer they wont get root bound as fast in a bigger container then when they start poppin I will get a light like you all have suggested (not a uv).Thanks again
Tom
 
It might be a little hard for the heat to reach the seeds in a 2 liter coke bottle cut in half, but maybe not? I dunno. Just a thought, good luck
 
Just got the seeds in the mail today.Changed my mind on the coke bottle idea as I found an excess of cleat plastic cups in the closet today. Now I just have to go get some soil and Im off and running (i hope). Thanks again for all the tips
Tom
 
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