This is my first year to start my own plants from seeds. i did not order seeds from Park, but I had researched various seed starting methods and the bio-dome system got high marks. I ordered the starter set - bio-dome, sponges and a heat mat --- a package deal. Biodome and sponges arrive with no problem. No heat mat. I wait a week. No heat mat. I order a heat mat from Ferris Morse. No heat mat for another week. I order another one from ebay. The ebay mat arrives promptly and I finally get to start my seeds --- two weeks late. ARGGHH. Then the Ferry Morse heat mat arrives - the day after the ebay one. Two weeks later --- 6 weeks after inital order, the Park mat arrives. The good news is that the biodome is great.
But I think I am going to try the dense planting method that I read about here.
I wanted to try lots of varieties and I only started 48 seeds --- which my husband objected to because there is no way we have room for even 8 tomato plants. I told him we would give the extras away. We had almost 100% germination. Only the Brown Berry and Aunt Ruby's German Green were total failures (I only planted 3 seeds of each). So the bio dome really worked.
But now I have all these seeds for next year.
Elaine
