Best seed starting system

[Postmanrings]

Hi
I plant between 20 and 30 tomato plants each year and every year have used a different seed starting method.None ever turn out looking like the type you buy in a greenhouse! Only having so much room under a grow light it would be nice to not have to transplant to bigger pots but would if need be. What is the best system you have used with type of containers, soil mix, etc.?

[Milan HP]

Hello,
as I have to use artificial light like you, I hope I can provide some useful suggestions. I am lazy so I have skipped all the steps that I don't think necessary.

For the seeds I use a very simple plastic propagator with boxes 35 by 35 mm (1.5") with holes in the bottom. I fold half a standard tissue (for sneezing) on the bottom of each box and insert one seed. Put the whole plate of 32 containers in a transparent plastic box with a lid to prevent drying. When the seeds germinate and are tall enough, I gradually fill the boxes with Gramoflor Sowing Mixture - probably not available in the US, but any high quality sowing mixture will do. When they have 2 or more genuine leaves, I carefully pull the content out, including the tissue, and put it in a plastic container 1/2 - 1 liter in size. In that way I don't disturb the roots at all. The key is that I stopped using commercial soil mixtures as they are not reliably sterilized. I make and sterilize my own mixture: 3.5l = 1 gallon of my garden soil, 1.5 liter of the sowing mixture mentioned above, 4 trowelfuls of Perlite (amorphous volcanic glass) and some sand to taste (the amounts are not that important). I sterilize the mixture in an electric pot for preserving vegetables etc. in one-gallon jars. 160 min at 95°C. After that I add 1 - 1.5 spoonfuls of a very all-purpose fertilizer called Cererit in our country. Essential elements and important micro nutrients. And that's it. I believe that my mixture can be replaced with something commercial with a similar composition. And if you can rely on proper sterilization, so much the better.

There's one very important thing: the balance between the ambient temperature and the intensity of light. I grow my seedlings under about 3,000 lx, so the temperature can be up to 20°C. If the light is dimmer, it's necessary to lower the temperature or you'll get small Eiffel Towers.
One more tip: before sowing, dip the seeds in room-temperature water for 30 - 60 minutes. I also add a few grains of potassium permanganate (just to make it lightly pink), but my friends tell me it's not necessary. Either way, dipping speeds up the germination process. Success rate: 80 - 90%.
I am new here, so I don't know yet how to send a picture. I'll try later today.


Milan HP

[FarmerShawn]

I grow more than a thousand plants myself, and sell transplants, so I start about a gazillion plants, all started in the house under lights. Soil blocks with a good, compost-based blocking mix (I use Vermont Compost Fort Vee) keep each plant to a 2" square right up to plantout. But for germination, I use discarded K-cups. Up to 30 seeds in a K-cup germinate nicely, still in Fort Vee. When they begin to get true leaves, I separate them from the K-cup, gently smush them kitty corner into the 3/4" hole in the 2" block, and fill in with a 3/4" soil block. Keep them bottom watered, tend the light requirements, bottom water by dunking the trays, harden off when appropriate, and that's it. Any time (rarely) they start to look off in any way, a bit of fish hydrosolate (sp?) in the dunking water perks them right up.

[Milan HP]

Here are some pictures. The seeds are peppers.



1) and 2) The propagator
3) A result of my method. Sown Nov 1, photo Dec 28.


Milan HP

[MuddyBuckets]

Very impressive. Thanks for the information.

[littleukgarden]

That’s an interesting method there Milan! Something I might have to give a try, so I’m right in understanding you don’t add your soil mix until you are seeing the first true leaves from the germinated seeds? Then when putting on after you keep in the tissue as it will degrade anyway?

[JRinPA]

Originally Posted by Postmanrings

Hi
I plant between 20 and 30 tomato plants each year and every year have used a different seed starting method.None ever turn out looking like the type you buy in a greenhouse! Only having so much room under a grow light it would be nice to not have to transplant to bigger pots but would if need be. What is the best system you have used with type of containers, soil mix, etc.?

For tomatoes...I direct seed into 2" soil blocks. I soak the seeds for a while first in filtered water and chamomile tea, and push them down a little with a toothpick. The block mix is 50 peet 25 perlite 25 vermicompost + a bit of lime and organic ferts. No need to pot up this way. About 4 weeks and they go in the ground. But for 30 plants a year, a soil blocker may be too much investment. Last year I did probably 150 tomatoes, 50 eggplant, 150 peppers, 50 squash, 200 corn, 150 okra, and who knows what else, in 2" blocks. Lettuce and basil I start in the little 3/4" blocks.


I don't want tomato seedlings to look like store bought plants - that would take 8 weeks, probably.

[Milan HP]

Yes, sowing mixture until they have some true leaves. After that my soil mix in small pots and then either my soil mix again in large pots or the garden. And the tissue is no obstacle and degrades quickly. It holds water at the beginning. 2 transplants only.

Actually, I am Libra and Libras like simple solutions. My motto has always been KISS - keep it simple and safe.
Milan HP

[Postmanrings]

Sorry, what is a soil block and what brand do you use? Thanks much,

[Postmanrings]

Looks great. So after the tissue sprouting, you transplant to a 2 inch pot and leave until garden or upgrade again as the picture shows? THanks

[FarmerShawn]

Originally Posted by Postmanrings

Sorry, what is a soil block and what brand do you use? Thanks much,

Soil blocks are home made using (usually) a soil blocker device, widely available online. You use either a purchased potting mix formulated for soil blocks, or you can make your own mix following any of several published recipes. You mix the potting mix with water until a mudpie consistency, then press as much of the mix into the blocker as you can, creating a compressed block of potting soil which holds its shape while seedlings grow and it gets planted out. No pots, plants never get rootbound, very east to transplant.

[Milan HP]

Originally Posted by Postmanrings

Looks great. So after the tissue sprouting, you transplant to a 2 inch pot and leave until garden or upgrade again as the picture shows? THanks

Yes. There's a difference between the small pots: if it is a determinate tomato, I use wider but lower pots. With indeterminate ones I use taller containers. The key is how much mix they can take. Half a liter is the minimum. Actually, I have learnt to use one-liter milk and juice cartons for indeterminate toms instead of yoghurt plastic ones. The reason is the volume and shape. They can develop a sturdy long root system. Perfect for the garden.
Milan HP

[littleukgarden]

Another good tip with the juice cartons their Milan! Do you mean the tetrapack type cartons rather than plastic cartons? And I assume just pop a few drainage holes in?

[Milan HP]

Exactly, Tetrapack with holes. Square or rectangular, no difference. But they have to be thoroughly washed and I even disinfect them in water solution of potassium permanganate, but not too strong. Just to be on the safe side.


Milan HP


P.S. They don't look very sexy, they can even start getting soggy, but they always last the necessary 6 - 8 weeks.

[AKmark]

For years we have started seedling in plain ole Pro Mix under a light, many types of lights work. I estimate this year we will start close to 25,000 plus plants, we grow for profit by selling seedlings as well as fruit. I used to go through extra measures when starting seeds, but now see much of the promotional items, that are sold for it, are a waste of money and time and do not give better results.