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Joliet, IL

here is advice i just emailed to a newbie and thought i would share. it is a system i like that works great for seed starting of any variety of plants.

get a seed starter germination mat. also get a thermostat so you can regulate the bottom heat with ease. get a 7" tall humidity dome and a black flat tray the dome sits on. now you have a heat source and a minigreenhouse to keep the moisture and heat consistant. that is critical. 85 to 88 degrees is the best temps. find 5 inch peat pots and good seed starter mix. no miracle grow stuff. plain seed starter mix with no fertilizers. soak peat pots the night before. then add water to your seed starter mixf you can squeeze one drop of water out, its too much water. moist to form a ball, but no drops of water able to be squeezed. put the moistened mix into the pots and put the pots into the mingreenhouse. take the sensor probe from the thermostate, put it at seed level or about 1" down, and start warming the pots with seed starter mix inside the minigreenhouse to 85 degrees. when you have that set, soak your seeds for 4 hours and then into the mix. check your temps with a probe thermometer to make sure the thermostat is working correctly. as soon as the push dirt up and you see they have sprouted, ease the temp on the heat mat down to 70 degrees. once they are above ground, place right under your 4 foot flourescent lights. any bulbs are fine. keep the plants less than 2 inches away from the lights. then get them in the gound within 5 days after sprouting because their are no nutrients in seed starter mix.

4/23/2011 6:42:15 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Good advice Shazzy, I think I lost one seed this year because I didn't ease the temp down once it pushed dirt. Temps down towards the mat are much warmer which fried my tap root. It happened on my 1548 too, but I caught it in time. I removed all together, cut the burnt\rotten tip, placed back in medium and luckily it regrew.

4/25/2011 9:50:09 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Shaz, great tutorial...my only change would be that b/cause they all aren't going to sprout at the same time...remove the sprouted one's into the light, and leave the unsprouted one's in the heat!! I now have 2 out of 4 under lights!!! Peace, Wayne

4/26/2011 2:29:41 AM

Joliet, IL

yes wayne, that is right. if you have stragglers or slower germinating seeds, they must have the heat. good point. that is the way to do it.

4/26/2011 12:16:37 PM

Upstate S.C.

Great Tutorial Shazz!!

5/9/2011 12:12:16 PM