The EASIEST Seed Starting Mistakes To Avoid!
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- čas přidán 27. 05. 2024
- When it comes to seed starting, we all make mistakes. But when it comes to mistakes, there are some very easy ones I hope to prevent you from making.
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Thank you all so much for watching and Grow BIG! - Jak na to + styl
Wow, first time catching a video just seconds after it's posted and minutes before I'm starting my seeds😅
Way to grow! Timing is everything…😉
Me too!! He read my mind
I used to think that Sharpies were the ideal way to label plants. Wrong...only the garden markers specifically designed for UV resistance last outside. Lesson learned the hard way!
Another way, very cheap. Cut up aluminum cans using tin snips. On side without advertising, use pencil or sharp object to emboss name. They reflect so are easy to find, can be cut to size. If you want thicker marker, just double over.
@@rlorendean Be careful you don't cut yourself though. Thin aluminum sheets cut skin and flesh very easily. Much worse than a paper cut.
@@TheKuptis Thank you. I should have mentioned that I do this wearing garden gloves and very carefully.
I've used plain old pencils for a couple years now and it works great. Plus you can raise and reuse next year.
I ordered quite a few seeds from you and began seed starting last weekend!! I am very excited about how they are doing. For the most part I did plant like items together, but there are a few that have touched the plastic dome, so I had to remove it from the others where some have and some have not germinated. I will adapt!! While watching I'm saying to myself "yup, I did that, yup I did that, oops...I need to do that" LOL This is a great resource of info. Thank you
You are the only person to tell us when to move our starts off the heat mat. Now I know why my stuff died. Thanks for the lessons! NE Indiana here
I guess it depends on what you are growing and the temp of the heatmat. I measured my heatmat and it gets around 100f in the middle while the outside is around 85f. The tray soil temps go from about 75f to 85f during the day depending on the amount of sunlight shining through the window, and so far, I have had no problems with the heat mat killing the already germinated pepper seedlings, and the more stubborn seeds are still coming up one after the other.
My biggest problem mentioned here is the different growth rate of seeds, a video on what seeds can grow in the same flats would be so helpful.
That's my biggest problem as well. One big tray with seeds that germinate at different times which also leads to each seedling having different water requirements and just being at different stage/size drying out faster or slower and then getting either too much or not enough water.
Another thing I do Luke is cut sections of seedlings when they are sprouted and switch shelves into a different tray off the heat. You can still use them if you want to but, those trays are HUGE. For home gardeners, those trays are also cheap. So just carefully cut the tray and set it inside or use a razor blade and cut after they have sprouted.
Ok, I'm sold! I've just recently started getting back in the 🪴 🌿. Doing container planting as I'm a travel nurse and move frequently. I've watched about 4 of your videos and now I'm a fan! I like you details and honesty! Thanks for sharing!
Great info! I have made all of those mistakes and learned my lessons. The other thing you can do with those plug trays is to cut them into smaller pieces then you can use the heat mat and just take off the pieces that germinate quicker.
Just hit you up for a seed order. My scarlet runners are excited for those sunsets. My hummers will be thrilled! Got to give one a shower and drink with my hose last season 😂😂😂
I use a China marker too, they work great for me.
I like these because I can wipe the labels off to reuse them, but the writing lasts a long time if I don’t wipe it off.👍
Bottom heat plus a small fan in a house with chronically dry furnace air in the winter equals plenty of dry soil for chili seedlings.. 😄
About those little sucks of plastic you write names of plants on. I had a pretty turkey that hung around the yard. One sitting I started my seeds and set my opens trays out in the sun. I went my meet way. When I returned home that evening I discovered my turkey had plucked out every little name tag I had pushed into those plant cells. It really was almost funny. Learned to write it on tape and stick it on the cells.
I’m pretty sure I found THE EASIEST seed starting mistake to avoid. Exactly a week ago I planted five 4-cell containers with 4 colours of peppers & 1 with what was described as an “early pepper”. Four of the planters have germinated but the one with green sweet peppers had not and, 7 days later, I thought I should dig up the cells to see if there was any germination taking place, at all. Low & behold, it seems that I moved that particular 4-cell container from the planting area to a tray, BEFORE actually putting any seeds in it!! 🤦♂️
I think such a mistake can certainly be avoided!😂
Heh, I think we’re all guilty of something similar. 😄
Vermiculite retains, Perlite drains, always sprinkle some vermiculite ontop of cells itll make them stay wet for twice as long especially in aerated soil, if you have loamy or dead dirt use charcoal burned at high heats (not hard to make a small furnace with bricks thatll burn, you want a burn with no smoke is key so theres no oxygen) Charcoal is easier than people think, to turn it into biochar is when you activate it with nutrients (think of charcoal as a housing complex, a huge one at that), another thing is its very alkaline, try to let it simmer in a soup with some Oranges or citruses to cancel out that alkalinity as well as make the charcoal more feasable, human or not i dont think eating charcoal would be too good or itneracting with it personally, so i intuitively feel its better to quasi-compost (innoculate it for a few days or longre) so that harshness is less pronounced.
Pumpkins, watermelons, etc; they CAN be transplanted (maybe not bigger varieties but i had a large, not huge, large variety that had a 70% transplant rate, please do it on a sunny, not windy day; soil falling can trigger the plant, wind can trigger the plant, its not hard to cradle anything delicately especially if your doing yardwork, just be careful, its a balancing game.
take the liberty of watering in your soil daily (not drenching) and telling it "hey, spring is coming" right around that last snow date or when you start seedlings, especially true for sawdust which can kill easily your entire garden (which noone talks about)
always remember your Building a Soil, making a Seed Starting Mix, Transplanting Seeds, we glance over the more directives of what is literally infront of us, to grow a lush garden that you're thinking of you're Building soil, not just a one time thing, your making the decision to actively learn and do more in that area (microbiology, Chemistry, etc) whether you know it or not, being aware of that and what it means is powerful, words hold power. if you say you're gonna grow this many this year and succeed with this many, watch what happens, set your expectations higher, your passion in this deserves as much.
Live and Love, From NM
One mistake nobody ever talks about is light hours for onions. Long and short day onions do not require the same amount of light as all other transplants.
Excellent info, thank you. I've had good luck avoiding a few of those mistakes by using the Bootstrap Farner 2×2" little pots in their sectioned tray, instead of one big tray with cells. I can move around pots that sprout first, take them off heat mat, or need taller space from the lights. I prep the pots with regular potting mix in bottom half, and coco coir seedling mix in top half. So the seedlings get what they need after growing a little and I usually don't need to re-pot very many. Can't wait until it's planting time!!!
Great idea!
I do pretty much the same thing(a little different on the soil mix) mainly to avoid having to re-pot.
Love the gardener markers. I didn't know they existed 😊
Oh my I just overpacked my cells. I didn’t plant yet so I’ll loosen it up. Thanks!
Markers: Pencil works just fine. I use old Venetian vinyl blinds cut to size. Try it !
Those markers must be closed properly after use or they dry out fast!
Ooh Good tip on the blinds! We replaced an old window blind today; looks like I can repurpose it after all! (My kids like to tease me about how I can always find a use for something. ….. I just realized that makes me sound old. I’m in my early thirties! 😂)
I did not know there were UV resistant markers!!! Thx!!
Espoma makes great organic liquid fertilizers that work very well for seedlings. Half strength is the usual recommendation
I use it too, great stuff!
I don't have a store that starts with a M and ends in a W. Now I feel like I'm missing out lol
Yah I got lost intrying to figure out who M****W is? I can't even think of a store ending in W. Probably overthinking it😂
…he’s talking about miracle grow water soluble fert..(not a store)…(he just refered to a big box store cuz that’s where you usually buy it….)
😂 I came to the comments for this very question. Thank you!
I use a paint marker, like are used when decorating rocks. Works very well!
..I use a white paint marker on black tags…works great! Outside as well.
Great info. Thx!😊
Please talk about the grow light. Such as distance needed from the seedlings, will any of them work, how long to use one, etc.
Bro look up HLG lights. Specifically their quantum board builds. I bought a light in the 300 dollar range and it's worked for me like 5 years. Still running very strong.
He has some videos about grow lights.
great info Luke
I actually scrubbed the intact sharpie marker from last year's plant markers this morning. I have not had any problems with them yet.
Very helpful 😮
Thank You!
Some peppers germinate way faster than others
Anywhere from 5 days to 2.5 weeks 😮
Luke.
I read through the comments and a couple where about talking time. I thing your tempo is fine as most do.
Folks, if video parts are too slow, repeated info for you, just hold a finger on the screen in mobile mode to increase the speed x2 to speed forward. You still understand Luke's instruction. Let up off screen when at info you are interested in.
Luke, we have your back helping those few comments.
Great information! Thanks Luke🌻💕
Thank you!!!
Right on! Starting to find out about overwatered when preparing my first tray that I really soaked..
Always something new to think about. Appreciate your channel and look forward to next video.
Hi, great video with some very helpful advice. Thank you for sharing. Have fun, Mark : )
Glad I caught this one . I start my seeds tomorrow.
I finally got a garden marker this year and im so glad.
Thank you Luke, I appreciate that you are willing to share your experience with us.
All good advise thank you.
So much great information for beginners! Thank you.
Blessings!
Thanks, Luke! I just got some good seed starting trays.
Lol red solo cups and sandwich baggies to create a humid environment. Nothing fancy then just throw them away until next year 😊
For marking my seedlings, I sketch and number the holes and keep it in my notebook so the sun can’t fade it
Those Garden Markers are $9.99 here in Canada (Amazon)
Might be my problem.... Overwatering 😮😮 thank you
lots of great tips..
Luke, thank you so much for that video...I learned so much....thank you for your time
Much gratitude to you Mr Richard Hirschman and Dr John. Very somber presentation..
cheers and shalom brother
Great tips! I love those garden markers but I use the more fine point variety.
Man, i have been making a lot of these seed starting mistakes. Thank you! Hopefully I can turn it around this year!
I use cup size containers and do not have problems with Roots when transplanting into the garden
When container gardening do you use potting soil with the fertilizer? I'm new to gardening
China markers work great!!!! ♥️♥️♥️🤗🤗🤗
I mixed petunia and strawberry seed. Petunias came up and required more bottom watering because they foliage fast while the strawberries drowned in water with top fungus.
I am learning the hard way.
Thanks Luke, you give great info!
I remember growing up, we lived in a small apartment, but it had a large living room window and my mom had plants like ferns, etc. I never really asked her much about it. Now that I want to grow my own food, it’s not just a pretty plant in the window. There’s so much to learn, and it’s very interesting especially when you’re expecting to eat from that plant in the future.
What store starts with M and ends in W? I’m stumped.
The fert starts with m and ends with w. (Miracle grow)…not the store….
@@cyhomer Ahhh. Thanks!
I was googling big box store names because I was stumped too. Lol
@@cyhomerI didn’t think there was a “w”…
Starting seeds today 2/17/24. Glad I turned in and watched a few videos. I was planning to plant MT lavender also. Now I know how to saponify! Thanks so much!
I made a mistake once, I packed the soil too much, the seedlings remained sooo tiny!
Great Stuff! I think I have about a B minus on my greenhouse seeds-room for improvement! Love this channel-Michigan rooted Norcal Guy:)
I love love love starting seeds!! It's overwhelming and so exciting. I wish gardening was my job, I would be the happiest girl in the world doing something I love!
I agree with the marker. My son complained about the cost but it still works well about a year later. Definitely a favorite purchase 😊
Thank you soo much! Where are your black overhead light from?
As an experienced gardening guru I found the beginning of your presentation a real talk down. Please review the choice of words and conjecture.
In Guam we always have high temperatures so no need for heat mats, i full trust MI Gardener, the germination is great so keep up the good work 😊
I do use sharpie, but I also wrap a clear piece of duck tape around each label to prevent water and uv fade. So far it has worked!
Here I am squishing my eyelid to see how much I can squish my soil 😂 It's a mistake I've always made because I see everyone on CZcams do it. Thank you!
Because of your video, I went ahead to buy the boost strap farmers’ 128 cells trays. The bottom of the trays are very flimsy and all the cells get water unequally. Most of their products are good except this one.
Thank you for all of the great info! Do you ever use soil blocks to starts seeds? I purchased 1 1/2" soil blocks this year and am excited to save space and hopefully not have to pot up quite as quickly for most seedlings. Any opinion or experience (pros and cons) you may have soil blocking would be greatly appreciated.
Just @ me next time 🤣🫣
Thanks MiG team for another informative video!
What would be a good way to start herbs in texas I find that parsley and cilantro are harder to sprout. Compared to tomato or peppers. In a seed tray environment…
Ending up with ‘blanc’ plantlabels is a pain! Great tip to mention!
Yup, made one of these mistakes this year. I added flowers to my seed starting instead of just vegetables. Because I wasn’t familiar with them, (and didn’t read the germination rate) the zinnias and blanket flower are up and the tomatoes aren’t. Sigh!! Guess I’ll nurse them the best I can but it doesn’t take but one time making this mistake to make me do differently in the future. Thanks for your tips. And I totally agree with the plant marker thing. Ask me how I know. lol happy gardening. 👩🌾🥕🌻🍅
Just started my seeds early this week, so this video is much needed! I already made the mistake of having multiple varieties in one tray, oops!
14:15 top dressing
i agree with the premix, you could also apply when you transfer to a big pot. you could put some at the bottom half of the next pot to encourage the roots to spread. better to keep the top of the soil dry and devoid of nutrients that could encourage mould, weeds, gnats etc
I'm absolutely guilty of using the wrong marker and using seed cell trays for to many different varieties. Found myself scooping out the biggest seedlings with a chop stick. It worked out fine, but avoidable. So thank you for this useful video. ❤
Glad you mentioned to not grow all seeds together in a propagation tray that have different germination times. I think last week the tray was planted with several and you can’t separate them all connected. Once they sprout the cover comes off yet some are not ready yet.
Could I take Trifecta and add it to water to dissolve it and bottom water with it?
Proper marker is a must
Do you have a top 10 must have garden tools?
Hello Luke listening and eye seed what you mean here. That last one makes sense. I’m slowly starting some here and miCRogreens. Btw I enjoyed that stream with you and grow big tv . Take CaRe
I never heard of one😮
I love your videos and passion for teaching. I think you should continue to encourage people to go home if not willing to grow big. Just saying. Love you brother.
I use grease pens (China markers) for my seed labels. Writing never comes off until I swipe the label with a magic eraser.
Yes, me too. Was just about to order more!
Are China pens same as dry erase markers?
Grease pencils, China markers, or any other name for them are actually a colored, hardened greasy wax (think durable crayons), typically bound in paper or wood. They can be removed with rubbing alcohol or acetone. @@saraleclerc2455
I don’t know why I am so much trouble this year with seedlings. I tried to make my own seed starting soil . The only thing I used is coco coir, perlite and miracle grow potting soil. I ended up throwing it away and buying seed starting soil from Amazon.
Can you suggest a complete seed starter kit all in one?
Yup, I've moved to smaller trays like 6 cells or even ones that each cell can be pulled out individually. 😎
Smaller trays makes WAY more sense for the average home gardener, we're not planting 50 of a single plant, we're usually planting maybe a dozen at most of a given plant.
I was baffled by the first half of your video where you were showing all the things that can go wrong with a massive 128-cell insert! I'd find that impossible to work with -- cells are too small, seeds will get into adjacent cells, you can't take plants out as you go without great difficulty. I originally used a single 10x10" 36 cell insert, and have switched to sixers that can fit 6 in the same space -- super-easy to work on, and you don't have to combine wildly different types of plants in one insert; and I use a very small label in each cell, with 2 to 6 seeds. I love using a small spoon (stainless steel, but a plastic picnic spoon in a pinch) for filling with soil, compacting it just right, and up-potting. I do up-potting early and often -- I start with fairly sterile seed-starting soil, but keep adding high-quality potting soil each time after that. With tomatoes and peppers, the first up-potting is as soon as their seed leaves have fully unfolded (typically 1-2" high) -- dividing in to separate 2.5" deep pots is very easy at that stage.
I've found labeling pens a challenge too, but the brand you show in the video has much too wide a tip to put all the information I want on a 5-6" label (while thin sharpies are much too thin and weak, and carpenters' pens are durable but also too wide). The best medium tip pens I have found so far for individual plant labels are permanent markers from Office Depot (I do use the official garden markers for larger labels, e.g. for whole beds). I'm less affected by UV light, however, because I use no fluorescent grow lights (just LEDs), and outdoors I have part shade so the UV is less intense there.
And while my plants vary from year to year, I erase the labels each fall with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Depending on the thickness and quality of the labels, I reuse plastic plant labels anywhere from 3 to 10+ years (and i favor the ones that last at least 5 years).
I have so much trouble getting my seedlings out of my 1x1" tray starters, can you give advice on how to do this without destroying the trays and stressing the plants trying to get them out?
Do you ever use seed starting domes till sprout? Then mist the soil for the ones a day or 2 behind? So you don't dry out before sprouts.
I do 128 cells. I plant out everything i need and i keep detailed notes of what i planted. As soon as i know i can up pot, i do. I only use a little worm castings. If they need it i use liquid fertilizer when i water next. I
Miracle grow has its place, containers
I use a water soluble fertilizer with nitrogen and potassium after the plant's first true leaves appear. After 3-4 weeks in the small cells, the plants I'm going to keep get transplanted into something like solo cups or a bigger tray with an organic homemade compost. They'll stay there until they're ready to be transplanted into the garden. I'll dress the holes once with an organic balanced slow release fertilizer when I plant. Besides that, a properly maintained soil with a good biome is all my plants ever need until the first frost.
What kind of plant cells do you recommend
Again your math is great! Just like mine I love it lol😂
So how much trifecta should you add to the seed starting mix? It does not say on the bag for starting seeds?
Lol, in addition to UV resistant markers ...also not using pens which wash off when you spray with water... I learned the hard way 🤣🤣 now I have to just wait and see what everything is. 😩
Ok well I have some dampening off with *some* of my zinnias ~ some seem to be ok 🤔
Do you think there can be survivors or will the whole tray be lost 😢
Excited my orders from you arrive tomorrow 🌱