Growing seedling in flats

snappybob · August 16, 2012

I'm fairly experienced in growing seedlings. I start a lot of tomatoes and peppers every year to sell to friends, co workers and some farmers market growers. I start them out in the little six packs sowing a half dozen or so seeds per cell and then transplanting to 4 inch pots and growing them out to sell or plant in my garden. I have a customer who would like me to start and grow out to transplant size two varieties of peppers in 96 cell flats. One flat for each variety. I am looking for pointers on what I may need to do differently with this method of growing. Will I have to feed periodicly since the plant will have much less medium to draw nutients from? I'm sure diligent watering will be a must since the small cell will tend to dry out quickly with a big root system drawing from it. I grow in a small green house that is heated at night when nessesary. I usually start my plants around the third week of January. Will seedlings grown this way grow faster, slower or at the same rate? I am looking forward to getting some experience at growing with this method. I'd like to get some advice to avoid any pitfalls that may be on the horizon. Thanks in advance for any help.

Cole_Robbie · August 16, 2012

I didn't have as good of luck with direct-seeding. My trouble was getting six plants in a six-pack that were all the same size, with no empty cells. Most of my seeds are started in vermiculite, then the little sprouts are transplanted into cell trays. I end up with a full 6-pack, and the legginess of the plant is reduced each time it is transplanted, simply by burying more of the stem.

They don't need much food. A little compost in the medium should be enough. Alaskan Fish is a good fertilizer that is easy to use, except for the horrible smell. A good way to water a flat of plants is to dip it into a larger container of water, and soak the roots from the bottom up.

96-cell trays have ridiculously small cells. That would be appropriate for something like corn, where it only stays in the cell for a week or two before transplant. I stopped using my 72 cell trays, and switched to 48-cell trays. Pepper and Tomato plants liked the 48-cell trays much better.

bobberman · September 11, 2012

I start all m seeds in styrofoam grape boxes about 4 inches deep and 12 by 15. I let them grow for weeks then put them in flats usually with 48 per flat or 8 cubes of 6. the smaller cubes like 72 per flat in groups 6 also with 12 per flat are fine for cole crops with the smaller roots! i find that tomatoes transplant better wen the plants are 4 or more inches high. i put the stems at the very bottom of the cube..

August 16, 2012	#1
snappybob SETTFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 214	Growing seedling in flats I'm fairly experienced in growing seedlings. I start a lot of tomatoes and peppers every year to sell to friends, co workers and some farmers market growers. I start them out in the little six packs sowing a half dozen or so seeds per cell and then transplanting to 4 inch pots and growing them out to sell or plant in my garden. I have a customer who would like me to start and grow out to transplant size two varieties of peppers in 96 cell flats. One flat for each variety. I am looking for pointers on what I may need to do differently with this method of growing. Will I have to feed periodicly since the plant will have much less medium to draw nutients from? I'm sure diligent watering will be a must since the small cell will tend to dry out quickly with a big root system drawing from it. I grow in a small green house that is heated at night when nessesary. I usually start my plants around the third week of January. Will seedlings grown this way grow faster, slower or at the same rate? I am looking forward to getting some experience at growing with this method. I'd like to get some advice to avoid any pitfalls that may be on the horizon. Thanks in advance for any help.

September 11, 2012	#3
bobberman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Latrobe Pa. Posts: 142	I start all m seeds in styrofoam grape boxes about 4 inches deep and 12 by 15. I let them grow for weeks then put them in flats usually with 48 per flat or 8 cubes of 6. the smaller cubes like 72 per flat in groups 6 also with 12 per flat are fine for cole crops with the smaller roots! i find that tomatoes transplant better wen the plants are 4 or more inches high. i put the stems at the very bottom of the cube.. __________________ Frank the Bobberman & Carpet Installer Inventor of the Bobber With A Brain,. Gadening, Greenhouse, Fishing, Softball, Scrabble. Single looking for a woman with a 100 acre farm!

August 16, 2012	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I didn't have as good of luck with direct-seeding. My trouble was getting six plants in a six-pack that were all the same size, with no empty cells. Most of my seeds are started in vermiculite, then the little sprouts are transplanted into cell trays. I end up with a full 6-pack, and the legginess of the plant is reduced each time it is transplanted, simply by burying more of the stem. They don't need much food. A little compost in the medium should be enough. Alaskan Fish is a good fertilizer that is easy to use, except for the horrible smell. A good way to water a flat of plants is to dip it into a larger container of water, and soak the roots from the bottom up. 96-cell trays have ridiculously small cells. That would be appropriate for something like corn, where it only stays in the cell for a week or two before transplant. I stopped using my 72 cell trays, and switched to 48-cell trays. Pepper and Tomato plants liked the 48-cell trays much better.