Seedling Panic.

KLorentz · May 3, 2009

Well folks I have seedlings that need to be potted up and have run out of potting soil(no funds cuz of bills). Is there anything you can suggest about using garden soil? I am that desperate because these seedlings will count for half my crop.Any help would be great.These seedlings are half my tomatoes,peppers and a few eggplants.

Kevin

Blueaussi · May 3, 2009

Are they going in the ground? And did you have a garden last year in the ground? How about any containers that have potting soil from last year? What sized pots are they in now and are you sure they can't wait a bit? Being a little pot bound isn't going to hurt them too much, they'll get a bit tall, but you can bury them deeper when you plant then out.

If you decide to use garden soil, don't use any from areas that you had any plant diseases last season. You can sterilize soil in the oven, but it's a bit of a mess. You would also be killing the beneficial organisms as well as the bad actors.

KLorentz · May 3, 2009

That's the prob with the soil here I do not know it cuz This is the first year here for me.I have used all potting soil from last years pots and planters.as far hight goes some seedlings that came up last week are already tall for some reason and I planted everything at the same depth.Last three seasons I was in Bryan Ohio. I am now in Michigan 10 min north of the NW Ohio border.

Kevin

habitat_gardener · May 4, 2009

Try your local freecycle group?

Blueaussi · May 4, 2009

If your seedlings are tall, are they getting enough light? And if they're only a couple of weeks old, what did you start them in, peat pellets?

Your best bet might be to use garden soil and to sterilize it in the oven. Spread it in a roasting pan and heat it at 250F for 30 to 45 minutes.

KLorentz · May 4, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

Try your local freecycle group?

To tell ya the truth I did not think about freecycle for used garden supplies. Just joined the Hillsdale MI group.

Kevin

KLorentz · May 4, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

If your seedlings are tall, are they getting enough light? And if they're only a couple of weeks old, what did you start them in, peat pellets?

Your best bet might be to use garden soil and to sterilize it in the oven. Spread it in a roasting pan and heat it at 250F for 30 to 45 minutes.

Potting soil in pots and makeshift germination flats.It was one group of seedlings that did this.I treated them the same as others.I have not seen my seeds do like this before. ether they would all do it or none would.plenty of light at a large south facing window.

Kevin

outsiders71 · May 4, 2009

I know you stated you ran out of funds, but how many plants are you talking about repotting here?

Peat x 1 = $13:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...082&lpage=none

and

Coarse sand x 2 = $6:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...251&lpage=none

Total: ~$19

That would be enough to pot up hundreds of seedlings.

Blueaussi · May 4, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLorentz

Potting soil in pots and makeshift germination flats.It was one group of seedlings that did this.I treated them the same as others.I have not seen my seeds do like this before. ether they would all do it or none would.plenty of light at a large south facing window.

In my experience, a window, southward facing or not, will not provide enough light for peppers. Put some fluorescent lights on them and I bet they shape up.

KLorentz · May 9, 2009

I went ahead and sterilized soil in the microwave to pot up more seedlings today.Also tested out an old florescent light from an old 20 gallon fish tank and it works. Mind you this light got dunked in water. Anyway I rigged it up to be above my one grow table. But in defense of my window my Orange Sun bell peppers are responding well and showing good growth. That one batch of seedlings was a total lose. They caught damping off and this is the only batch that had that happen. I know some others that had this happen this year.But I still have lots of plants for the garden. Got about 30 tomatoes going out in the next few days

Kevin

Wi-sunflower · May 9, 2009

For the damp off, I've found that I have more problems when I have a bunch of seedlings and little to no air movement. If I put a small fan blowing on low in the area, that seems to keep the damp off to a minimum.

Another fellow TVer mentioned using Peroxide to kill the damp off too. Just know that it will also kill benificials like Actinovate. But most don't use that till later any way.

Carol

May 3, 2009	#1
KLorentz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Stryker, Ohio Posts: 995	Seedling Panic. Well folks I have seedlings that need to be potted up and have run out of potting soil(no funds cuz of bills). Is there anything you can suggest about using garden soil? I am that desperate because these seedlings will count for half my crop.Any help would be great.These seedlings are half my tomatoes,peppers and a few eggplants. Kevin

May 3, 2009	#2
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	Are they going in the ground? And did you have a garden last year in the ground? How about any containers that have potting soil from last year? What sized pots are they in now and are you sure they can't wait a bit? Being a little pot bound isn't going to hurt them too much, they'll get a bit tall, but you can bury them deeper when you plant then out. If you decide to use garden soil, don't use any from areas that you had any plant diseases last season. You can sterilize soil in the oven, but it's a bit of a mess. You would also be killing the beneficial organisms as well as the bad actors.

May 4, 2009	#4
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	Try your local freecycle group?

May 4, 2009	#8
outsiders71 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 150	I know you stated you ran out of funds, but how many plants are you talking about repotting here? Peat x 1 = $13: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...082&lpage=none and Coarse sand x 2 = $6: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...251&lpage=none Total: ~$19 That would be enough to pot up hundreds of seedlings.

May 9, 2009	#10
KLorentz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Stryker, Ohio Posts: 995	I went ahead and sterilized soil in the microwave to pot up more seedlings today.Also tested out an old florescent light from an old 20 gallon fish tank and it works. Mind you this light got dunked in water. Anyway I rigged it up to be above my one grow table. But in defense of my window my Orange Sun bell peppers are responding well and showing good growth. That one batch of seedlings was a total lose. They caught damping off and this is the only batch that had that happen. I know some others that had this happen this year.But I still have lots of plants for the garden. Got about 30 tomatoes going out in the next few days Kevin

May 9, 2009	#11
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	For the damp off, I've found that I have more problems when I have a bunch of seedlings and little to no air movement. If I put a small fan blowing on low in the area, that seems to keep the damp off to a minimum. Another fellow TVer mentioned using Peroxide to kill the damp off too. Just know that it will also kill benificials like Actinovate. But most don't use that till later any way. Carol