Dense Planting Illustrated - WARNING - Pic Heavy! Latest video 3/17 - transplanting

[danwigz]

I used this process for all my seedlings this year, and have had a lot of success, not of the plants seem to mind it at all. Now if I only had time to pot-up. Come on weekend!

Danwigz

[rxkeith]

hey craig,

i sent your video links to my sister in law who is doing some seed starting this year. she says they are great. they have also sped up my own transplanting process. explaining things only goes so far. having video to go along with it really helps.


keith

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

I suspect it is nothing really new.....I just tried it out of desperation to be able to create loads of seedlings without a greenhouse....glad people are finding it helpful!

My problem is that I cannot get Metro-Mix 360 here in Kalamazoo. I wonder if Pro-Mix BX will work as well... ? I already have the 50 cell trays from Johnny's. I really like them.

[John3]

nctomatoman
I noticed in one of your videos you have two grow lights (maybe three or it's a shop light) and you have two grow lights in each one. Question is two grow lights all you use for your dense seed starting? Also, did you buy your grow light set up from Johnny's, somewhere else or built it yourself? If you bought it what is the name of the product and from whom did you buy it from?

I would also like to know which brand of heat mat(s) you use and if you bought them from Johnny's? And what size of heat mats do you use for the Johnny's 50 trays?

I also noticed that you use two different types of 4" pots - one square and one round. Is one better than the other for putting into trays?

[nctomatoman]

Hey John - the light set ups are just plain old (and I mean old - probably 20 years old!) Home Depot shop lights with cheap flourescents in them - nothing special.

The heat mats - also quite old - are from Harris - no temp control - just one temp.

Pot shape doesn't matter - in fact this year I am going with sheets of 18 plastic pots that are attached (easily come apart) and fit snugly into the basket tray - I scoop the dirt onto the sheet and smooth them with my hand - much quicker than going with individual pots. They are pretty light and flimsy, but only need to last from transplant until planting out time.

Hope that helps!

[John3]

Yes it did - Thanks

"in fact this year I am going with sheets of 18 plastic pots that are attached (easily come apart) and fit snugly into the basket tray - I scoop the dirt onto the sheet and smooth them with my hand - much quicker than going with individual pots. They are pretty light and flimsy, but only need to last from transplant until planting out time."
I haven't seen these where can you get them?

[TZ-OH6]

WillysWoodPile,

There is a product called SureMix that is similar to Promix. It is made in Michigan and (I think) marketed mainly to professional nurseries in the region. I bought a couple of bags down here in Ohio when I went to a local greenhouse asking for Promix (which they also had but in smaller bags).


http://www.surefill.com/Our-Products/Suremix.aspx

[dice]

The standard name in the trade for those 18 cell
inserts (sheet of 18 thin plastic 3" pots) is "1801 inserts".
They fit in a standard 1020 nursery tray or web flat.

Some are perforated so that each cell can easily be
separated from the insert, some you need to cut apart
with scissors to separate the individual pot from the
insert.

They come with different pot heights. With "deep" or "tall"
inserts, the height of the individual cell is taller than the
width. With "medium" or not-specified, the insert may be
shallower than the width or about the same.

Some examples:
http://www.novoselenterprises.com/pr....asp?ID=593160
(not perforated)

http://www.circlehgrowers.com/seed-f...at-inserts.htm
(perforated)

http://www.mortonproducts.com/page.cfm/1277
(Looks like they come both ways, cut and uncut.)

Many wholesale nursery supplies that carry these only
sell them by the case of 50 or 100. People that buy case
quantities may get them from local nursery supplies that
also carry whatever kind of seed-starting mix they use.

[nctomatoman]

Yes - they are a bit higher than the webflats - and come apart very easily (perforated). I buy them by boxes of 1000. Far superior to the individual round plastic pots in terms of an efficient process!

Originally Posted by TZ-OH6

WillysWoodPile,

There is a product called SureMix that is similar to Promix. It is made in Michigan and (I think) marketed mainly to professional nurseries in the region. I bought a couple of bags down here in Ohio when I went to a local greenhouse asking for Promix (which they also had but in smaller bags).


http://www.surefill.com/Our-Products/Suremix.aspx

Thanks TZ, I'll look into it.

[TZ-OH6]

I have reused my 1801 inserts for three years now. A few will split-rip, but duct tape saves the day. They will however melt in the sun, as will the flats made of the same plastic so don't leave the empties lying around the yard after planting...like I did last spring.

[John3]

Originally Posted by dice

The standard name in the trade for those 18 cell
inserts (sheet of 18 thin plastic 3" pots) is "1801 inserts".
They fit in a standard 1020 nursery tray or web flat.

Some are perforated so that each cell can easily be
separated from the insert, some you need to cut apart
with scissors to separate the individual pot from the
insert.

They come with different pot heights. With "deep" or "tall"
inserts, the height of the individual cell is taller than the
width. With "medium" or not-specified, the insert may be
shallower than the width or about the same.

Some examples:
http://www.novoselenterprises.com/pr....asp?ID=593160
(not perforated)

http://www.circlehgrowers.com/seed-f...at-inserts.htm
(perforated)

http://www.mortonproducts.com/page.cfm/1277
(Looks like they come both ways, cut and uncut.)

Many wholesale nursery supplies that carry these only
sell them by the case of 50 or 100. People that buy case
quantities may get them from local nursery supplies that
also carry whatever kind of seed-starting mix they use.

Thanks dice for the heads up on this

[desertlzbn]

I use sunshine mix, and it is really great. Look to see if there is a Crop Production Services Company in your area. They are on the web.

[jeremyhilton]

Wow Craig this is amazing! So many ideas for next year, my wife will really hate me then ;-)
Also I subscribed to your videos, nice work Man!

Jeremy

Sent from my Evo using Tapatalk

[John3]

nctomatoman did the beets take to growing in the ground after transplanting? If I remember correctly you seeded one to a plug (or did you do more than one)?