DE grow plug idea

[aclum]

Hi Rick,

Unfortunately, I can't see your photos. I think you described it well enough so I can picture things though.

I like your idea for the moveable plugs and good point about being able to rearrange the seedlings (which you wouldn't be able to do with intact 6 packs). It's not a whole lot different from using little 3 oz. cups with drain holes in the bottom packed together in a pan you can fill with water (and using empty cups as "space fillers" if necessary so the plants don't tip over). However, if you're starting from scratch, your method might be less expensive. But if you used the teabags with 6 packs like you describe instead of the cut-up 6 pack inserts, the teabag method might be the same or less expensive. Although we're not talking about much money here in the broad scheme of things !

I think the (hypothetical) advantage of the teabags, though, is that it would be easier to contain the DE when the plug was turned on its side. It seems like with your suggested method, you'd have to hold the DE in your plugs either by holding the shamwow, etc. in place with your fingers or a rubber band or whatever. Whereas with the teabag you could just slap on a twist-em or use the drawstring type teabags.

BTW, I start my seeds in small disposable aluminum pans (or things like Stouffer's individual frozen lasagna containers) with the seeds spaced maybe an inch apart. Unless I'll be using the seedlings as scions for grafting, I'll pot-up to the 3oz cups after they get their first or second set of true leaves. The future scions just stay in their little tray until I do the graft.

I'm not totally sure that I'll use the teabag method myself as I haven't had too much trouble matching up the cuts without lining up the stems, but this has the potential to make things a lot easier and there's a lot more rootspace for things to grow. I think it somewhat depends on if the roots penetrate the teabag material. I've got a 6" mystery plant from a test grafting with lots of good roots still in its 3 oz cup. I plan to transplant it to a teabag today and see what happens.....


Larry,

There's a good (but long) thread on using DE in the seed starting forum.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...=22329&page=39

I think I need to go back and re-read it myself ! I'm still a bit confused about the fertilizing. BTW, I started some seeds in Optisorb on Jan 6 (see my post on the 2014 grow list thread) and all but 2 of the 18 or so varieties have germinated. For the grafters out there, my 105 rootstock seeded at the same time was one of the first to germinate (along with Carbon) on Jan 10th!

Anne