Pre germinating seeds

[PhilaGardener]

I put my seed starting flats over my fluorescent lights (in a suitable tray so there is no water/shock hazard) so they get bottom warmth (I don't have a separate heating mat). Once they emerge above the starter mix (a commercial peat-vermiculite mixture), I move them under the lights as close to the tubes as possible and grow on from there. Good luck!

[oakley]

I soak peppers, eggplant, and my early peas. Peas are direct seeded over a few weeks....the first are in the ground now and may or may not suffer this snow we will get this afternoon. (why i succession plant) and get extended harvest as well.

Tomatoes i've never needed to pre-germinate. Never had much trouble with it except a bad batch of starting mix that turned to cement when wetted. Obvious right away so i just started over.
I top water with a small pump sprayer once a day, (if a bit dry). covered and in the dark until i see some life, then uncover for a day. Still dark. Once standing up i only bottom feed with plain water and let dry out. Then they go under lights low with a fan going nearby. My first tray, day 10, seem very happy. Very diluted fish fert when the first true leaves show. tsp in a gallon h20.

I do soak my starting mix with warm water before sowing 3-4 seeds per cell.
Most of my seeds are from TomatoGrowers and the germination is excellent. Even my saved seeds have done well this year.

This year i'm using Espoma Organic for no reason other than it was in my face when shopping. So far so good.

My tomatoes probably do so well because they are my first concern and get lots of attention. I can catch a problem pretty quickly.

[brownrexx]

I direct seed all of my tomato seeds in sterile seed starting mix and I would not add any fertilizer until they are a few weeks old, and then I use a diluted liquid fertilizer.

I use a plastic dome over my seed starting trays but it gets removed after the seeds start germinating. I have never had mold issues.

[Kazedwards]

I wonder if the fertilizer in the starting mix was why I had some mold issues. I was thinking about it and I think they were to wet and not quite warm enough. I started more seeds in paper towels and bags. Some of the seed was old and others were poorly cleaned (received in a trade). I think it was a combination of all of it. I did have 25 of the 30ish varieties come up so I'm not to behind.


-Zach

[Kazedwards]

I have had several seeds come up so far. Here's to hoping the peppers start to come up next.


-Zach

[oakley]

Are your tomatoes and peppers in the same start tray?
Peppers take much longer to germinate so i keep those in another tray.

My tomatoes are up in a few days and the dome comes off asap. I give it another day or two for the others to catch up a bit before moving onto the light shelf.

I don't like them sitting too long in a moisture dome.

[jbond007]

Originally Posted by pmcgrady

I germinate in 72 cell trays with MG potting soil, then replant in newspaper pots I make,with more MG potting soil, not had mold issues, just log issues (picking all the sticks out of the potting soil)

I do the same - only difference is Black Solo Cups instead of newspaper pots for pot-up.

I've used Jiffy 4" Peat Pots in the past and they grew mold on the outside.

[PureHarvest]

The only year I ever had trouble with germination was when I added plant tone to my potting mix.
I love plant tone, just not for seed starting.
That is also where your mold came from.

[Kazedwards]

Originally Posted by oakley

Are your tomatoes and peppers in the same start tray?

Peppers take much longer to germinate so i keep those in another tray.



My tomatoes are up in a few days and the dome comes off asap. I give it another day or two for the others to catch up a bit before moving onto the light shelf.



I don't like them sitting too long in a moisture dome.

That is normally the way I do it. I did have some issues with that method a few times this year. So I decided to pre germinate them in small 2x3" bags wrapped in damp paper towels. So far it has worked well. It takes up little space so I can keep it in a warmer area of the house. Also when I plant the seeds I can better control the moisture of the potting mix. That helps a lot this year because I have had problems with fungus gnats too.


-Zach

[Kazedwards]

Originally Posted by PureHarvest

The only year I ever had trouble with germination was when I added plant tone to my potting mix.
I love plant tone, just not for seed starting.
That is also where your mold came from.

I think that was a big problem this year too. I will not be doing it again.


-Zach

[oakley]

I've done that as well thinking i'm being cleaver and why i like the 7x7 square start trays so if i try something not so smart i've got another back-up tray.

I usually run out of starting mix, then sterilize some old peat and make a batch....or have a family member pick some up but usually the wrong thing but i want to plant and make a mess of it.

I know better but some things are just tempting to try.

I think i'm so flawless at tomatoes because they get all the best treatment without much effort. Best starting mix, checked often, just cared for because i care.

Peppers are fussy and don't do well in my garden but i'm giving it another go this season. I had 2 out of a 7x7 tray, seeds saved, hit the ceiling fast. Re-potted already and nothing much in the tray now.

Tomatoes are doing really well. Even once up, peppers seem to like much more warmth and tomatoes not so much...why i think starting them separate is best.

[Gerardo]

I've been soaking them in regular seedling feeding solution for up to 48 hrs, inside individual baggies. Pretty solid germ the last batch.

[clara]

I only pre-soak my tomato and pepper seeds when they are older (5 years or more for tomatoes, 3 years for peppers). In that case, I use chamomile tea for 24 hours. Works great for me. A very good friend of mine who is growing hundreds of tomatoes every year, uses nitrite curing salt for pre-soaking old seeds. This way she has revived seeds that are older than 10 years. Next season, I'll use it, too - some of my old varieties need to be refreshed to not loose them.

[whistech]

Clara, about how much nitrite solution do you use for about a cup of water? I know you are in Germany, but I'm wondering if the nitrite cure in Germany is died pink and contains salt along with the nitrite like the curing salt sold in the United States? About how long should one soak the old seeds? Thank you for your help, Arlie

[clara]

Sorry, Arlie, actually I can't answer your question - I'll use the nitrite salt NEXT year when I have to refresh my stock. Before I start then, I'll ask this skilled grower - if she tells me now, I'll forget it...