Potted Up Today - Feb 2. - Page 2

ArcherB · February 4, 2013

Just curious... why not simply start them in the cups?

I drill holes in the bottom of a cup, fill it with dry mix, place it into another, smaller cup with water in it, and allow it to soak up water from the bottom. Think self watering containers on a smaller, less scientific scale. Once the soil is moist, I place the seeds in. Once they sprout, I water from the top and use the bottom cup for drainage.

Dewayne mater · February 4, 2013

Looking good Ray!

I potted up Sunday. Yours look about 5 days beyond mind, but the roots growing way out of the bottom of the cells made me think it was time. I found a Sunshine brand potting mix I'm using this time. We'll see. I do need to put some weak fertilizer in them every now and again. What do you use? I also bought another set of lights that are so called plant lights. Supposedly they have more red and blue spectrum lights. They do look different than the others. Should be interesting to see if it makes any difference. They are still just 40 watt florescent tube lights.

Dewayne mater.

Gobig_or_Gohome_toms · February 4, 2013

Looking good raybo do I see a few jumpstart t5's there

I only have about 10 just waiting to jump out of the box in a few more months

Craig

rnewste · February 4, 2013

ArcherB,

I like the Burpee XL Ultimate Grow System as the cell trays sit on a wicking mat which pulls up water from the reservoir tray. Therefore, I only need to top up once per week. Also, potting up the seedlings at least once seems to strengthen the root system in the process. Carolyn and others have also posted this observation.

Go Big,

I know you use a whole array of the Hydrofarm 24" lighting systems in your setup. I have ganged 3 of them on to a single footer as you can see in the photo:

This produces a uniform lighting pattern for two trays and the bases are not interfering with each other.

Raybo

ArcherB · February 4, 2013

That's awesome, Ray. I have a similar setup, except where your is professionally produced and sold, mine is the trailor park/ghetto version. I took a three foot wide wire rack, hung two four foot long shop lights from a shelf about eye level, placed plywood a 5 ft piece of plywood on the shelf below it for the cups, and if I want a self watering tray, I "acquire" one from my local Burger King.

The shelf will hold somewhere between 50 and 75 cups (without the Burger King trays), but with that many, it becomes a pain to shuffle them around come watering time.

ScottinAtlanta · February 5, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcherB

Just curious... why not simply start them in the cups?

I drill holes in the bottom of a cup, fill it with dry mix, place it into another, smaller cup with water in it, and allow it to soak up water from the bottom. Think self watering containers on a smaller, less scientific scale. Once the soil is moist, I place the seeds in. Once they sprout, I water from the top and use the bottom cup for drainage.

I couldn't do it because with 600 seedlings, the cost of filling cups with the starting mix would be enormous. I dense sow in the Craig-style into seed starting mix, then pot up into much less expensive Promix BX with Mycorrhiza.

Dewayne mater · February 7, 2013

Ray - do you continue to use the wicking mats to pull water up from the bottom once you've potted up to solo cups? I am already weary of watering cup by cup by cup every 2-3 days. I'm not sure if sufficient water would wick up from the 2 holes per cup I drilled, even if they were sitting in water. Hmm.

Dewayne mater.

Baizanator · February 8, 2013

Potted up a week ago. I have a heat mat keeping the soil temperature around 73.5 degrees. Plants are exploding with growth.

Delerium · February 8, 2013

I potted my plants up recently to.

rnewste · February 8, 2013

Six days after potting up:

Treated with a full strength drench of Azos on Feb 6.

Dewayne,

The wicking fabric will not work with the Solo cups - the concave design of the cup's bottom will not sit flush on the mat. I find the 50/50 mix of Happy Frog / Ocean Forest retains moisture for about 4 days.

Baizanator,

Very nice looking set-up!

Raybo

Baizanator · February 9, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnewste

Six days after potting up:

Treated with a full strength drench of Azos on Feb 6.

Dewayne,

The wicking fabric will not work with the Solo cups - the concave design of the cup's bottom will not sit flush on the mat. I find the 50/50 mix of Happy Frog / Ocean Forest retains moisture for about 4 days.

Baizanator,

Very nice looking set-up!

Raybo

Raybo,

I've got the Azos and would like to drench my seedlings. How is this done? What measurements are used?

rnewste · February 9, 2013

Check the dosage recommendation listed on the package. For my full size seedlings in the photo, I used one tablespoon per gallon of water. My Azos is a year old.

Raybo

Baizanator · February 9, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnewste

Check the dosage recommendation listed on the package. For my full size seedlings in the photo, I used one tablespoon per gallon of water. My Azos is a year old.

Raybo

If I'm sub-irrigating could I just pour it in the tray or does it need to be poured over the potting mix?

rnewste · February 9, 2013

As it needs to make positive contact with the roots to be effective, I recommend a soil drench around the base of the plant.

Raybo

RayR · February 9, 2013

Raybo is right, azospirillum brasilense is a free living bacteria but it needs to be in the rhizosphere to survive.

February 4, 2013	#16
ArcherB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Austin TX Posts: 200	Just curious... why not simply start them in the cups? I drill holes in the bottom of a cup, fill it with dry mix, place it into another, smaller cup with water in it, and allow it to soak up water from the bottom. Think self watering containers on a smaller, less scientific scale. Once the soil is moist, I place the seeds in. Once they sprout, I water from the top and use the bottom cup for drainage.

February 4, 2013	#17
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Looking good Ray! I potted up Sunday. Yours look about 5 days beyond mind, but the roots growing way out of the bottom of the cells made me think it was time. I found a Sunshine brand potting mix I'm using this time. We'll see. I do need to put some weak fertilizer in them every now and again. What do you use? I also bought another set of lights that are so called plant lights. Supposedly they have more red and blue spectrum lights. They do look different than the others. Should be interesting to see if it makes any difference. They are still just 40 watt florescent tube lights. Dewayne mater.

February 4, 2013	#18
Gobig_or_Gohome_toms Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN Posts: 967	Looking good raybo do I see a few jumpstart t5's there I only have about 10 just waiting to jump out of the box in a few more months Craig

February 4, 2013	#19
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	ArcherB, I like the Burpee XL Ultimate Grow System as the cell trays sit on a wicking mat which pulls up water from the reservoir tray. Therefore, I only need to top up once per week. Also, potting up the seedlings at least once seems to strengthen the root system in the process. Carolyn and others have also posted this observation. Go Big, I know you use a whole array of the Hydrofarm 24" lighting systems in your setup. I have ganged 3 of them on to a single footer as you can see in the photo: This produces a uniform lighting pattern for two trays and the bases are not interfering with each other. Raybo

February 7, 2013	#22
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Ray - do you continue to use the wicking mats to pull water up from the bottom once you've potted up to solo cups? I am already weary of watering cup by cup by cup every 2-3 days. I'm not sure if sufficient water would wick up from the 2 holes per cup I drilled, even if they were sitting in water. Hmm. Dewayne mater.

February 8, 2013	#23
Baizanator Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hamilton, Texas Posts: 382	Potted up a week ago. I have a heat mat keeping the soil temperature around 73.5 degrees. Plants are exploding with growth.

February 8, 2013	#25
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Six days after potting up: Treated with a full strength drench of Azos on Feb 6. Dewayne, The wicking fabric will not work with the Solo cups - the concave design of the cup's bottom will not sit flush on the mat. I find the 50/50 mix of Happy Frog / Ocean Forest retains moisture for about 4 days. Baizanator, Very nice looking set-up! Raybo

February 9, 2013	#27
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Check the dosage recommendation listed on the package. For my full size seedlings in the photo, I used one tablespoon per gallon of water. My Azos is a year old. Raybo

February 9, 2013	#30
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Raybo is right, azospirillum brasilense is a free living bacteria but it needs to be in the rhizosphere to survive.