Who uses plug trays?

[Rajun Gardener]

I have 2 electric heaters in the other GH for freezing temps. It's only a 14x16 GH so it's easy to heat. Those plants survived the freeze we had a few weeks ago when the temps stayed below freezing over 48 hours. That's not normal weather here. If we get another freeze I'll put a small heater in there.

Don't worry about damaging the roots when separating them, they'll grow back. I find it's easier to take them apart with drier soil than too wet.

[BigVanVader]

Originally Posted by FourOaks

Guess I wasnt clear. I meant the container.

Hmm.. I might have to take another whack at mass plantings. I need to start a bunch of pepper seeds, today.

I have to start all my stuff inside so I have to use this approach. I also dont worry about ripping roots etc when I tear apart the plants. The peppers in the pic were overgrown tbh, if you transplant before then they are much easier to divide. I've found peppers & tomatoes can take a lot of punishment.

[Cole_Robbie]

I don't know exactly what you are using, but that's another advantage of using vermiculite as seed-starting media - when dry, it will fall right off the roots. Perlite is almost as good, but roots tend to stick to it a little more than vermiculite.

[FourOaks]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

I have 2 electric heaters in the other GH for freezing temps. It's only a 14x16 GH so it's easy to heat. Those plants survived the freeze we had a few weeks ago when the temps stayed below freezing over 48 hours. That's not normal weather here. If we get another freeze I'll put a small heater in there.

Don't worry about damaging the roots when separating them, they'll grow back. I find it's easier to take them apart with drier soil than too wet.

I always thought/assumed wet roots would be better. Well, this gives me renewed hope.

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

I have to start all my stuff inside so I have to use this approach. I also dont worry about ripping roots etc when I tear apart the plants. The peppers in the pic were overgrown tbh, if you transplant before then they are much easier to divide. I've found peppers & tomatoes can take a lot of punishment.

I start inside as well. I have a small propane furnace that came out of a camper to keep things alive in a worst case scenario. Duct work runs under the benches blowing the warm air up. But this is only used later in the season when I have ran out of room in the house, under the T8s.

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I don't know exactly what you are using, but that's another advantage of using vermiculite as seed-starting media - when dry, it will fall right off the roots. Perlite is almost as good, but roots tend to stick to it a little more than vermiculite.

Not sure if this was aimed at me, or someone else, but interesting. I have always used perlite myself. Matter of fact I just mixed more, to fill some 1801s.

Hmm.. might have to get some v. then.

[Cole_Robbie]

I was looking at Van's pic, thinking it looked like my own stuff.

I buy vermiculite as insulation from Menard's. The fine print on the back of the bag says "product of Sun Gro Horticultural Products of Canada."

Mostly I like vermiculite for covering seeds. It retains moisture well and dries out to a different color and texture on top, so I know when to water it. Best of all, similar to perlite, it does not crust over like peat, blocking sprouts from breaking through.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I was looking at Van's pic, thinking it looked like my own stuff.

I buy vermiculite as insulation from Menard's. The fine print on the back of the bag says "product of Sun Gro Horticultural Products of Canada."

Mostly I like vermiculite for covering seeds. It retains moisture well and dries out to a different color and texture on top, so I know when to water it. Best of all, similar to perlite, it does not crust over like peat, blocking sprouts from breaking through.

there are different grades of vermiculite. I tried the Menards stuff but it was very fine. Finer than I wanted. it also comes in coarse which is quite a bit larger... almost "crumble" size, which I went back to my greenhouse/produce materials supplier to buy. Perlite and vermiculite comes in a 4 cu.ft bag if you can find a local supplier.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by FourOaks

Dang!

Since you asked, my main problem was tangled roots. I couldnt get them undone.

But I will say, that is beautiful pic. What did you use to form that size?

use a sharpened pencil and tease them a bit at the roots. Having drier medium also makes for easier work. too wet and it tears the roots right off.

[BigVanVader]

I've used vermiculite before but once I ran out I just use potting mix now. I'm lucky enough to have a local place that sells the good stuff (i.e. not just peat) cheap.

[BigVanVader]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

use a sharpened pencil and tease them a bit at the roots. Having drier medium also makes for easier work. too wet and it tears the roots right off.

This^ I typically don't water for 3 days before transplanting. I also dont care if i shred the roots, b/c they always survive regardless.

[FourOaks]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I was looking at Van's pic, thinking it looked like my own stuff.

I buy vermiculite as insulation from Menard's. The fine print on the back of the bag says "product of Sun Gro Horticultural Products of Canada."

Mostly I like vermiculite for covering seeds. It retains moisture well and dries out to a different color and texture on top, so I know when to water it. Best of all, similar to perlite, it does not crust over like peat, blocking sprouts from breaking through.

I agree there on the peat factor. Though, this year I am trying to keep my germination area more humid in attempts to avoid the "crusty peat" factor, in order to get better germination. I have essentially created a "sweat chamber".

Originally Posted by clkeiper

use a sharpened pencil and tease them a bit at the roots. Having drier medium also makes for easier work. too wet and it tears the roots right off.

Good idea.

Rajun I didnt mean to Hi-Jack your thread. But with what I saw here I decided to go ahead and mass plant in 1801s. Give it another shot.

[Rajun Gardener]

No problem!! How this for mass planting? That's a 1020 tray with holes and 4 different varieties going. Those plants that are all up filled 4 flats of 6 paks.

[FourOaks]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

No problem!! How this for mass planting? That's a 1020 tray with holes and 4 different varieties going. Those plants that are all up filled 4 flats of 6 paks.

Looking good. I dont recall. Do you plan to sale in packs? I know the general consensus is that no one buys packs hardly anymore. Whats your plan?

My personal plan this spring is to offer both, 4 packs and 4 inch pots. Then, what packs dont sale, get an upgrade to a 4 inch pot. Probably put about 4 weeks time in between the plantings, so that there is a distinct difference in size.

I have seen 1020s used this way. Several years ago a Nursery I worked for did exactly that.

[Rajun Gardener]

I'll sell both, 6 paks to a feed store and singles to everyone else. I'll start more this week, I hope to extend the selling time. I have a thread going about this, this is my first year so I'm experimenting while learning about plant sales.

I used jiffy seed starting mix for these tomatoes and just transplanted another flat. I took some pics of the process so you can see how dry the soil mix is. I don't keep my plants wet, I would say it's more on the dry side to make the roots look for moisture. It's dry enough to crumble with a little rubbing. You do have to water as soon as your done because they start drooping quick after that shock but they recover quick.

[FourOaks]

Thanks for the clarification. The pictures are worth a thousand words.

Funny you would mention the "Jiffy Seed Starting Mix". Yours looks like its perlite heavy. Couple weeks ago I bought a bag in a pinch. Normally I just make my own, but with snow and ice, everything was frozen solid in the Greenhouse.

Anyways.. there wasnt a lick of perlite in it. All peat and vermiculite. The bag I bought was the Yellow Bag, 12 quarts.

So today, when I mixed up a batch for the 1801's I decided to up my perlite ratio. I decided to go with a 50/50 blend of peat and perlite, with lime of course. This is what Cornell UNIV recommends.

Im still thinking that some experimenting with loser soil mixes might be beneficial. Would be nice to find a blend where you could literally pluck the seedling right out, with out disturbing the other seedlings.

Anything that makes transplanting more efficient is a plus in my book.

[Rajun Gardener]

The soil you see with perlite is Lucky Dog K-9 and I mixed it with Baccto. The plants grew in just the Jiffy seed starting mix. This was the first time using K-9 and it's very light but it has big pieces of perlite and I have to sift it out. I will not use Baccto again, it's full of junk and I had to pick out sticks and large chunks of peat moss. I'll use MG moisture control mixed with the K-9.

https://foxfarmfertilizer.com/item/l...-k-9-kube.html
https://www.midlandhardware.com/1254...SABEgJW8fD_BwE