seed germinating questions

[dipchip2000]

Hi guys, this is my first year starting from seed and have a few questions for you veteran gardeners. I have an extra bedroom in my house that I want to use for seed starting. We keep the entire house at about 68 degrees. I purchased a quartz electric space heater and set it up in the xtra bedroom. It has a thermostat and is set on 80 degrees currently and seems to keep the room consistant temp at 80 degrees with the door shut. Will this be good enough to germinate seeds without a heat mat providing I keep the seeds moist?
Once the seeds are germinated in the 80degree room do they still need to be moved to cooler temps and lights immediately upon germination?
In addition to many tomatoes I also want to start some watermelon plants from seed also. How long do they take to germinate and do I take care of them similar to tomatos?
all help and experiences greatly appreciated
thanks
dipchip2000

[Barryblushes]

That should do the trick Dip,just dont let them dry out,and water from the bottom.I have a heating mat but only use it for peppers.Once they germinate,Id put them under lights an inch or two away.Never started watermelon,so I cant help you there,sorry.Do you presoak your seeds or just plant them? By presoaking and putting them in paper towels in baggies, you will find you dont waste as many seeds.Good luck to you. Barry

[David Marek]

If you put an upside- down tray on top of your seed tray it will help hold the moisture without having to keep the soil soaked. Germination only takes about 4-6 days, and is usually fairly uniform. Check on them twice a day and do as Barry said or they will s t r e t c h . . .

Watermelons only need 4 weeks or so for me or they get potbound. I bring most seedlings outside on warm days in semi shade to let the wind blow them around a bit.

David

[brokenbar]

They say that watermelons have the longest tap root of any fruit or vegetable. I have grown watermelons all my life and in the desert of California which there is no better place than. However, after I read this article, I grew the best watermelons of my life.

NEVER start watermelons earlier than 4 weeks before planting out. If ANYTHING disturbs the tap root or the tap root becomes cramped, they will pout and never recover fully. Plant them in peat pots that can go right into the ground. Dig a hole 3 feet deep using a hand-held post hole digger or an auger on a tractor. Fill the hole with equal parts sand, planting mix and peat moss. (I also added aged horse manure...) Plant the seedling in the peat cup in the hole. For about two weeks, you will think they arn't doing anything but the tap root is going straight down. They suddenly just take off and grow incredibly fast. I live in a very short season area and I had two watermelons over 75 pounds last year. From 36 plants, we had 102 watermelons.
I also use buried weep hose and water them overnight, every third day (we get almost no summer rain here at all.) Uneven watering will make them crack open or develop wanky shapes. I was truly amazed at the difference and I have grown watermelons all my life but never had to start them indoors until moving to Wyoming 30+ years ago. I also read very nearly this same advice word for word in the Morgan County Seed Catalog.
All I can say is that it works great for me!

[Wi-sunflower]

After a couple of bad seasons that destroyed my small greenhouse that I used for germinating, i had to go to starting in a spare bedroom too. Here is a page I made that shows what I do. http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms....enhouse06.html

It's much like what your idea is except for the cover over the shelf. That isolates the heat even more.

You don't need to get them into the colder area right away. I leave my plants in there for about 2 weeks after they are up. BUT you do need good lighting or they will stretch. Cooler temps do help slow that down.

Carol

[dipchip2000]

I wanted guidance and boy did I get it. Thanks so much.
Barry , I do intend to presoak the seeds for tomatos, watermelon, Im not sure about.
David, The trays I have came with the plastic covers that make them into little greenhouses. Just going to put a few holes in them to help with aeration some.
I am starting with 10 trays with the 21/2 inch plactic pots.
Brokenbar, great info on the growing watermelons. I was told virtually the same thing by an 80 year old farmer from Arkansas. He also added to pull all but three melons from each runner in order to get a bigger more consistant size. How long does it take for the melon seeds to germinate if I start them inside under heat and lights?
Carol, Is the film necessary if the whole room is at proper temperature? My heater thermostat can be set at 85 degrees if so needed. I already have my lights set up in the garage to move the plants soon after germination. I have no lights setup in the bedroom as I was under the assumption the seeds needed heat and not light to germinate. I have two 4light four ft 6400k fluorescent tube fixtures on 4foot wire shelves fixed to the wall. I can also keep garage at whatever temp necessary for good of plants.
Thanks again, looking forward to learning more
dipchip2000

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by dipchip2000

I wanted guidance and boy did I get it. Thanks so much.
Barry , I do intend to presoak the seeds for tomatos, watermelon, Im not sure about.
David, The trays I have came with the plastic covers that make them into little greenhouses. Just going to put a few holes in them to help with aeration some.
I am starting with 10 trays with the 21/2 inch plactic pots.
Brokenbar, great info on the growing watermelons. I was told virtually the same thing by an 80 year old farmer from Arkansas. He also added to pull all but three melons from each runner in order to get a bigger more consistant size. How long does it take for the melon seeds to germinate if I start them inside under heat and lights?
Carol, Is the film necessary if the whole room is at proper temperature? My heater thermostat can be set at 85 degrees if so needed. I already have my lights set up in the garage to move the plants soon after germination. I have no lights setup in the bedroom as I was under the assumption the seeds needed heat and not light to germinate. I have two 4light four ft 6400k fluorescent tube fixtures on 4foot wire shelves fixed to the wall. I can also keep garage at whatever temp necessary for good of plants.
Thanks again, looking forward to learning more
dipchip2000

Oh gee...I think my seeds germinate really quick, about 5 to 7 days? I do use bottom heat 'tho. I also limit fruit on the vines and the vines themselves. I whack them off at about 6-10 feet. I also prune side runners and try to keep the melons growing on the main trunk/branch. I am doing this with pumpkins as well and I had a real increase in size since whacking them off (no comment... ) We also use a guest room for germination. I bought a used twin-sized waterbed with a heater. Set those flats right on that dude and I can do about 20 flats with bottom heat at a time! I have a friend who sets up a double-sized waterbed in her heated garage and does the same thing. I have a greenhouse but it is just to cost prohibitive to heat it. I put my flats out there after they are 4-6 weeks old and then I only have to heat it for a month or so and it is not nearly as cold out.

[pete]

Do not over-water your tomato seedlings!!!! and always water from the botom which means your trays should be as level as possible.
That way you do not get a wet low corner and a high dry corner.

I use the 6x6 cells that are 2.25X2.25X 3.25deep so they stick up an inch past the side wall of the 22x11 tray and it makes it easy to water from the side. I weigh them daily and water to make them weigh about 8#. With 80-85 temps I usually add 1-2# water every day, more as the plants get bigger, less at the start. If they are covered I do not water as much and like to see some sweat on the clear tops. Pull those tops as soon as you see sprouts and lower the lights as low as possible. I usually put 2-3 seeds per cell and thin or transplant as soon as the 1st true leaves just start to appear. Keep your labels straight-very easy to mess this up if you have 6 or more varieties per tray. I do not like wood labels, they mold easy and fade. If you mess-up, start more!! I have found getting them in too early can be fatal, so always start some back-ups..

I do not cold treat mine and can get them 6" tall in 3 weeks, then they go on a cart in the garage for fair weather exposure, I use a sun shade over the whole cart to get them started, helps to prevent sunburn, wind damage, and rain protection. A good week of cloudy mild 70-75 degree weather is best.

Good Luck,
Pete

[Wi-sunflower]

No the plants don't need the lights to germinate and I mentioned that they weren't there at the start.

You don't need the plastic over the shelf, but it confines the heat to a smaller area so saves on the electric bill. It also holds the humidity in the area so the flats don't dry out as fast. But I have amended how I do the plastic a bit from that page. I don't drape it ALL the way to the floor any more. Keeping it up a bit at least on 1 side gives a bit of air circulation. And as soon as the majority of the seedlings seem to be up I take it off and have a fan in the room. It limits the chance for "damp off" by not keeping it TOO closed in.

Depending on how the weather is outside, I also don't always keep them in the house as long either. It just depends on when we can get into the greenhouse and afford to heat it. If you can't get them in good light, be sure to lower the temp.

Carol

[recruiterg]

I would encourage you to follow the ideas in Craig's "Dense Planting" thread. You can not go wrong with this method. The key is using plastic wrap right over the seed starting mix in my opinion. I have had excellent results.