Mini Greenhouse

[gunrunner]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but I was taught "if you don't know ask." I know its not necessary for seed germination, so why use a mini greenhouse to start seeds? Saw a guy on youtube use a plastic chicken container from the grocery store to use as one but I don't understand the reasoning behind why you would need to cover seeds. I do know it has to do with humidity, but since some people do not use them, why do you feel like it is necessary?

Thanks
Mike

[clkingtx]

I like to use them because my house is so dry, the medium would dry out so quickly that I would have to water several times a day. Using a little mini greenhouse, it keeps the seeds damp without being too wet, and I don't have to water as often as I would if it were in an open container. I have lost many sprouts to drying when I used open containers.

Carrie

[ContainerTed]

Mike, the reason I use them is all about that humidity you mentioned. It makes the seed hulls softer and allows the emerging seedling to cast off the hull and not end up as a "helmet head" with the seedling crippled by a hull that has dried out and is almost rock hard and locked on to not allow the green cotyledons out. The mini greenhouse also allows the starting mix to stay moist and allow the seedling to emerge from the mix more easily.

Some folks use them, and some folks don't. It really is a personal decision about how you want to do things.

[Worth1]

I was waiting for other people to reply because I am chicken.
I know for a fact that they work great if used correctly.
The helmet head is one of them.
If I take the covers off too soon I get poor germination ad a ton of helmet heads.
I experimented doing this and every time it happens.
Also the soil dries out to fast.

One thing I have done to reduce helmet heads it to pay atention as to how the seed is put in the soil and how deep.
Put the seed in the soil with the pointy end that the root will come out of pointing up.
This will allow the seed coat to get drug off easier as it comes up through the soil.
For a tomato seed this is about 3/16 inch deep.

Worth

[gunrunner]

Thanks all! I knew there must be more to it I just didn't know what. Helps to ask


Thanks again
Mike

[bob0923]

New seed starter fan. I have a mini Greenhouse and a heat pad. I plan to soak seeds in tap water for 8 hours and then plane in trays with plastic cover. I have wheels on the greenhouse so I can place it in the sun daily. When do I remove plastic top & use growing lamps?

[bob0923]

Thank you.

[LoriA]

Bob - remove the cover once seedlings emerge.

[luigiwu]

I use the saran wrap ala Craig's dense sowing method. Not really a mini greenhouse but it works sooo well!! Easily my favorite piece of knowledge (and there has been a lot) that's I've from this forum!
http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=437