Posted By: Born
Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 03:30 PM
I bought some Jiffy peat pots and some miracle gro seed starting mix at Fleet Farm. I was going to start some Jung seeds today, was reading directions on seed packets and they say to start in sterile soil with no fertilizer.
Miracle gro seed starting soil has 0.03% nitrogen, 0.03% phosphate and 0.03% potash Specially formulated for fast root development. Ready to use lightweight premium mix excellent for germinating vegetables flower and herb seeds.
My question is should I use this soil or dig some dirt from garden?
I started my peppers today.
![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2021/04/full-48491-92837-20210403_114154.jpg)
Posted By: Born
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 03:56 PM
Thank you Hornady. I'm planning on starting peppers today as well. Tomatoes brussel sprouts, squash, cabbage and others.
Here is a picture of my greenhouse I put together for free. I won't be putting seedlings in there for another week or two.
![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2021/04/full-20482-92842-20210401_112236_copy.jpg)
Posted By: SNIPERBBB
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 03:58 PM
Don't need fertilizer to start seeds so it's wasted till you need to up pot or transfer to the garden
Posted By: warrior
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 04:02 PM
Use the store bought. The caution against fertilizer is to avoid rapid spindly growth as most seeds contain enough "energy" to get the first set of true leaves and roots. Kind of like a chick absorbing the egg yolk prior to hatching. The amount in that mix is minimal and shouldn't do any harm.
You would run a greater risk of introducing soil borne pathogens by digging up garden soil. The biggest thing is starting seeds is the need for sterile starting mix to avoid the pathogens that cause damping off or rot.
I was going to put up a greenhouse but decided to start them in the box bay window again. Post some pics when they are growing.
Posted By: slydogx
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 04:56 PM
When they say "sterile" they mean devoid of virus/bacteria/fungus, not nutrients.
Earlier comments about not requiring nutrients early on are spot on though.
I do think you're a bit late to be starting peppers, you may want to plan to buy a couple starts locally
Posted By: upstateNY
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 05:07 PM
I use Miracle Grow Potting Mix to start all my seeds in.
Posted By: TurkeyWrangler
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 06:09 PM
I have a small cattle panel greenhouse and I had to be out of town for a couple of days this past week. Came back and all my starts had froze. I knew there was a frost warning but I guess it got colder than I thought it would. Still have some stuff inside under lights so not completely wiped out but garden will be a couple weeks later.
Posted By: Born
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 06:17 PM
Thanks all for you comments. I might be a little late, but last frost here is around mid may, so we'll see. My wife usually goes a little crazy once see goes in a green house, so I'm sure she will buy more.
I started mine first week of April the last 2 years. Can't plant here either until the 3rd or 4th week of May.
Posted By: Tommie
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 07:28 PM
Started mine on the 19 th of March and just started the Pepper, last Wednesday
![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2021/04/full-41934-92858-0b7d1673_4220_4433_bfc1_895990f4d28d.jpeg)
Cantaloupe ,watermelon, zucchini, squash ,cucumbers and three different types of tomatoes
Posted By: warrior
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 09:13 PM
Thanks all for you comments. I might be a little late, but last frost here is around mid may, so we'll see. My wife usually goes a little crazy once see goes in a green house, so I'm sure she will buy more.
Peppers do alright indoors if your season is short. Tomatoes and peppers are actually short lived perennials in their native tropical and subtropical regions.
Posted By: Born
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/03/21 10:23 PM
I came up with this for a seed starter green house. Think this will work?
![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2021/04/full-20482-92878-20210403_161246_copy.jpg)
Posted By: warrior
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/04/21 12:15 AM
Looks good but watch for excess humidity once the plants are up.
Posted By: jctunnelrat
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/04/21 01:11 AM
Don't need fertilizer to start seeds so it's wasted till you need to up pot or transfer to the garden
Yes. What Sniper said. If the sprouts are over fertilized the roots will burn.
Posted By: grisseldog
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/04/21 03:24 AM
I use Miracle Grow Potting Mix to start all my seeds in.
Iv done this for years^^ no problems yet.
Posted By: beeman
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/04/21 02:01 PM
In the past I always had trouble with my started plants as they would become leggy and fragile. This year I started tomatoes, peppers and some flowers in the basement with growing lights. I set the lights for 16 hrs. To avoid getting leggy plants I used a fan blowing air on them set on lowest speed. That worked wonders. I have the best looking started tomato plants I have ever had. I am starting to “harden” them to the outside now.
On side note I worked the garden yesterday. The ground worked up about as nice as it ever has. I planted a package of peas, radishes, a few carrots, lettuce, and of course potatoes on Good Friday. It is supposed to rain Monday,Tuesday, and Wednesday.
It will be interesting to see how the “early garden” turns out. This the earliest that I can remember planting anything in the garden.
I worked on the garlic patch today from some of last years harvest.
![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2021/04/full-48491-92940-20210404_135605.jpg)
Posted By: Tactical.20
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/05/21 03:20 PM
I have seed starter kits, each one holds fifty some seedlings
Posted By: SNIPERBBB
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/05/21 04:15 PM
Doing some starting myself this year. First try.
Started flowers for the garden, tomatoes, peppers, beets, watermelons and cantaloupes. Gonna try okra also.
I used Black gold seedling mix to start seeds initially. I worked well but slow. I did not fertilize soon enough to promote faster, more complete growth.
I am fertilizing my starts after they get their first true leaves. I should have started much sooner. I used 1 Tbsp 20-20-20 miracle gro/gallon of distilled water. I sprayed one stream squirt per plant when very young once/week. Once they started growing well I went to twice a week. I water everything twice a day. I stepped the peppers up into larger compartments as they got older. I used sifted MG soil for stepping up and the plants went from struggling to beautiful dark green.
This is my first year so I am learning and all info in greatly appreciated.
Watermelons and cantaloupes are peaking out at me now. Started Friday.
My watermelon and cukes seeds I started last week acted like they couldn't wait to get in the dirt. My tomato seeds in the same trays are struggling a bit. Cherry/plum tomatoes haven't even popped up yet
Posted By: otterdog
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/05/21 06:08 PM
LOL. All you Northern guys talking about starting your set plants from seed last week. Down here in Tx I’ve already got mine started, grown, and transplanted. Lollll. Big difference in North and South
Posted By: SNIPERBBB
Re: Garden seed starting - 04/05/21 06:35 PM
LOL. All you Northern guys talking about starting your set plants from seed last week. Down here in Tx I’ve already got mine started, grown, and transplanted. Lollll. Big difference in North and South
Part of the state where I was born is 2-3 weeks behind where I am now. This is the dangerous part of the year for us as the weather looks great for the next few weeks. But as soon as we try to put any frost sensitive stuff outside, or will frost.