Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds?

**sfg4uKim** Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:40 pm

Curious how y'all start seeds indoors.

I'm working with a non-profit on ideas for indoor gardens for their clients and I came up with THIS. It's a shoe tower. It would normally have double the amount of "shelves" but it shades out the lower seed trays.

It's on wheels so it can be easily moved. You need to either remove the trays and take them to the sink to water them or place an absorbent towel below. I also got one with "rough" rails as I feel they hold the trays better.

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Img_2410

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Img_2410

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Img_2411

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Img_2412

**Scorpio Rising** Wed Mar 02, 2016 6:35 pm

Very ingenious, Kim, I love it! And must admit am jealous of your south? Facing Windows...

That is a great solution, very flexible and practical!

**sfg4uKim** Wed Mar 02, 2016 11:20 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Very ingenious, Kim, I love it! And must admit am jealous of your south? Facing Windows...

That is a great solution, very flexible and practical!

And I'm happy for the South(ish) facing roof. We recently had solar panels installed. LOL hubby goes out several times a day to watch the meter run backward.

**AtlantaMarie** Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:56 am

How NICE - both the shoe rack AND being able to see tangible proof that your solar panels work!

zackshea Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:40 am

I made these last night since I don't seem to get enough sun. Not as fancy as sfg4uKim's, but it works and it was cheap Smile

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Seedli11

CapeCoddess Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:59 am

I start my seeds in used MM that I collect in a 5 gal bucket and put in the garage the beginning of winter.

The moistened MM goes into cell packs, then the seeds are planted & watered in, then I spritz with hydrogen peroxide/water mist to prevent damping off, then place the cell packs into a 1 lb lettuce clam pack, close the lid, snap a photo and then the clam pack goes on to a heating pad on a dining room chair.
Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? 07510

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? 07510

As soon as they sprout, they go into the SW facing bay window, clampack and all for bottom watering.
Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? 01710

CC

**sfg4uKim** Thu Mar 03, 2016 2:29 pm

zackshea wrote:I made these last night since I don't seem to get enough sun. Not as fancy as sfg4uKim's, but it works and it was cheap

Nice! LOL yours is higher tech than mine. Love it.

**sanderson** Fri Mar 04, 2016 12:40 am

Zack, nice and clean looking.

Kim, my husband did the same the first year!

**AtlantaMarie** Fri Mar 04, 2016 8:22 am

CC - what kind of ratio do you use on the peroxide/water mix?

That looks nice, Zachshea! Wish I had room for something like that...

zackshea Fri Mar 04, 2016 8:27 am

Haha, I had to take over my daughter's room to install this contraption! It is sitting on her bed and the seedlings are sitting on a crib mattress so they are closer to the light. Smile

CapeCoddess Fri Mar 04, 2016 10:32 am

AtlantaMarie wrote:CC - what kind of ratio do you use on the peroxide/water mix?

Hmm...a good dollop to a cup of water? Laughing

I made it last year so I'm not sure, Marie, but it's probably 4 water to 1 hp. I'm too ~~cheap~~ frugal for much more than that.

CC

**AtlantaMarie** Fri Mar 04, 2016 3:54 pm

LOL! Thanks.

**Scorpio Rising** Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:50 am

zackshea wrote:Haha, I had to take over my daughter's room to install this contraption! It is sitting on her bed and the seedlings are sitting on a crib mattress so they are closer to the light.

Very ingenious, Zack! Love it! And your plants will technically already be in their, ahem, bed. Embarassed

How does your daughter sleep with the lights on?

Mikesgardn Sun Mar 06, 2016 8:25 pm

I don't plant seeds indoors. I just don't have the room for it. But you all have some creative setups!

I plant seeds outdoors starting on March 15 and ending around September 15 (peas, lettuce, carrots, chard, melons, beans, pumpkins, etc.). For those vegetables that can't be grown outdoors from seed in Maryland, I am lucky to have a few greenhouses nearby that I buy transplants from (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, collards, etc.).

**Scorpio Rising** Sun Mar 06, 2016 8:48 pm

Mikesgardn wrote:I don't plant seeds indoors. I just don't have the room for it. But you all have some creative setups!

I plant seeds outdoors starting on March 15 and ending around September 15 (peas, lettuce, carrots, chard, melons, beans, pumpkins, etc.). For those vegetables that can't be grown outdoors from seed in Maryland, I am lucky to have a few greenhouses nearby that I buy transplants from (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, collards, etc.).

I get that, ?Mike. I did not have anywhere to do the whole seeds starting thing until my kids got me a shelving unit and a couple of fluorescent lights!

I however had great luck just using direct seeding last year!

zackshea Mon Mar 07, 2016 8:15 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:
zackshea wrote:Haha, I had to take over my daughter's room to install this contraption! It is sitting on her bed and the seedlings are sitting on a crib mattress so they are closer to the light.

Very ingenious, Zack! Love it! And your plants will technically already be in their, ahem, bed.

How does your daughter sleep with the lights on?

She still sleeps in our room. Smile

**sfg4uKim** Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:02 pm

sanderson wrote:

Kim, my husband did the same the first year!

Oh don't tell me that.

**Scorpio Rising** Mon Mar 07, 2016 8:23 pm

zackshea wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:
zackshea wrote:Haha, I had to take over my daughter's room to install this contraption! It is sitting on her bed and the seedlings are sitting on a crib mattress so they are closer to the light.

Very ingenious, Zack! Love it! And your plants will technically already be in their, ahem, bed.

How does your daughter sleep with the lights on?
She still sleeps in our room.

Been there, done that. X3. Lol. This too will pass, for all of you!

zackshea Tue Mar 08, 2016 8:33 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:
zackshea wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:
zackshea wrote:Haha, I had to take over my daughter's room to install this contraption! It is sitting on her bed and the seedlings are sitting on a crib mattress so they are closer to the light.

Very ingenious, Zack! Love it! And your plants will technically already be in their, ahem, bed.

How does your daughter sleep with the lights on?
She still sleeps in our room.

Been there, done that. X3. Lol. This too will pass, for all of you!

We enjoy it most of the time, sometimes it gets a little tiring. But we will miss it when it's over Smile

Mikesgardn Tue Mar 08, 2016 6:33 pm

Zack, I had to suspend my garden when my kids were young....I just didn't have the time, so kudos to you. I was busy making swing sets and sandboxes, but I was able to convert the sandbox to a garden as they got older. See before and after pics.
Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? 2001-011

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? 2001-011

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? 2008-411

**Scorpio Rising** Tue Mar 08, 2016 6:37 pm

Zach, you will miss it!

Mike, now I really like a pretty SFG, but your kids in their sandbox are too adorable! Way to recycle! cheers

BeetlesPerSqFt Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:00 pm

I like your shoe rack grow stand! I wish I could do that but my orchids and succulents get first dibs light that comes in the south facing windows. I set up a growlight stand based on one I saw online -- cheap pre-owned shelf, free scavenged light string for bottom heat, 3 purchased 4ft 2-bulb T5 lights, a Jumpstart light on top (since I can't hang a light from the ceiling), and salvaged fridge drawers for many of my 'trays':
Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Growli11

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Growli11

I tried the aerogarden seed starter thing last year. It worked great for things that are easy/fast to sprout anyhow -- and being able to water all the seedlings at once was efficient. But I didn't have much success with things that take a long time to germinate because it got overrun with mold and fungus gnats. Hydrogen peroxide didn't help. This year I've disabled the pump and water sensor so that I can use it as a grow deck for a few weeks to keep up with the overflow of young plants.
Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Aeroga11

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Aeroga11

I'm also trying winter sowing for the first time this year. I don't have enough room to start the flowers early otherwise. I'll probably try this technique for starting greens next year. Has anyone tried starting (and transplanting) lettuce or cold season greens (mustard, mache, erba stella, claytonia, etc.) using winter sowing?
Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Wintrs11

Mid-Atl - Mar 2016 - How do YOU start seeds? Wintrs11

CapeCoddess Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:33 pm

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:

I'm also trying winter sowing for the first time this year. I don't have enough room to start the flowers early otherwise. I'll probably try this technique for starting greens next year. Has anyone tried starting (and transplanting) lettuce or cold season greens (mustard, mache, erba stella, claytonia, etc.) using winter sowing?

I haven't winter sown the way you're doing it in your photo but for the past two years I've allowed my lettuce to bolt and go to seed right where they were growing and each spring new ones come up. Two years ago I spread collards and kale seeds in the middle squares of a few boxes in the late fall and had them come up the following spring. Easy peasy!
Oh, and radishes will reseed themselves also. I had that happen in my squash Garden.

**trolleydriver** Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:16 pm

Wow what a coincidence to see the mention of "Winter Sowing" on the SFG forum. It was only about an hour ago that I watched several YouTube videos on "Winter Sowing". I came across them by accident as I was looking for information on starting peas indoors. Some say peas do not transplant well because they do not like their roots disturbed. From what I have seen on the Web they can be transplanted.

yolos Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:39 pm

i have heard the same thing about transplanting peas. but i transplanted some Anna Sugar Snap peas this spring and they are doing well and I just started to harvest some yesterday.

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