Posted: 2/2/2011 9:52:35 AM EDT
|
So what kind of seed starting setups are people using?
This will be my first year actually starting my own seeds indoors and I see lots of options with heat mats, self watering trays, vented tops, peat pellets, loose soils, etc. So what works best for you? |
|
Use the cheap black tray/cell/dome packages you find in the store.
Make your own media from straight vermiculite or 50/50 Vct./fine screened peat. I do not advise straight peat, peat pots or peat buttons nor commercial potting mix containing lime or any fert. whatsoever. Once the starts are up and have true leaves you can feed a little (10%) fert. but not for starting. Buy cheap shop light fixtures, run standard cool-whites on a $5 timer. 
|
|
We have about a 4'(tall)x4'(deep)x8'(wide) "cubby" built into our basement wall because of the way the house is designed/framed. In the top of that I installed three 8', 2-bulb high-output fluorescent fixtures (T12 bulbs, I think). Regular shop lights work too, but the higher output of the T12 bulbs gives me a little more leeway in keeping the plants a suitable distance from the bulbs.
Rather than move the lights up and down, I built a little ladder-rack assembly on each end of the planting area. We run 2x4's across the growing area at different levels, and shuffle plants between the levels as needed. We have an oscillating pedestal fan set up on a timer to blow for 15 minutes, three or four times a day. This helps strengthen the plant stems, and others have mentioned that in helping keep the soil surface dryer it helps prevent damping-off as well. We've never had any problems with damping-off, so I'd say it's a reasonable assumption. About a month until I get to fire this all back up again 
Hard to envision right now, with two feet of frozen blizzard on the ground and the temp at -15F. Thanks a lot, Midwest Snowpocalypse! 
|