Seed starting can be expensive, and these 7 tools are no exception. They can be a beneficial tool to help seed starting but by no means are they needed.
VIDEO: These 7 Things Are Not Necessary For Starting Seeds (But are Luxuries)
Seed starting can be expensive, and these 7 tools are no exception. They can be a beneficial tool to help seed starting but by no means are they needed.
I'm just a beginner well I got all the stuff except the lights and timer… sigh** feeling backwards now. Are grow lights nessasary?
PS I got a small portable green house ( for seed trays )to set up in a BIG green house outdoors both unheated.
Cold room here. Heat mat would be nice, but I use a 75 watt incandescent bulb and a trash bag tent. No fires started yet!
I cut up water jugs and milk jugs for my labels and for winter plantings empty water bottles I’m using to help to water the plants also I just poked holes in the lid and small hole in the bottom to water them they are clear so I can see when they need more water I also bought dollar tree containers and have gotten free ones from a local nursery all different sizes I’m so blessed and thankful for them!! You can do it!! I’m 70 years old and disabled I have a lot of health issues I drag my chair to be able to work with my plants I have osteoporosis I beak bones so I have to be careful! So let’s just keep doing what we can!!
Why is the bottom tray a want vs. a need? If you are bottom-watering, its a need.
I am going to be doing soil block starting for the fist time this year. any tips or warnings? Thanks
Fantastic point about the heat mat!
I used a normal heating pad to germinate my tomato seeds!
I like to water with a rinsing syringe sent home with my son when he had his wisdom teeth removed. It is easy to control the amount of water and I can direct the water to the base of the seedlings.
The trays come with the growing cells. I use popsicle sticks and markers so I can differentiate the different varieties of tomatoes, peppers, etc. In regards to a table, I have a long plastic folding table. On top of that, I use a sheet of plastic to catch excess dirt/water. Oh yes, I also use a spray bottle. They are very cheap.
Cant find seed tray to catch the water in heavy duty. Everything is flimsy garbage trays. Where did you get your from?
I only use a heat mat to aid with pepper and maybe tomato seeds. I'm not sure how much it's actually needed, but given my seed starting station is in my cool basement, it seems to help. A lot of my other crops that I start indoors actually germinate better without it. However, I do put a piece of cardboard over the mat so doesn't overheat the soil. I've killed seedlings once by not using the cardboard.
I ordered a 2 pack of water proof mats from Amazon to protect the table I use for seed starting. The corners snap up to make a " tray" to keep the soil and everything contained. Best purchase this year for seed starting.
Ummmmm… you need plant labels.
It’s great to hear you say no heat mat. I haven’t used one yet and keep thinking that I need one.
Great info. Thank you
If you really can't afford lights, heat mats etc all of it is a luxury. Dollar Tree is your friend, they sell seeds, they have dish tubs that work well as your bottom tray and either ice cube trays with a hole in the bottom of each or solo cups with drainage holes work very well. No heat mat? Find the warm spot in your house. No lights a shelf near your lightbulb or a south facing window, yes they may end up leggy, but that does not mean they won't grow. Walmart has shop lights for $15 that work well for seedlings. For every expensive gardening tool/accessory there is usually a cheaper version or a low-no cost work around. Do what you have to do.
I made myself a Raspberry Pi controller for starting my seeds… it keeps the humidity constant, controls the lights, the temperature, etc
Looking for cheap seed trays? Pillage your Goodwill for rimmed baking and broiling trays. They’ll last forever.
if you don't have a plastic table (red or white or any other colour), you can use a plastic tablecloth!
Another luxury (and a need) is this video and others like it — Thanks Luke
Has anyone ever tried putting a heat mat on top of the soil while waiting for the seeds to germinate? I wonder if that effect will be more "natural" like how Luke said heat outdoors comes from above.
Pft I don't bother with plant labels anymore, crows take them and fling em all over the place lol
I was wondering if you have any videos of what i should do after they sprout. I haven't had a problem to get the seeds to germinate, but keeping them going after is where i have had problems. I think i over watered and over fertilized my first time. The videos are great thank you, they have inspired the whole family to get into gardening. This is our 2nd year, 1st year we bought plants. We made a trip to your store in PH from metamora. Great store
I have old cookie sheets under my tomato plants right now. Yes, I have tomatoes growing right now lol. We have cathedral ceilings and floor to ceiling windows facing south and large windows on the east and west sides so I have an early girl, a mystery heirloom and a super sweet 100 growing in my living room here in NorCal. It's 17°outside right now at 8am but 78° inside with our wood burner going, it's like an atrium. Days get to 50-60° but our night temps here in the mountains are darn cold.
Normally I start the bulk of my seeds inside under grow lights- no heat mat, no humidity dome. In the past I have had a small unheated greenhouse that I used to start things later in the season. I moved recently. I have not yet set up my grow lights and shelves. I purchased a small shelving unit that acts as a makeshift cold frame. I’m sure you have all seen them. I was contemplating starting some seeds outside on that with heat mats underneath simply because I live in a very cold zone. After listening to this video, I’m not sure if this would be a good idea or not. I was thinking of only turning the heat mats on during the evening to combat the cold nights. Has anyone done anything similar to this and had success or failure?