Have any of you started seed like this?

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Shule
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Location: SW Idaho, USA

Have any of you started seed like this?

#1

Post: # 43969Unread post Shule
Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:12 pm

Have any of you ever started seeds like this?

1. Add food grade diatomaceous earth to your seed-starting mix (to deter fungus gnats and mites; and deterring them should help deter diseases that they can spread, like Pythium for the gnats and anthracnose for the mites).
2. Plant your seeds in large-ish cells in trays.
3. Put them outside on a table or something, in full sun (every morning).
4. Take them in before bed at night, until the risk of frost is over.

I'm thinking about just doing that, this year, instead of using my greenhouse. The plants should sprout faster, due to the increased night-time warmth. I partially did that, last year (sans the food grade diatomaceous earth), and it was working quite well (sans the gnats and mites, which went away after I stopped bringing them in).

Here are some advantages over some other methods:

* Free light (more growth; no legginess).
* Plants are hardened off. No need to do it again.
* You don't have to buy a greenhouse (nor do you have to set one up and take it down every year; nor do you have to allocate valuable garden space for it). So, it's more sustainable.
* Compared to starting completely outdoors, you get faster germination and maybe faster growth, due to the warmer indoor temperatures at night.
* Food grade diatomaceous earth should keep all pests with exoskeletons out of the soil.

Of course, a cat or something could always sit on your plants. So, it's not completely foolproof.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

zeuspaul
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Re: Have any of you started seed like this?

#2

Post: # 43970Unread post zeuspaul
Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:26 pm

I have done something similar except for the potting soil. I generally use what I have around except this year I semi sterilized all seedling soil at 140F min for 30 minutes. This year I have had no damping off problems but I used lights in addition to placing the trays outside. I also have to protect them from wind/breezes.

I no longer have a cat but one year the seedlings were wiped out by a bird(s).

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Tormato
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Re: Have any of you started seed like this?

#3

Post: # 44005Unread post Tormato
Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:26 pm

3 & 4 I do every year. I germinate indoors and move the emergers outdoors the same day. You'll be at the mercy of the weather.

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WoodSprite
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Location: center of Pennsylvania, USA, Zone 6a

Re: Have any of you started seed like this?

#4

Post: # 44037Unread post WoodSprite
Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:48 pm

I haven't done that. Too much carrying in and out and remembering to do it for my abilities. LOL!

This year I'm starting all of my seeds using the winter sowing method. I'm starting my normal veggies and herbs plus a lot of flowers (adding flower beds to my veggie beds this year to attract predatory insects and pollinators).

Winter sowing requires covered containers to create mini greenhouse effect. You use 3-4" of potting soil (not seed starting mix) in the containers that have drainage holes and a clear or semi-translucent cover with holes for ventilation. The plants stay in the containers until ready to plant in the garden.

I'm using milk jugs (which is what is normally used) plus also storage totes and pots inside of storage totes to compare and because some of those containers make more sense for the type and number of seeds I'm starting. The tomatoes and peppers I sowed in mid March for my zone 6a (center of Pennsylvania) garden. The premise of starting seeds this way is that you sow them before you expect them to germinate and they'll germinate when conditions are right for them. Using the jugs/containers as mini greenhouses will cause them to germinate a little earlier compared to seeds in the ground. They may seem a little small/weak at transplant but I've read many times that they quickly surpass plants that were started indoors.

It's my first year trying this method but I've read a lot about it and am happy to not have to attend to seedlings under lights and keep them watered and fertilized, etc. I'm also thrilled to not have to carry them inside and outside to harden them off as that is difficult for me (due to health issues).

Google "winter sowing milk jugs" for more information on the do's and don't's of the method. There are also Facebook groups and youtube channels dedicated to this method. This may be a good option for you and a lot less work than what you described, Shule. Check it out.
~ Darlene ~
My garden is made of multiple 6' diameter x 24" tall round stock tanks, located in a small clearing on our wooded property in the center of Pennsylvania. Hardiness zone 6b (updated). Heat zone 4.

zeuspaul
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Re: Have any of you started seed like this?

#5

Post: # 44039Unread post zeuspaul
Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:48 am

It's not just the risk of frost you have to worry about. Cool and damp nights will get you damping off.

This year all of the carrying in and out got to be too much for me so I purchased one of these utility carts. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=B00BN46WIQ&i ... nb_sb_noss
Shule wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:12 pm
4. Take them in before bed at night, until the risk of frost is over.

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pepperhead212
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Re: Have any of you started seed like this?

#6

Post: # 44099Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:14 pm

I put some DE powder in the seed starting mix, plus I wet it down with some water, with Bt israelensis added, which keeps the fungus gnats at bay. I do this with house plants, too, and never see fungus gnats!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

zendog
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Re: Have any of you started seed like this?

#7

Post: # 44103Unread post zendog
Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:59 pm

I use about 25% of DE added to my seed starting mix (Berger BM2 purchased from A.M. Leonard when they have free shipping - it is the best I've ever used). I'm not sure it is the cure for fungus gnats, but it drains very well, but keeps some moisture and promotes very nice roots. I use a one of the finer grades of floor dry (sold by true value or autoparts stores) which is actually 100% DE, but much cheaper than buying the garden brands.

For gnats I usually also mix in Gnatrol in the water I use to wet out the mix at planting and add it every 3rd or 4th watering while growing and don't have gnat issues.

The rest in your list I haven't tried since I start them under LED lights, but I do start bringing them out as soon as possible and don't really have to worry about hardening off since the LED lights are bright enough that I don't seem to get the sunscald issues I had when I used to grow under fluorescdent lights.

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Shule
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Re: Have any of you started seed like this?

#8

Post: # 44106Unread post Shule
Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:37 pm

pepperhead212 wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:14 pm I put some DE powder in the seed starting mix, plus I wet it down with some water, with Bt israelensis added, which keeps the fungus gnats at bay. I do this with house plants, too, and never see fungus gnats!
That's actually why I thought it would work against fungus gnats: it worked on my houseplants to keep fungus gnats, fruit flies, and ants out of the soil (when they were previously in the soil). I figured it would probably do the same for vegetable seedlings. I'm not sure that it takes care of the mites, but they sometimes go to the soil, at least.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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