Seed Starting
List
I just wanted to share some info about seed starting maybe it will help some
of the Newbies !!!
1. First I take a custard dish or small bowl and fill it with fresh clean
Tap water and let it stand over night.
2. Next I take my seed and write its weight directly on the seed with a
Unibal pen or good quality ball point pen.
3. next step is simply drop the seeds in the water.
4. If it is a tan seed I let it soak for 15 minutes on each side for a
total of 30 minutes 10 minutes for white seeds for a total of 20 minutes.
5. I then take a small flat Tupperware (size of a sandwich) and fill it
with Vermiculite. I then put in one tablespoon of fresh water for every two
cups of vermiculite and stir it till it has broken up and is evenly dispersed.
6. I place the seeds in the Vermiculite and place the lid on tight and
float it in my fish tank that has been warmed up to 85 Degrees using the
aquarium heater.
7. I start checking the seeds after 24 hours most seeds germinate (seed
poking out of shell) for me between 24 and 36 hours.
8. After they have germinated I CAREFULLY place them in a one gallon pot
that has been cut in half top to bottom and Duct taped back together. This pot
is filled with moistened seed starting mix, Mycorrizal Fungi and Soil Guard.
As I put my seeds in the pot one at a time I write on the Duct tape the seed
info and starting date.
9. Depending on weather I usually keep the plants at night on top of the
aquarium in the house with two bulb lights on them for temperature and light
and during the day out on my front porch in direct sunlight. after I can tell
which way the first true leaf will fall I put them in the patch and try to rig
something up to keep them warm like a 150 watt flood lamp directly two feet
above the highest point of the plant or a plastic Cloch.
This year I started around 55 seeds all came up but one and that seed had
serious issues due to its previous care while storing it. Plus over my last
few years I have started well over 500 seeds total and even though most of
those were just to fine tune my technique once I got it right I was 100 % till
that ONE DARN SEED !!!! I am even 100% on Longourd, Miscellaneous Gourds,
Marrow's, Sun Flowers, Pepo Pumpkins, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Corn ETC ETC..... If you
Noticed NO SANDING which I have found to be Futile and no seed fungus/mold
treatments as the seeds germinate before they get a chance to Mold I truly
believe in this Technique and So do my close friends !!!
This technique is SIMPLE, EASY and even with my working 60 hours a week
Plus it the BEST way I have ever started seeds !!! All my plants had a great
START and I would suggest to anyone if you don't have an aquarium spend the $40
for a 15 Gallon (or larger) tank and $20 for a Decent heater and Give it a try
it sure will save you the heart ache and money spent on the seeds, one time
investment and will serve you right your whole growing experience!!!
Hope this has helped a little and Good luck on your season !!!!
Kevin Smith
Pumpkin Pirate ~~~~ PS Looks Like Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the
Black Pearl WILL BE AWESOME !!!!!!
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