Thinking about using egg trays to start them. Any thoughts on a good seed raising mix. Haven't raised plants from seed before, thinking they will need warmth and light to get them started. Any tips please.
maclad,
Jul 28, 12:10am
What veges do you want to grow as some do not transplant well and go to seed or become woody. Others like brassicas, I sow into the garden, 2 or 3 at a time and transplant when big enough.
brigette6,
Jul 28, 12:10am
They dont need light to get them started. only warmth and moisture. once they have sprouted then the light is needed.
anne1955,
Jul 28, 1:11am
I used them one year and not that good a results. They sucked water out very quickly and almost needed dripper feed all the time No wouldn't use again. Seed trays from Warehouse are cheap enough and last years. And I also have teepeee type plastic tops for them or just sut op the old plastic drink bottles. All the best.
lythande1,
Jul 28, 3:09pm
Black Magic seed raising mix is the best.
tourer100,
Jul 28, 4:08pm
Google it, loads of information out there. And yes use seed trays, they are so much easier and better, good luck, its rewarding growing your own. Dont cover seeds with too much soil, just a light sprinklefor most. Cucumbers, zuuchuni, pumpkins all sown in Spring, sow in take away coffee cups or something similar then you can plant straight into bed when big enough. Put in 2 or 3 seeds in each and leave the biggest and strongest when they sprout.
ruby2shoes,
Jul 28, 5:18pm
If you have any old window frames lying around, put them on top of the seed trays to keep them warm. Or try those polystyrene cartons with lids that supermarkets often have. I raise mine in a little shed, but a warm sheltered area is the place. I also use a spray bottle to water the seeds. |Try the library for good reference books.
cleggyboy,
Jul 28, 9:13pm
The cardboard tube in the centre of toilet rolls do a great job, they don't need to be so long so cut in half crosswise. When the seedling is up high enough to plant out just plant the cardboard as well it will disintegrate.
maccachic1,
Jul 28, 10:23pm
I throw mine (Kings seeds) directly into the garden, scratch bak the soil sprinkle with seed mix throw on seeds and recover. Success rate is pretty awesome. Ive just done this with lettuce but I have put glass over the top after they germinated as we had some lying around.
paora-tm,
Jul 28, 10:43pm
Youtube has some handy tutorials for making newspaper seedling pots.
treens2,
Jul 28, 11:53pm
Thanks for all the information, really appreciated. About how long from sowing seed would it take plants to be big enough to plant outside, thinking about 4 to 5 weeks, any thoughts on that.
brightlights60,
Jul 29, 2:08am
All parts of the country are different, but I try and source my seeds from the same place I am planting or go with a good brand, like Yates. The guide on the back of the packet tells you how many days from germination to cropping. I used one of those plastic greenhouse/propagating houses, then put outside to harden off and plant once the frosts have finished, around Labour weekend. But I always pin frost cloth to the fence so I can unroll it at night in case of a late frost. Its a toss up between what crops first, plants I have germinated from seed, or vege plants from the Warehouse! But some vege plants from previous seasons, like a favourite tomato or bean are too nice not to propagate from seed. I have had more luck with the blacker, more soil type seedling mix than the stony kind. I open my propagating house during the day and give everything very fine mist and keep damp but not wet. Almost time here in Christchurch to start things off, I usually wait till August, but then I prune my roses late too.
meoldchina,
Jul 29, 10:57pm
Treens2, you have a very good recycle centre in Ashburton. I'm sure that they would have lots of old plastic seed trays which they would sell for next to nothing and you would be able to re-use them year after year.
cantabman1,
Jul 30, 3:29pm
When I can, I like to collect river sand as it is great in the mix, or general use in the garden, particularly if you are sowing carrot seed. I mix a packet of carrot seed with a third bucket of sand and sow out, that way there is less thinning and the roots punch thru the soil for much better. crop with less waist.
bluefrog2,
Jul 30, 6:45pm
Egg trays aren't really deep enough, and the cardboard has a "wicking" problem where it sucks water out of the growing mix and evaporates it into the surrounding air. Op-shops often have small punnet size pots that people give away. Alternatively, yogurt pottles with a hole cut out the bottom work quite well.
coralie,
Jul 30, 7:02pm
Last year i used an icecream container with empty toilet rolls and just put a seed in each cylinder. Yes, the cardboard did breakdown a bit but it still worked fine. Seed raising mix also helps.
treens2,
Oct 22, 4:45am
Have containers sorted to sow seeds,any thoughts what I should be sowing now,grandies have put orders in for plants,thanks
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