how many hours/day under my grow light?

@NextLevelGardening

3 ай бұрын

16 hours

@kansasgardener5844

3 ай бұрын

I agree 16 hrs. But it can depend on what your growing. For instance my onions only get 11 hrs. Always do some research on the light needs of what your growing.

@sodsqad8089

3 ай бұрын

Every circumstance is different. In my experience with my peppers and tomatoes, I start the light once the seeds pop. I grow on top of heat pads without a thermostat. I generally turn my lights on around 3:30 in the afternoon and turn them off the next morning about 9ish. The seedlings then sit in the shop with only daylight for 6 hours or so then start the process all over again. It works for me. Timers in my opinion are overrated but they do work. I use a Palma brand grow heater/fan in January and February to keep the air moving.

@HeadWestOn90

3 ай бұрын

@@NextLevelGardening Hi Brian, are those VivoSun heating mats and temp controller you are using in this video? How many mats can daisy chain onto one controller? Thanks so much!

@sarahmcennerney-stevens6252

3 ай бұрын

​@sodsqad8089 I thought plants needed the equivalent of dark/night too??

Biggest starting mistake, is not labeling the plants , saying "I'll remember, what they are and when you started them. Dates are important for different plants to start/change. Thanks for your knowledge

@cbak1819

3 ай бұрын

😂 yes for sure..

@smc7929

3 ай бұрын

Yes!

@Jemmyjo

3 ай бұрын

Ughhhh… I am very careful every year on labeling trays, but you’d better bet, at least once, I will forget what I put in a row!

@ellenokelley3727

3 ай бұрын

I usually don’t label them (I start 70-100 plants/Feb-March ) so I have a chart over my trays and label them on that. The only problem is if I move the individual little pots and forget to make a note on corresponding chart!

@Jemmyjo

3 ай бұрын

@@ellenokelley3727 I have labeled the trays, I have put stakes in them, written it on paper, but there never fails to be one row I messed up. I could swear I got them all, until I look again. Lol Almost every season we have a mystery box!

Last year was my first year seeding my own veggies. I didn't have time to do the back and forth to harden them off, so I pinned up a shade cloth in the corner of my balcony and left there while I was at work. Sort of the same as an overcast day. Didn't check the type of shade cloth - got it from the dollar store. I had no idea what I was doing, but it worked :)

@davinasquirrel7672

3 ай бұрын

Yes, a 50% shade cloth works wonders for baby plants., for about 1-2 weeks. If home, after a few days you can remove the shadecloth during the morning, then put back on before midday. This has improved my seedlings enormously.

@deesjourney1

2 ай бұрын

good idea

I think a big mistake is knowing which plants need to be planted when. Some plants take longer to be ready to be put in the garden while others take a much shorter time. You can’t just plant all of your seeds at the same time.

@alexwood4478

3 ай бұрын

I start my onion seeds on Jan 1 so I have pretty well established plants come April for planting

@MikeR65

3 ай бұрын

@@alexwood4478 my onion seeds were duds. I ordered new ones so I’m behind the 8 ball this year.

@cbak1819

3 ай бұрын

Bottom line read the seed packet and google if needed. ❤

@KateTheMama

3 ай бұрын

​@@MikeR65when that happens to me i just get onion bulbs instead of seeds. Like that I know for sure I have enough time for them mature. For reference I live in 5b so not a long growing season

@richardnary4572

3 ай бұрын

Absolutely, I started my hot peppers this week, and the majority of my garden wont start for another couple of weeks

Clear sterilite or Rubbermaid containers upside down are great small greenhouses. Use the lid as the base and click the clear plastic bottom to the top. Been doing it for years. During the day when it’s nice I open them up and shut them at night

@rosemaryus-ct6151

2 ай бұрын

great idea sharon

@treerogie1513

2 ай бұрын

Yep..and I get mine from charity shops

@JimiSparx-yw3gb

2 ай бұрын

I pick up old aquariums people throw out during spring and fall clean-up to make tiny cold frames! The glass does a good job letting the sunlight through, and you can put pieces of cardboard on the top [ in reducing sizes ] to adjust the amount of 'full sun' the seedlings get! So complete coverage still lets light come in the sides, and as the plants get used to the full sun, start using smaller 'top shades' to harden everyone off.

Only filling tomato cups halfway at first was a game changer for me. Thanks!

@MrAlistar99

2 ай бұрын

Halfway? why??

@mefaceache4063

2 ай бұрын

@@MrAlistar99same question from me. Am guessing there might be a root development advantage to fill up at later stage. Runner beans, tomatoes, potatoes all seem happy to be buried below original germination soil line & develop roots from subsequently buried stems. Am guessing & would like to know why.

@arlenbell4376

2 ай бұрын

@@mefaceache4063 tomato plants can grow additional roots if more soil is added giving you a hardier plant.

@TheGeekyChef1190

2 ай бұрын

​@@mefaceache4063 exactly. Tomatoes will grow roots out of any stem that is put into the soil. So if you start them shallow and gradually remove the bottom leaves and replace with more soil, it will be an incredibly hardy plant with tons of roots

Something I learned again just today, check your sowed seeds daily. Yesterday their was not one shishito pepper up in the tray I planted them in, this morning dozens of plants were up, bam I removed the cover and got them under the lights. Even a day or two you can get leggy plants without proper lighting.

@jonkatzmd

3 ай бұрын

Sounds like you are up shishitos creek!

@brianseybert192

3 ай бұрын

@@jonkatzmd LOL, guess so, nice little semi hot peppers, terrific fried with some olive oil and garlic

One of the best seed starting videos I've watched. Lots of good info at a good pace, not dripping it out for a longer watch time. I especially liked your info on light bulbs! Best ever.

@NextLevelGardening

3 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks!

This time of year, the big "W" box store stocks up on the LED shop lights with the right lumens and kelvin, which cost $19-20 each. Each year I add another one to my seed starting station.

@Greenacres1958

3 ай бұрын

I’m looking to get sone heat mats too! I have lights now mats!

@therapywithisabel

3 ай бұрын

I live under a rock, I apologize. What is the big "W" box store? Do you have a link to the lights you find by chance? Thank you for sharing ☺️

@BriarRose74

3 ай бұрын

@@therapywithisabel- W store is Walmart.

place your seeds in a paper bag or cardboard box with a ripe banana for a couple of weeks. i have experimented with this for over 20yrs and it makes your plants far more robust. not sure if i have posted this here before but it works and it is easy to try 🙂

@pawsitivevibes101

3 ай бұрын

How neat! I've never heard of this. I would be curious as to the science behind this.

@AlsInd

3 ай бұрын

@@pawsitivevibes101 the idea came to me in a dream when i was using a ripe banana to ripen very hard avocados. i had a dream like a time lapse movie of a fruit falling from a tree, rotting, then a new tree growing from the rot. the same gas that ripens fruit (ethylene) is produced when fruit is rotting so all fruit have evolved to do this for a reason. so i started to experiment nearly 30yrs ago and got really great results so i became more scientific about it and continued to experiment with different plants. most fruits are effected the most but i have not found any plant that does not show clear improvement. i do know a few things about scientific method as i have spent most of my life in research but i still took a long time to experiment to make sure other things were not effecting my results. the results are consistently independent of weather patterns, seed sources, soil type, location, etc. i have treated direct sow, flat earth, raised bed, potted plants, greenhouse, heated greenhouse, all seasons, etc. i have only started telling people about it this year because i have done all i can to disprove it and hope others can independently check this out. cheers 🙂

@Imrightyourewrong111

3 ай бұрын

Could you explain more in-depth? Put packets of seeds? Seeds in dirt that are germinating? Bare seeds? I’m new to this. Thank you

@AlsInd

3 ай бұрын

@@Imrightyourewrong111 i put my seeds in open trays like lids and place them in the cardboard box with the banana. the idea is to allow the gas generated by banana to cover and engulf the seeds for a couple of weeks before germination. close the box and keep it away from fans and moving air, again to avoid blowing the gas away. you are treating the seeds with gas. then after the couple of weeks are done, plant the seeds right away. i am also experimenting with a banana in my seed starting incubator. i made it before the tents that are now available for the job. since we are talking bananas, i also save peels, dry them, grind them to a powder and sprinkle it all over my beds. they are a great source of potassium. i do, however, only use organic bananas 🙂

@proudboxermom3104

3 ай бұрын

@@Imrightyourewrong111 MAGA all the way to the White House 2024!!

Great timing as I was sitting here with my calendar & seed packets writing all my start/plant dates 💚 will be starting seeds for the first time (I’m 71 😆)! Usually just buy 6 packs, but they’re so hard to find & $5 for a 3-4” pot is just ridiculous! Plus there’s so much more variety to choose from if you start seeds 👍

@elisabetk2595

3 ай бұрын

In my area six-packs are non-existent, and direct-sowing at our community plot is always dicey because we can't just step in the backyard twice a day to water the soil (which dries out in our climate). I've started tons of things outdoors but it's always much later in the season, so I am starting seeds indoor for the first time this year.

@YodaWhat

3 ай бұрын

You can provide miniature 'greenhouses' for tender plants by cutting the bottom off transparent plastic drink bottles and removing the cap to provide a bit of ventilation. Those covers also greatly reduce evaporation from the soil within, and they keep slugs at bay.@@elisabetk2595

@arubaguy2733

2 ай бұрын

For some unknown reason last year, all of my pepper starts failed. Too late to start over, I ended up having to BUY plants from our farmer's market. The only ones available were $6 EACH, so I made do with only 4 pepper plants and they ended up being that least productive I've ever dealt with. I historically start seeds and grow at least 12 each of Jalapenos, Serranos, and Cayennes. I make hot sauce and spicy tomato products from my harvest. Not last year.

@rachelwickart275

2 ай бұрын

If you have a local seed library (ours is in our public library), you shouldn't have to pay for seeds. Pots can be reused year after year, and most of mine come from local recycle bins. I clean them thoroughly with hot soapy water and use a mild bleach rinse. I start everything I can indoors. Biggest problem I've had is with space -- seems my eyes are bigger than my head! "Just one...more...can...fit...under the...lights...."

Using a backing of aluminum foil to keep the light were you want it (on the plants) and not lighting the room around them. This makes a big difference.

@YodaWhat

3 ай бұрын

You can also use the 'aluminized bubblewrap' material meant to insulate water heaters. It is stiff enough to stand up with very little support.

@brucea550

2 ай бұрын

@@YodaWhat The brand name is Reflectix and it’s great stuff!

@JimiSparx-yw3gb

2 ай бұрын

I make a section of my utility shelving a 'grow chamber'. The grow light clips above, and for light reflectors on the 4 sides I take cardboard and tape tin foil to it then tape the cardboart to the top edge of the shelf. The plastic seedling cups have cuts in the bottom, and sit in cookie sheets with water in them. The cookie sheets lie on a heat mat. Occasionally open one section of cardboard and blow the fan on them to toughen them up.

@jerrymacalpine3645

2 ай бұрын

I used a mylar blanket (bought a pack of 20 from Amazon) that I hung up around the seedlings. It worked great, and kept the light and warmth where it was needed!

I grow inside. You are the first person I've seen to mention breeze and fans. I had to figure this out for myself. Thank you.

@baileydubs

2 ай бұрын

I had to discover this myself as well with the help of Reddit 😂 I’ve been growing indoors since the end of summer

I don't have a heat mat, so I alternate between putting the seedling propagator on top of the radiator and a hot, wet washcloth as DIY heat mat. So far, my tomato and pepper seeds have germinated using this slapdash method.

Every February I roam the garden section of my local Walmart, staring longingly at the early stock of seeds and supplies. I live in Michigan, hahaha! We're usually not even safe from frost till Memorial Day in my area.

@delphina5538

3 ай бұрын

That was my afternoon today in Port Huron.

@trishcraig723

3 ай бұрын

You should watch videos by MI Gardner. He's in Michigan and gardens year round.

@delphina5538

3 ай бұрын

@@trishcraig723 YES! I discovered him a few days ago and went to MIgardener yesterday (before Walmart) and stocked up on THEIR goods seeds. I have been watching his videos. I am back here after 43 years in Northern California where i was always more a garden HELPER. However, while I’m here caring for my mama, it seems like a good idea to grow some good organic food…IF she’ll LET ME start some seeds indoors!😂

@cynthiadavis3102

3 ай бұрын

Same here inn

@delphina5538

3 ай бұрын

@@trishcraig723 Forgive me if this shows up twice! My earlier reply didn’t post! But once more…Before Walmart yesterday, i had gone to MIgardener store in St. Clair and i stocked up on organic seeds! After many decades in Ca, i am in Mi caring for my mama and the real trick will be to get her to LET ME start my seeds indoors!😂

i do hydroponics and indoors and use cheap daylight LED lights and a fan and nutrients and amazing to have food indoors during winter and outdoors for summer

@Godgotmealways

2 ай бұрын

I want to try the water way

I live in CA. I do not need to use heat mats. I buy mini greenhouse containers(seed trays with a top). If I put these on the window seal or right next to LED grow lights, it gets up to 80 degrees with the house temp being 65 degrees.

All my mistakes that I have made over several years of starting inside have been corrected from your helpful experience. I'll admit that I have watched other channels trying to get the layman's version for seed starting. Unfortunately, they don't cover the simple or the Do's and Don'ts as well as you do. Everything that I have wanted to try you have shared, and the results were incredible and amazing. Case in point, the tomato and cucumber trellises. My cucumbers grew to an average of 13 feet long and the tomatoes 10 feet. The other, sweet potatoes.. though I didn't leave them in the ground long enough. I was thrilled that they grew at all. This year, my cucumber bed is getting relocated and bigger. Both trellises are getting taller. Also, building a dedicated sweet potato bed area.

@gardengrrlWendy

3 ай бұрын

thank you so much for letting us know that you've found success with this channel. I, too, have searched in vain, watching other garden channel content, trying to understand how to grow seeds, and no one EVER explains everything the way Brian does! I'm so glad I found him. Thank you for confirming it.

When starting seeds, We use pig-mats from automotive retail stores as a capillary membrane. Also, the pizza box plastic table things that stop box crush incidents to raise the seedlings up out of the water. Easy and cheap

@pokkit

2 ай бұрын

Intriguing. Can you describe where the pizza box plastic table things are placed? Upside down? Right-side up? Thanks!

I also use the light very close to the plants as you said. One thing I use is aluminum foil on the sides of light. That way the seedlings doesn't stretch toward the light and getting leggy. It grows to a fuller plant all around.

Finally, after all these years of saying “one day I’ll have a garden”, this will be the year (as I finally have my own home). I’ve officially started my celery seeds and I’m using the Solo double-cup method that you recommended in a recent Tomato video. The seeds have been started for about 16 hours and the soil still seems plenty moist, so I haven’t had the opportunity to bottom-water just yet. When I went to Lowe’s, I found the awesome LED T8-style bulbs that have a great lumen rating and 6500k but I couldn’t find the actual hanging fixture for my life! I can’t even find one online, which kind of blows my mind. Maybe I’m missing something… I thought I could just search for “shop light fixture”. Either way, I went with a 4ft “grow light” from Lowes and am feeling good/decently confident! Still interested in a light fixture for the T8 bulbs, though. Anyway, thanks for everything! PS- I do work at night! Never thought of it like that, but I suppose it does give me an advantage when it comes to hardening the plants off! Also, when it comes to watering, I often see it said to do the “finger test” but I really don’t want to do that, considering that I don’t want to push any seeds down too far into the soil! Perhaps I’ll just look to see if the top looks dry, or at least water every couple of days regardless.

@elisabetk2595

3 ай бұрын

I had the same issue - bulbs are plentiful, fixtures non-existent. I ended up buying the $20 LED one from WallyWorld which is all one piece.

@phenixwars1

3 ай бұрын

You can use a toothpick to see if the soil is dry in the little seed starting trays. Just do it close to the edge.

@CoveredandCommitted

3 ай бұрын

Same here. I guess no one is making them anymore because fluorescent lights have gone by the wayside. They make bulbs that can be used in the old fixtures, but otherwise the all-inclusive LED is the new thing. I went with the 2ft “boostgro” light from Lowe’s (5,000K and 1,900 lumens). May end up needing more than one but I’m starting small…

@skiptomylou22

2 ай бұрын

I use the clip shop light fixtures. Got mine for cheap at Estate Sales. Congratulations on your new home and good luck with your first garden!!

Newer windows have a uv coating that doesn't let strong light in. Grow lights r a must in most cases. Another thing is to put seeds requiring the same warmth, same germination days and light requirements in same trays. I don't put peppers and tomatoes in same tray.

@CoveredandCommitted

3 ай бұрын

My first time seed starting and I made this mistake🤦🏻‍♀️ Lettuce germinated in two days and had to take the whole tray dome off and move everything under my grow light in my (much colder) basement. Not the best for the peppers still waiting to pop up. Just going to start a new set all on their own, and hopefully end up with twice the plants eventually!

Fan was the best advice you gave today..... ok i'm not a beginner. I have sold tomato seedlings to people who remarked they performed better than those purchased at the garden center that were grown under perfect conditions. I try to give seedlings perfect growing conditions AND toughen them up with the fan ( run only while lights are on) best of all worlds.

Thanks for the tips! Always so helpful. A few questions: Do you leave the fan on 24/7? Do you still do any watering with the water reservoir? Do you bring the reservoir out or water at all when hardening? One tip: if you put your seeds in a window, rotate the trays as the seeds start leaning toward the sun.

@joanies6778

3 ай бұрын

I put my electric fan on a timer. Also, I bought a USB rechargeable fan I may try this year. It will only use the electricity during the short time to recharge it, and it's much smaller with a clip. I have to put my electric fan further away because of how strong it is.

@CoveredandCommitted

3 ай бұрын

@@joanies6778This is my first year starting seeds and I happened to have a fan like that sitting around-just set it up today and it’s working well; just wondering how long the charge will last!

Brian I’ve tried many things thru the years for fungus gnats & my best solution has been to boil water & sterilize my soil like you suggested, but then if I see any I use the sticky traps for the adults & add Gnatrol to my water when watering seedlings & plants(which is expensive but the most effective) I have found it sold in packets which is more affordable. But that has erradicated any problem I’ve had!!

Love the smart person way to “harden off”. Never heard that before. 🎉 love your channel Brian!

@NextLevelGardening

3 ай бұрын

Thank you!

That was the smoothest transition to watch another video I've ever seen 😂👌 i definitely will watch it because I get those dang gnats every year and didn't even know what they were called until today😅

I always think its funny how you have to keep the grow light a few inches above the seedling, but when you plant a seed outside, the sun is way way way WAY up there and nothing gets leggy! 😆 Thanks for sharing the knowledge! ❤

@bobalman

3 ай бұрын

All you need is a 127,000 Lumen grow light to duplicate the sun. 🌞

No. 2 the temperature. This was a problem until I started to simply put them on the floor, onto our floor heating. :D

So many good tips! I really like the three cloudy days in a row tip for hardening off the plants. I'm sure everyone will agree with me that your videos are excellent. You don't have to be a novice to learn something new. Thank you for all your efforts and easy to understand growing information.😊

My lazy method for hardening off is putting them somewhere that they get morning light but are in partial to full shade for the afternoon. Because we have a good month or more of warm days but cold nights I do the plant hokey pokey for a lot of days before they go in the ground. But letting them stay outside in the sun and wind for the day does make for very strong plants when they get in the ground.

@lisatardiff3382

3 ай бұрын

Yes, I think I’ll use my front porch this year because it only gets morning light. Right now I have some lettuces in clear plastic totes on my front walkway. It is Feb but supposed to be high 40s today. I bring them in at night.

I use my seed planting urges early in the year to ensure my chilli peppers are sown by the middle of January. They get a 'sunny' (southfacing) windowsill, together with a small growlight at the same time, and a heated propagator with a transparent cover. By the time they are sturdy enough to be weaned off the additional heat, and live at room temperature on the windowsill (with bubblewrap as a nighttime insulator on the window side) I'm getting ready to start other seeds on the heat. They'll be ready for that in a couple of weeks, but I've already started some hardy things - sweet peas and some herbs - with just room temperatures indoors, and they're already outside in translucent plastic boxes, as they need more light than they can ever get indoors.

Brian, Fungus gnats--ugh! Drain flies, too! 😝 Been there, done that--thank goodness for BT!

Those Gardener's Supply wicking seed trays are wonderful in hot environments where you would otherwise have to water seedling every day without fail. They give you a longer grace period and have definitely saved my seedling butt from frying the little guys.

@majashelley1249

2 ай бұрын

Do you use heat mats with them? If so, any problems? I’m debating getting some 🙏🏼

I have made all of the mistakes at some point but last year I made mistake in hardening the seedlings off by trying to using my greenhouse and the top is made of a light grey color that blocks out some of the sun. This did not allow enough exposure and I lost some of my plants. Great information for everyone to follow.

I wish I listened more when I took a horticulture class in 10th grade in 1977. Everything you said is pin point right on. I live in central California in Zone 9A or B. My zone always switches. Keep up the great content. I grow a plethora of vegetables year round and am always learning.

The game changer for me was babying the seedlings inside until they become plants. If my tomatoes and peppers are 12-16" tall I just stick them straight in the ground with no hardening off. Also, I think every gardener should have several drosera capensis specimens to take care of fungus gnats, as well as whatever you bring into your kitchen via your store-bought fruit. They're small enough to tuck into several places and as long as you don't water them with tap water, they last forever and continually split off into new plants.

This is encouraging that I’m doing every step right! I grew some veg and hens indoors this winter with great success and am going to be planting my first garden from seed this spring! I discovered last fall that fans are a game changer with indoor gardening!

I used the link above and ordered a set of the self watering tray system! Can't wait for it to arrive.

I just learned that I am a lazy hardener-off. I have been taking starts out to a dappled light area of a morning & bringing them in as the sun starts to set. I do check them to be sure they are looking okay throughout the day. Part of my logic is that we have nice days long before the risk of frost is past. I can use my lights for more starts once I have some using the sun for light.

@MistiAndy

3 ай бұрын

I have a carport that has openings on the east and west, and connected to the house on the south. I found that works because they get morning and afternoon sun and shade during the longest part of the day plus the air moves through the car port. I loved the idea 3 in a row overcast day. Living in the Pacific NW that will be easy :)

If you can't wait to sow seeds you can always sow cool season veg and flowers. They can usually go out 6-8 weeks before your last frost.

@linebrunelle1004

3 ай бұрын

😊 our last frost is June.

Just a little tip. I start seeds very early to transplant into my greenhouse in covered beds, but something I have found that helps speed up germination is to use an aquarium heater in a bucket of water that I use to water my seeds. I heat the water to about 80°F. Works great.

Great guidelines for sure, Brian as they apply to any plants, any climate. Everyone can use these basics to start a great crop of seedlings!👍🏻

I tried something for hardening off. I used shade cloth something like 70% put them out for 2 days fully covered then full sun for short periods for the next 5 to 6 days. Came out amazing. Gonna do the same this year

Thanks, Brian. Heading to my local nursery later to get some details on local conditions. I'm in a high desert and our weather can be a little wonky at times. Our temps can vary 40-50 degrees in a single day. (mid 60s and sunny then freeze overnight.) Other people are doing it so I can too!

Thanks for the tips! Growing my first ALL pepper garden this year (GOD bless me). Hello from Oklahoma!!!

I heard people use one tray for different type of seeds that may require different germination conditions, heat vs no heat as an example. Also, labelling them can save a lot of headaches at a later.

Light meter! If you have a light meter, you can quickly measure the light intensity anywhere on your seedlings. I have an app on my phone that measures Lux. 1 lumen will produce 1 lux over one sq meter. You'll be surprised how the intensity drops off as you get away from the source, or off toward the edges. Once you know how many Lux you need, it's easy to adjust the intensity or height to get what you want. If you take the meter out in direct sunlight, you will be amazed how much more intense the sun is. From Vivosun: "Seedlings require relatively high light intensity for robust growth. Aim for 25,000-35,000 lux at the top of the seedling canopy."

@bunzinthesun

2 ай бұрын

In the video the lights seem very far away, I've read that 2-3 inches gives the a lot more light (square law). If there is a fan, then the heat from the lights cannot burn the seedlings.

I’m glad how you give us tips on how to do these instead of just saying we need to buy this this and this

tHANKS - AFTER 30 YEARS OF GARDENING INCLUDING GREENHOUSE I'VE LEARNED MOST OF IT THE HARD WAY BUT YOU DO A GOOD JOB OF HELPING ME FINE TUNE IT SOME MORE.🍅

Thank you for all the information you provide

Use (luke)warm water for watering. especially if there are already roots that can suck up the water (so it will be soaked up faster). That is also a tip if you overwinter plants in an unheated shed, or glass house or tunnel.

Definitely made #5 Had fungus, mold.. plants wilted, died, and it stunk. Gave up the 1st time 2nd time, I learned to water from the bottom.

Last winter, I'm from London, I managed to grow 3x full plants of tomato indoors, with harvest included of 2.5kg of tomatoes just using grow lights (powerful enough). It took a lot of dedication to get there, but I was shocked after I realised what I achieved! I used a custom mix, coco coir, organic compost, sand, perlite and vermiculite. The fertiliser is from seaweed specifc for tomato, organic and certified from Soil Association and allowed in organic agriculture.

Oh Brian, you have clearly seen the multiple comments from me lamenting "I am rubbish at seed starting". I usually buy punnets of seedlings (I believe you call them 'transplants' in the US), and have no issues starting with the 'toddlers'. I was probably ticking most of the mistake boxes for seedlings. But it is clear I do need to get heat mats and grow lights. Space is very limited. My tip for hardening off, in addition to or if the 'lazy way' does not present itself, is to use 50% shade cloth over the 'toddlers' as they start out in the big world. I have a bunch of raised garden beds, can plant out my seedlings (depending on crop) and clip the shade cloth over the top. For larger plantlets, I use an empty raised garden bed with same thing. This year I have decided I will get some wood, make a frame that fits the beds for 'easy on, easy off' - similar to what people do for making a clear plastic grow tunnel for larger on-ground raised beds (ie a frame, and attach the material to it, usually staples). Even though all these challenges keep presenting themselves, I still LOVE gardening!

the aquarium light vover also served for giving heat to the seed trays from below - most of all, while we still used fluorescent tubes (the cats slept above in their basket) instead of leds over an now open aquarium.

I've found that premoistening the seed starting mix is a big help when starting from seeds. The starting mixes seem to resist water at first. If not premoistened, when you go to water, the mixture will float around and possibly dislodge the seed depth. The seed mix floats like a marshmallow until it eventually absorbs water.

Excellent information. Thank you!

very interesting adding the wind as a strengthening factor !

The biggest problem I had was not keeping the growing lights on long enough. I have them on for 9 hours daily and the plants seem to thrive. I also use timers so I don't need to remember to turn them on and off. As soon as they start sprouting the heat mats need to be turned off. I also had spider mites which killed most of my Serrano peppers. I found a hydrogen peroxide spray recipe that solved that problem. I leave my plants out on the west side of the house night and day which seems to work well. Thanks for another great video. May the Lord continue blessing you and yours.

I’ve written down my seed start date this year and I will stick to it no matter how hard it is!!

Oh dear. I've made all 5 mistakes already! I think I'll be starting again...Thank you for this info, at least I have time to correct.

I’m investing in a heat mat next year. I live in north Tx and spring is treacherous! It can be below freezing for a few days then up into the 70’s and back to 30’s. I used grow lights and a heater in my greenhouse and still had about 50% death rate lol. I’ll keep trying!

De javu! I could swear I watched this one last week.😂 Biggest mistake? Taking time to harden off. I got tired of the process. Here's what I did. It will sound like it shocks the plant, but stick with me. After the sun is in late afternoon, 6pm or so, I take them out of the cells and shake off about half the soil. Enough so most of the roots are exposed. Dig a hole and sprinkle a coating amount of Microrhizome around the walls of the hole and on the roots. Set the roots in, add water, backfill some soil and move the roots around to get good root/soil contact. Then add the rest of the soil. I don't exactly know why it works. But, if you don't add the Microrhizome, you'll wake up to plants lying in the dirt. Otherwise, they stand up straight and tall and ready to grow. Even in the hot sun of Colorado. Try it on one plant and see if it works. I've been doing it the better part of a decade.

Thank you!! I love the fan idea!! I do need to be thoughtful about starting my seeds, and although I did start seeds indoors, I focused on how long it takes for them to germinate. I've never had the best of luck starting indoors, but with the grow lights, things that should have taken 2 wks to germinate started to germinate in 5-6 days. Yup, I will be potting indoors, fortunately no curious fur members living among us.

Newer gardener here and I am terrible about the hardening-off process. I'm hoping to have some type of small greenhouse next year to lessen this need. Thanks for the overcast tip!

I retired in 2021 from central Arkansas (zone 8) to northwest Arkansas (zone 7) and am still trying working on hitting the right time to start my tomatoes. Waited too long last year, so they were small, started too early this year and already have blossoms forming in early March with a plant date in early April. I will certainly try the "lazy" method of hardening the plants and may add a fan to provide a breeze. One thing you may need to be careful with using the "lazy" hardening method (or any method that puts your plants outdoors) is that sometimes birds or squirrels get curious and will "mess" with your seedlings. I had an entire batch ruined by birds / squirrels who were either curious and pulled on the plants or needing water and attracted to the moisture in the pots.

Good morning! I was just about to get my seeds started so this is perfect timing!!

@NextLevelGardening

3 ай бұрын

Great!

@Nan54424

3 ай бұрын

This is the first time I have experienced the dreaded fungus gnats. On the tomato video, I learned something very valuable, you rung out the soil. My soil was too wet so in two weeks zero germination will have to start over using Gardener supply seeding trays. Fortunately, I’m just right on time. I also planted tomato seeds and red solo cups, again too much moisture. Can I reuse the red solo cups with a triangular cut? I have learned so much from you Brian and value your experience. See you on the next video.

THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL VIDEO!!

This is perfect timing for me - I have all the seed and seed starting stuff ready to go but haven’t started anything. I am so unsure of the right timing. Brian - you are the best!!

Thank you for all the detailed advice!

Thank you for the light tip. That helps a lot.

I’ve been starting seeds for about 4-5 yrs now. I’ve made every mistake mentioned in your video except I always knew to harden off. I start 70-120 seeds/year. I have huge ornamental garden and it’s too expensive to purchase plants and you do get much more variety starting your own seeds. Your thoughts on these 5 mistakes, the reasons why these are mistakes, and how to prevent them are spot on. For me still, the number one mistake I occasionally make is starting them too early. The plants tend to get leggy/spindly and don’t do as well outside. Thanks for all the great information!

Great video. I’m anxious to start my seeds but my last frost date is mid May! I do have a small greenhouse so I’m going to be starting mostly my tomatoes soon. As far as the 3 day of overcast weather, I’m not sure it would work very well here in the mountains where I live. The weatherman is only right about 50% of the time 😂, in fact there are weeks and weeks during the summer than the chance of rain is 50-55% every single day!

Somehow I limp through starting plants in my kitchen under a skylight and in the windowsills. We don't heat our house generally, maybe a fire in the fireplace a couple nights a week. I generally start them in early March for putting out the first week of May and take them outdoors on a table during the day. ..this year we have a very cheap little " green house" and the early seeds like broccoli onions and cabbage started perfectly in there with very little fuss.

I got my “grow light “ on Amazon for 25$ and it works great!! The fan idea is terrific ❤

GREAT video! It has explained exactly what I needed to know about problems I had! Thanks!

This is a good video! I've been doing everything right except I get impatient and plant them too early. This year I'm not going to do that. I don't put in a big garden anymore so I harden them by putting a juice can with the ends cut out around them. I push that in the ground a little ways and that also protects them from cutworms. I have also used milk jugs but I like cans better.

Apreciez ca in fiecare an ai răbdare să explici tot de la 0 salutări din romania

Thank you so much for the sharing ❤❤❤

Thanks for this video. You show solid advice for every gardner 👍

Very concise, very good information. Nicely done.

LOL, made every mistake you mention here. Sadly, our last frost is almost always at the end of May, even if we have a warm April... So, my best option is to buy plants that are well established and ready to produce quickly. Luckily I have a wonderful nursery in the vicinity, and they always have healthy veggie plants WITH a guarantee! A multi-generational family run business.

Thankyou for the lighting info!

What a fabulous video. Your projects are amazing. You are so creative. Thanks for inspiring me! ❤️

I don't have any place to start seedlings and it's a problem for me here in northern Alabama. I need to get my jugs outside 😊

Excellent tips ! Thank you !

Thanks for the tips. I was going to start my seeds this week but I think I’ll wait another month.

I appreciate you sharing

Thank you for the excellent information ❤

Great information, thank you!

Loved the asterisk "* above the refrigerator" LOL. But I thought that radishes were a cool season crop. LOL

Many good to-do's! Thank you.

Love your fan idea and your underwater system. Thank you for sharing.

Be careful while hardening them up. I had some on my back deck which led to ground level where I had put them and a small garter snake sneaked in the tray. Harmless but gave me quite a scare when he appeared inside the house later.

I planted y seeds on Ash Wednesday and my last frost day is Good Friday. I planted them in a Jiffy Tray with a cover. I checked the soil temp inside the cover and it was getting pretty warm during the day, parked in the sun.

Great info!!! I planted a bunch today....TOO EARLY.....couldn't wait..

@bbtablet

Ай бұрын

but at least your spelling of "too" is correct - it isn't in the video!

Great video. I pretty much fail at all your points and yet I have managed to be successful for decades.

Very helpful info. Thanks!

Thank you for the tips