Greetings All,

I am new to the world of gardening and through my research I found this great resource. I have always planted a vegetable garden using grown plants (and not always organic), but thought it was about time to gain the experience from seed to table (and organic). So, let's all cross our fingers. Here I go with some questions seeking your advice.

What's considered the "correct" way of starting seeds inside? I was in my local shop and they seem to have a wealth of products. For example, do I use the "starter kits" that include a waterproof tray, plastic cells, plastic "greenhouse" tops and peet pellet inserts? Or do I choose the path of using the peet pots, in which I can use the peet pellet inserts or starter soil? Or do I create a customized setup picking and choosing from a laundry list of items? Are the listed items above just good marketing and do I do something different?

In addition, I see a lot of garden resource websites and online retailers pushing the garden lights and heating pads, are these a necessity? If so, what are some makeshift setups you have used in the past? Lastly, where do you recommend setting up the "seed setup?"

Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions and giving me insight into the world of gardening. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions. I look forward to participating thoughout the forums.

Gosh....where do we start?..The little trays with the peat pellets, add water and they swell up to make a little ball of potting soil, work great, Wet them with warm water, let them swell up to their fullest size, may have to keep adding water till they quit soaking it up, then pour off the excess. Then, with a pencil or finger, make a little hole in the top. twice to 3 times the thickness of the seed you are putting in them. Drop the seeds in, push the peat back around over the seed and put the plastic cover on on them. Check frequently, Even though the seed packet says 10 days to germinate, check them after 3 to 4 days, some seeds will sprout faster in that moist environment. I usually keep my trays under the bed, in a dark closet, or on top of the cabinet. They need to stay warm, 70 degrees F. is best, but 65 to 85 works too, if you can stand your house that warm...
As far as growing them off, the secret is light. Lots of light or you will get long leggy spindly plants that are pretty much worthless. Natural sunlight is best. But flourescent light set right down on the plants will work. Keep them a few inchest from the top of the plants. Or put them in a window that catches at least 4 to 5 hours of sunlight a day. Like an East, South or West window, Preferably a South window. OH, dont forget to take the plastic cover off the tray when the plants have sprouted. After the plants are a few inches tall, you can start setting them outside if the weather is warm enough, a couple hours or half day or so to harden them off. Dont forget to water. Those peet pellets will dry out fast, not much there to retain moisture, especially outside where sun and wind can get to them.
Usually, after my plants have a good start, I move them to a larger cup. I fill an 8 ounce styrofoam cup with a hole punched in the bottom about half full of potting mix, set the peet pellet and plant down in it and finish filling around it till the cup is full. This allows more room for the roots to grow before time to set the plant in its final place for summer. Again, the peet pellets become root bound pretty fast cause they are so small.
There hope this helps. I have been doin this every year now for several years. Have done near 1000 tomatoe plants at one time, plus eggplant, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, cabbage, okra, and tobacco. Up untill a couple years ago, I farmed commercial, for market production, truck farmed if you will. Up to 60 acres. Not organic, couldnt afford 60 acres worth of compost, but the little peet pellets worked best for me and I tried everything.
For your best results, get you a little greenhouse, you will never regret it and you will come to love it. So handy for starting your garden, and a safe haven for you pot plants over Winter. I just moved 50 tomatoe sprouts out to my greenhouse this morning, it the little peet starter trays.

To answer your question about the "correct" set-up: There isn't one. Every gardener develops his or her own system that works, and every system will be different. And you don't have to spend much money to have a good set-up.

Here's my set-up this year:

*Wire mesh plant stand set in a South-facing window (yard-sale purchased for $10--you could use any shelving that is open on both sides). For extra "oomph," I've added mirrors to reflect additional light, but I only did this because I happened to have a bunch of plastic mirrors around. I didn't use them last year, and my plants did great in the south-facing window.

*Cheap nursery-style plant pots (three inches wide and deep) obtained for free from a fellow gardener (these are used pots)

*Starting mix made with perlite and sifted compost (two easy and cheap materials for me--there are other starting mix recipes with other materials or you can buy pre-mixed starting mix)

For tomatoes (which like to be buried deep, because they form adventitious roots from the stem when touching dirt, so a deeply-transplanted tomato will grow a better root system), I'm starting with each pot filled only halfway with starting mix. As the seedlings grow, I'll add additional mix.

If you have a sunny South-facing window you do not need special lights. If you *do* needs special lights, don't buy the ones made just for gardening--any full-spectrum shop light will do, and can be rigged up with cheap rope or chain to serve the purpose, and will be way cheaper.

Personally, I HATE peat pots. I used them last year, and didn't know to take the netting off the pot when transplanting. My tomatoes were root-bound and never did very well. If you do use them, be sure to take that netting off when transplanting!

AND, you'll need to transplant to a larger pot before putting out in the garden if you use peat pots, so you'll still need a starting mix and pots. I say, save yourself the hassle and expense of peat pots, and start directly in a larger pot filled with an inexpensive mix.

Check out the excellent OG article on the topic as well, by going to the parent site, www.organicgardening.com, and clicking through on the story about starting seeds.

This is a great question, and I think you will never regret switching to starting your own. I know I never have.

Good luck,

Heather

Heather, thats odd that you have the problem with the plants being root bound.I have never removed the netting, Usually by the time I am ready to transplant, the roots have already grown out and broke the netting themselves. Even in the fall, when I pull the plants up or till them back in, the little peet pot is still there in the ground with the broken and busted netting still on it, but the plant tap root is grown out of the bottom and hundreds of feeder roots the size of a pencil and smaller are hanging out of them. I guess anything is possible, but I have yet to experience that.

I have never taken the netting off the pellets either, the roots grow thru them.

There is no "correct way" but there are guidelines to follow. Check at http://www.cdcg.org/seed.html for some and keep in mind that seeds want to grow and as long as you provide a halfway decent start they will grow well.