Sandy won't lead you wrong!
Now, for my warped thoughts...
Good move on going bigger for your seedling containers. I use 20-ounce Styrofoam cups to start my seeds in. The cups are big enough so that I don't have to "pot up" to a largest container as the seedlings grow. What I *do* have to do is decide what I want to do with multiple seedlings in each cup. I plant three seeds per cup, figuring I'm going to get at least one seedling out of the bunch...I usually get three.
So, once the seedlings have a couple of sets of true leaves I have to make a decision on which seedling to allow to grow on in the cup and...what do I do with the other one or two seedlings. If the extra seedling(s) look good I may carefully dig them out, doing my best not to disturb the the best seedling that will remain in the cup. Once I've removed the extra seedling I will transplant it to another cup and let it grow on to make me another plant for me to either plant or give away to someone for them to grow. But, what if the other seedlings don't look that good or if I don't want to worry with digging them out?....it's a cruel world out there...I take a pair of scissors and snip them off at soil level. Pulling them up *might* disturb the remaining seedlings roots so..."SNIP".
When I first started growing from seed I used a peat-based "seed starting medium". It was supposed to keep bacteria and fungus away from my precious seedlings, protecting them from disease and all kinds of hoodoo things. Well, I found out early on (for me, and everybody is different) that the seed starting stuff didn't work. It seems it has no nutritional value for the seedlings and you have to carefully feed the tender seedlings to get them to grow. So, after that first time with the seed starting whatever I've using some good potting soil ever since. Good potting soil has plenty of food for the baby plants to strive on...it doesn't have to be anything exotic. Now some people will say that all they use is a sterilized seed starting medium and have great success, and I don't doubt that but it's much easier for me to use regular, good ol' potting soil. Your potting soil is fine!
Just a reality check...remember, these are my warped thoughts!
When getting ready to plant the seeds put some potting soil in a bucket or something and moisten it up some...its a lot easier to make sure its good and moist in a big bucket rather than after the soil is in a small cup. Pour some water in a stir it up really good, wetting the soil good. Don't add so much water that it drips out when you squeeze a handful of soil, though. Once you've got the moist soil in the cup take a sharpened pencil and stick it into the soil to the depth of the sharpened area...spin it around, wiggle it, etc., to create a planting hole. I do this three times per cup. Then with some seeds spread out on a plate or piece of paper I use the now moist tip of the pencil to "pick up" a seed with. Touch the pencil tip (will have a little moist dirt still on it) to a seed, the seed sticks to it, then slightly "roll" the pencil in your fingers so that the seed rests on top of the point (helps prevent gravity from pulling the seed loose). Move the seed on the tip of the pencil to a planting hold and gently place the seed into the bottom of the hole, wiping the tip against the side of the hole is needed to dislodge the seed. Do this for the other two planting holes. NOW, you might think that the depth of the pencil is too deep. Most pencils sharpen up an area of the tip about 3/4" long. The trick is that you're now going to lightly pinch the soil over the planting holes and then lightly firm it down. I sometimes even drag a *little* bit more soil over the holes...and firm down a tad. The pinching in and firming down actually lessens the depth of the planted seed. It's always worked for me but I'm sure it's not for everybody. The pencil, though, is magic for handling those tiny seeds...and the trick is that each time you place a seed it moistens the tip for picking up the next seed...just remember to roll the pencil so the seed rides on top of the tip as you move it to the planting hole.
You could use smaller cups than the 20oz ones like I do. Even the 8oz work well, and much better than the egg carton. I take the cups and use the same sharpened seed-planting pencil to punch three holes in the side of the cup *right above* the bottom for drainage...not in the bottom, flat area. I've seen cups with holes in the bottom not drain because they sit on a flat area and thus block the holes...with the holes in the sides they can easily drain.
I place my cups in a square plastic container that is more or less the same height as the cups...the cups can be shorter or taller. The container holds any water that drains from the cups but also acts as a humid environment kinda like a greenhouse/germination-house. Once I have the cups planted I'll put them in the plastic container.
Tip: An excellent watering device for seed cups and seedlings is a regular plastic water bottle that you've drank all the water from. Put a small hole in the cap and you can control the water easily by simply squeezing and releasing the bottle...works like a dream. I've gotta give my gardening buddy credit for that little tool!
Ok, the moistened soil is in the cups, the drainage holes are punched, the seeds are planted using the pencil, and the planted cups are placed in the square plastic container. Now take the very expensive seedling waterer (the water bottle) and water the cups, wetting the top of the soil...this insures that the seeds are in a very moist environment...the extra water will drain down. Now spritz a little bit of water into the bottom of the plastic container.
You now "almost" have a nice, moist germination environment. Now take a sheet of plastic and cover somewhat loosely the top of the container. I don't use the hard plastic covers that come with the containers. Currently I'm using some snazzy piece of mostly clear plastic from some bags that ice came in. Cut them open and they work nicely. I usually tape the backside and the front side down...lifting one side occasionally for inspection. The way I know everything is going well moisture-wise is there is a bit of condensation that forms on the plastic sheet that I can see from the outside. I like to check it every few days to start with by opening the plastic. Rarely do I add any more water to this setup...it's almost like it's got it's own little weather cycle...condensing on the plastic sheet, dropping back into the cups at times. There's not a lot of evaporation in there and opening it off and own allows fresh air inside (not sure if it's needed or not, though).
Keep this in a warm place. On top of the refrigerator has often been stated as a good place due to the heat given off by the refrigerator...I'm not sure modern refrigerators still have that feature or not...I don't think mine does. But, somewhere in the 70Fs will be good. They can germinate a bit cooler, but takes longer. Speaking of time to germination, peppers are notorious at taking their own sweet time. I don't think I've ever had a pepper seed to sprout in less than a week, maybe I have but I surely don't remember it. Most of the time it's closer to two weeks, so be patient. Now, if you plant tomato seeds they'll jump up and bop you in the nose in just three or four days sometimes!
That brings us to when the seeds do sprout! This is why you have to check on them regularly.
AS SOON AS THEY SPROUT TAKE THEM OUT FROM BENEATH THE PLASTIC!!! Even if you just see a little bit of the sprout poking up above the soil and it's only one of the three seeds...get them out from beneath the plastic!! Germination is complete and now they need light and air!!! The good thing about using individual cups is that you can remove one or four and leave six or ten still beneath the plastic...make sense? But, those new little plants need light and lots of it. Maybe not suntanning strength light to begin with, but some good light. If you leave the new sprouts beneath the plastic for too long they will be long and skinny so get'em out in the real world so they can grow up big and strong!
Anyhow, for some reason I woke up very long-winded. Take what you want of all this. Scratch your head and say "this guy is kinda weird" (you won't be the first person to say that!
). But, no matter what you do, have fun with the adventure and be amazed at what God creates from a tiny seed!!!
Best wishes!!!!
Ed
