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Buffalo, New York

Ok, i planted my seeds in pots on sunday May 4th.

So far, no signs of breaking the soil yet. The weather up here in buffalo is going to be cloudy mostly everyday in the next week with lots of rain and i am afraid they will not get enough sunlight outside in the sunroom.

I have a UVA/UVB basking lamp (imitates natural sunlight) i use everyday on my turtle tank. The turtles need the bulb during the day, but could i use this light for the plants during the nighttime?

the bulb is a 150 watt UVA/UVB bulb, and i was wondering how far i should have the bulb above the dirt of the pots?

also, should i keep a clear plastic cover above the pots underneath the lamp from burning the dirt/seeds?

5/8/2008 1:14:36 AM

Webster, NY

Jeremy, the temp should be about 80 degrees. The soil should be moist but not wet. No sun is needed until the plant is up. I can take 2 to 4 days (sometimes more) to germinate and then another couple days for the plant to pop out of the soil. Be patient.

Dave

5/8/2008 4:10:38 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Try some bottom heat also.

5/8/2008 7:21:39 AM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

Jeremy

If you filed and soaked your seeds first, and the soil in your pots is 80F, you may see seeds poping threw in 3-4 days. If the soil is cooler or if you didn't do one of the two first steps you could be longer, so as dave says, just be patient.

As far as the heat lamp, I would be very careful. It is designed to provide warmth and could easily burn your leaves. The lighting I use are floresent grow lights, which produce little or no heat. They can touch the leaves. Any heat you provide should be from the bottom. If you have a sun room you likely will have enough natural light to do a good job.

John

5/8/2008 7:23:26 AM

Clarence, NY

Jeremy,

If you have a tank bottom heater pad (commonly used in reptile cages) you can set the pot on top with a layered dish towel in between.

Good Luck
Jim

5/8/2008 7:51:57 AM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

I think 80 is a bit cool. I use 85-90.

Have a look at this tutorial:

http://gvgo.ca/articles/rivington_germ_tut01.html

Make sure you check the seeds every 4 hours after the first 12 hours in paper towels.

Also, when they do pop out of shell, hopefully the root tip is not too long and its straight. Make a hole for the seed plus a point in the dirt for the root tip. Don't force it. Very fragile. If the root tip is out of shell and a little longer and curved, put the seed in so that the root tip is facing down. The seed will make its way out, don't worry. The top of seed should be roughly 1/2"-3/4" under the
dirt. I go for about 1/2".

Water the pot with the new seed....but don't overwater. I give my seeds a shotglass of warm water (1.5 oz) and thats it until I see the seedling break out of the dirt. Keep the pots at 85-90 degrees and when you see that seedling break the surface, take them off the heat and move to an area that is roughly 70-75 degrees. Once you see the first true leaf out, they are ready for the patch.

The whole process (filing to emergence) should take about 4-5 days.

Good luck in 2008.

5/8/2008 8:16:37 AM

Ohio

If you cant find any bottom heat,sit the pots on something warm, like the top of a cable box/dish receiver or like the top of the refrigerator. Or sit them inside your oven with just the oven light on them, surprisingly in my oven it stays right at about 83-85 degrees with just the light on and door shut. Make sure you put a note on the top of your oven that you have plants inside so you dont accidentally turn the oven on and have pumpkin plant casserole.

5/8/2008 8:31:23 AM

[email protected]

I'm going to wager a guess that the seed is too cool. 85-90°F is ideal. My laptop does a good job as long as it's left mostly open. If partly closed it get's too hot. A heat mat gives the best results.

I use this one:

http://www.commercecorp.com/VIA9/ccorp-viaImagePageIndex.jsp?row=5&pgName=ccorp-index.jsp&searchText=heat^mat&modifier=SEARCH&reqTitle=TITLE_VIASEARCHRESULT

5/8/2008 9:28:55 AM

Clarence, NY, USA

I file seeds and soak in warm water for 10 hours. While that is going on, a moist but not wet seed starting soil is warming up in my germination chamber. My germination chamber is a seedling heating mat covered with a hand towel and placed in a cooler with cover closed. After 10 hours soaked seeds are placed in soil about half inch below the soil surface. Temp inside my cooler was 90 to 95 F. All seeds cracked through the soil in 54 to 72 hours.

5/9/2008 12:52:57 AM

Buffalo, New York

ok guys, i have a light underneath the pots now and it is about at 80-85 degrees.

i did pull 1 seed out of the pot and it was rooting, so i am guessing the rest are too.

should i have a plastic lid over the pots to hold moisture or not?

5/9/2008 1:01:09 AM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

DO NOT put anything on top of the pots. I keep a fan running in the grow room to provide adequate air flow. Creating an area of stagnant air is the best way to cause your seeds to damp off. Try to mimic the environment they would grow in outside.

5/9/2008 9:58:53 AM

Midwest

Tremor You used a laptop???? What a great idea!... Mine gets too hot too but I could try a couple of towels under the pot to diffuse the heat.

Thanks
Greg

5/9/2008 2:27:13 PM

[email protected]

Greg,

Uh huh....Dell Inspiron 9300. Our cable box fluctuates too much. The refrigerator is too new & fancy so all that modern insulation make it too cool. When I have a lot to start the germination mat is ideal. But id it's just a few seeds, the laptop is perfect.

5/9/2008 4:31:47 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Okay you guys, I'm having a hard time picturing this. If you don't shut your laptop, where do you put the pots, on the keyboard?

5/9/2008 8:41:44 PM