1st time seed starting (T5/heatmat Germination Project)

[tNtRanch]

Hey everyone,
Stuff is coming in and we are in the process of getting set up. The ebay 20x48" propagation mat came in a day for less than $30, I bought a cube of coconut coir and some of those walmart greenhouse trays. My T5 lights are high up in my garage and only 2 of the 54w high output bulbs still work. Seeds are also from walmart. Yesterday we expanded the soil and sorted our seeds. Its dropping to about 35 degrees each night maybe the lights and the mat will help with that.

Questions:

Where do people get their seeds?

Hoop houses... big subject but what do you like and why?

 

[tNtRanch]

Ok an update on the T5 grow setup. Wal-Mart didn't carry T5 replacement tubes neither did any lighting stores. Weird. Home depot had some in the 4200k range but I needed something in the 6500k range (more blue than yellow) I found a 5 pack on their website that will be delivered to my house. I planted the seeds and setup the heat mat in the garage. The first run will include:

36 Cilantro
36 Lettuce
36 Tomatoes cherry
36 Tomatoes beef
11Pumpkins, Jack o' Lantern
3 Pumpkins, Casper
4 Watermelon, sugar baby
24 Squash yellow
18 chili poblano
30 Bell peppers

After these are big enough to transplant each plant will go into 1 gal pots in a hoop house that I haven't made yet. I have my eye on an old car port that the vinyl has rotted off of to be reused with clear plastic. Plants need to be able to survive the weather and wild turkeys and quail here before they go outside. I learned that the hard way years ago.


Here are some current photos of today. I still need to label everything and install new bulbs. This is surplus equipment from my green flower growing days.

 

[DirtMechanic]

So would you take advice given the large momentum you have impressively built up? If one of us answered and it was not in line with the dogma you are obviously following, could you handle the change?

I am gonna start you out by saying coir is not soil. The future plant growth will be impacted by this idea, whereas the sterile nature of coir and its relationship to holding moisture is ok for starting seed. But then so is a moist paper towel inside a ziploc bag.

 

[tNtRanch]

I was cleaning out one of the freezers today and I found my huge stash of seeds. I cant wait until this group is ready for transplant because I have EVERYTHING.

 

[tNtRanch]

Yeah I don't plan on keeping them in the coir, just sprouting then possibly a small amount of fish emulsion oil until each plant is 4" or so then on to the 1 gal pots with a mixture of my native soil and perlite to keep from too much compaction. I have never tested my soil but when I grow tomatoes they tend to explode with production. Any thoughts on the fish emulsion oil in weak concentrations being sprayed by spray bottle until everything reaches 4-5" or so?

 

[DirtMechanic]

I was cleaning out one of the freezers today and I found my huge stash of seeds. I cant wait until this group is ready for transplant because I have EVERYTHING.

Hope springs eternal..and then there is the germination rate!

 

[DirtMechanic]

Yeah I don't plan on keeping them in the coir, just sprouting then possibly a small amount of fish emulsion oil until each plant is 4" or so then on to the 1 gal pots with a mixture of my native soil and perlite to keep from too much compaction. I have never tested my soil but when I grow tomatoes they tend to explode with production. Any thoughts on the fish emulsion oil in weak concentrations being sprayed by spray bottle until everything reaches 4-5" or so?

Yes. I think it is best to use a weak fertilizer and more frequently moisten. The 2 macro agents are oxygen and water as far as roots go. Then you can NPK to your hearts content.

 

[tNtRanch]

Well my new 6500k T5 Bulbs arrived broken. I have to wait for them to be returned as the local stores don't have the right temperature bulbs. Another option is photography bulbs. They are 6500k and 5000k (close enough) and they are cfls. I might have to dig them out and use those in the mean time. For now the 2 original bulbs are doing great. Good light at about 108 watts, heating pad is another 100 watts. Lettuce is sprouting at 5 days and the squash and tomatoes are just peeking through the soil. I give credit to the heat mat as it was 30°in the garage last night.

This photo is before watering. It goes from wet to light brown in 24 hours. Should I water more?

 

[David from Dothan]

So would you take advice given the large momentum you have impressively built up? If one of us answered and it was not in line with the dogma you are obviously following, could you handle the change?

I am gonna start you out by saying coir is not soil. The future plant growth will be impacted by this idea, whereas the sterile nature of coir and its relationship to holding moisture is ok for starting seed. But then so is a moist paper towel inside a ziploc bag.

Use coir (it goes a LONG way) in mixing up homemade potting soil and seed starting mix with acceptable result. Have, even, experimented with ALL coir in large pots.........but, as DM says,"....coir is NOT soil". It's redeeming property is moisture retention and it's ability to, somewhat, positively affect bagged potting soil that is a little on the "heavy side". You're REALLY gonna like the seed heat mats. They really speed up the germination process. I use 6,500k, T-8 bulbs that keeps the seedlings rom getting "leggy" when the light is suspended 1 1/2 -2 inches above the seedlings.

 

[tNtRanch]

How many T8 bulbs do you use? That's my main concern is not enough light. Each of my T5 bulbs is 54 watts and 5000 lumens. I'm going to get my mega cfls out today. They are almost comical how large they are. I believe 65 watts each

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Not my actual bulb

 

[David from Dothan]

How many T8 bulbs do you use? That's my main concern is not enough light. Each of my T5 bulbs is 54 watts and 5000 lumens. I'm going to get my mega cfls out today. They are almost comical how large they are. I believe 65 watts each

I wanted the 4', 4-bulb fixtures that could be hung with adjustable chains but could only find the 2-bulb fixtures so I went with 2 sets (NOT LED) hung side by side.

 

[tNtRanch]

Awesome thank you, I assumed I would need more than the 2 bulbs I have now. My fixture supports 8 x 4' bulbs but using it as a garage light has taken a toll on the unit. It's well over 10 years old now when electric ballasts first started replacing magnetic ballasts. Only 2 bulbs still function the rest are burned out

 

[David from Dothan]

This is a look at my, presently, small set-up. Waiting on having a dreaded garage sales to clear up a LOT more room for at least 3 more sets.

 

[David from Dothan]

How many T8 bulbs do you use? That's my main concern is not enough light. Each of my T5 bulbs is 54 watts and 5000 lumens. I'm going to get my mega cfls out today. They are almost comical how large they are. I believe 65 watts eachView attachment 51327l

Not my actual bulb

These are the ones I have had REALLY good results with.

 

[lifegardener]

Looks great! Hope your seedlings take off!