I just got into the gardening world and its great, but with so much information one can get misguided so out of experience what would you guys say is the best container/method to germinate seeds? Currently i use biodegradable pots, which have been good so far, but i see other people use bags, plastic cups, towels with water, etc... So what would the best way or most effective to germinate seeds? thanks in advanced
Best container to germinate seeds?
- Thread starter FuzzyWuzzy
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I personally like the biodegradable cups/pods because I can just cut the side open so let the plants spread out easier and then pop the whole thing in the ground. Some more delicate seedlings can be easily damaged when you remove them from the plastic cups.
The biodegradable pots are your best bet, especially if you are new to gardening. Nothing goes to waste with them, it all goes into the soil at the end of the process.
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Depends on what you want to propagate and how many. Personally I think those supposedly biodegradeable peat pots are a detriment to sucessful plant growth. I have dug them up a year later almost intact. They restrict root expansion and are acidic. I think that their only redeaming qualities are their ease of use and besides that, if you use them you have to replace them at every planting, where with the plastic 4 or 6 packs you can use them for 3 or 4 years if kept out of the sun. But that is just me. I stopped using them years ago. Besides that you can probably get the plastic containers for free from your friendly neighborhood nursery. And why in the world would you "remove a delicate seedling" before it was safe to remove it. In the plastic container 6 packs you normally worry about them being root bound. You transplant a delicate seedling into the ground before it has a decent root system you are begging for damping off. IMO
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What I meant by delicate is that some plants take to transplanting better than others. And some are just tougher even as babies. My mom would often get root bound plants from the nursery and wasn't gentle and patient enough and would tug them too hard and often break the stems off. Lots of dead flowers every planting season. For someone like her the biodegradable pots are a better choice. My husband would fall into the same category.. he wouldnt take the time to gently remove something stuck in a plastic pot... which is why he is not longer asked to help me plant things
I'm starting alot of mine in coconut coir pots this year and everyone is germinating well. Starting some of the same seeds in plastic and I'll see which grow better.
I'm starting alot of mine in coconut coir pots this year and everyone is germinating well. Starting some of the same seeds in plastic and I'll see which grow better.
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And I bet that the coconut coir pots are a lot better than the peatmoss. I have not seen them here, Are they new on the market?
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This is the first year I've seen them. Got mine at Menards and they sold out quickly so I'm not sure if they are new or just really popular and I just got them early enough this season I have a composting toilet and use coir as the filler. What I have found is that coir absorbs a lot of water which should help in watering seedlings. Have you noticed any difference?
they hold water very well but also drain nicely. Keeping the soil at the right dampness for sprouting seeds. I also soaked a few in water for a few days and they come apart easily so I expect them to compost themselves nicely into the garden. I'm hoping to get good results with them. I think I paid $2 a pack for them which seems like a great deal if they work well
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What I use is a ziploc-style bag wit some paper towel as walls in both sides of the bag to put the seeds in between. I keep the towel moistened but not soaked. Works even with apple seeds.
The best container to germinate seeds is a black seedling bag. The black colour is excellent for capturing heat. It has holes for aeration and one can sterilize the soil and it keeps pathogens off. Most largescale growers prefer them for this reason.