Why won't plastic cells work for flowers? That's what I use and with great results. The advantage to using cell packs is you don't have to "prick" the seedlings out. Though easy, pricking out is time consuming and risks damaging a seedling's tender stem or roots.

Depending on the plant, I fill my cells with medium, sow one or two seeds in each cell(pay attention to whether they need light or dark for germination and work accordingly), press them in, and water thoroughly (but gently). Allow them to sit until they are no longer leaking water. Then cover them with plastic wrap or a plastic dome, or put the pots into ziploc bags. Put them into indirect light until they germinate and then remove from the "sweatbox" and put into more light. I start feeding with half strength liquid fertilizer once they have their first set of true leaves.

This time of year, you can forego the sweatbox and set your flats outside. (You must water everyday until they germinate.) The advantage of this is stockier, stronger seedlings and no need to harden them off before you transplant them into the ground.

You can use peat pots to plant, but personally, I hate them. They dry out very fast, and once dry, it's tough to get them moistened well again without keeping them in a tray of water. Then, the pots tend to disintegrate.

I agree with Donna. I only start flowers from seed that are not commonly available in cell packs at the nursery. I try and only buy those cell packs that have a large hole in the bottom of the cell greatly helping to remove the plant. I use the old cell packs over and over until they fall apart. Al

I also don't like the 'water from below' directions. Watering from above creates a nice surge of oxygenated water to flow through the soil volume. This is always a GOOD thing for germinating seeds and developing plants (plants at ANY stage, actually). Lots of other reasons for watering from above. Just be sure you have the right kind of nozzle.

I, too, use plastic cell packs over and over and over. HATE the peat pots.

I am curious, however. Vaherbmom, what is the objective of what you are attempting to do? I found myself confused and think that I (maybe we) are missing something that you are visualizing. If you would explain: " they won't work for this purpose"....what purpose?

I like using 3 Oz. plastic bathroom cups. Just drill a hole in the bottom!

how about not watering from above.. so you dont wash the seed out of the pot they told you to fill to the brim ....

you could always start watering from the top once they sprout ...

and what is that brim filling thing all about .... sounds like a nightmare in the making ...

ken

Thanks for all the help! The reason my question was worded as it was is that the seed packets state, "spread moist growing medium even with the top of a shallow container, sow in shallow rows, keep evenly moist by bottom watering and providing maximum bright but not direct sunlight." Made me feel a little intimidated! And I thought the cell packs that I use for all my veggies were too deep.

The two I am late starting now are nicotiana and heliotrope. I've never grown either successfully--I have tried sowing nicotiana outdoors directly and nothing came up.

Any further advice is appreciated--my plan now is to just use the cell packs as you suggest.

Aha. I use germination flats, as well. They are shallow trays (see attached link for picture) with drainage slots in them. The flats are filled (not to the rim, in my case) with a germination medium, and watered thoroughly with a misting nozzle. The proper watering nozzle will water without any disturbance of potting medium or seeds, seedlings.

I then impress several rows with a straight-edge of some sort. Seeds are carefully put into the rows by using the seed packet as the utensil or by making the sower with a stiff piece of cardboard, folded in half to make a crease.
Difficult to explain, but easy to do.

The seeds are sown very close together in these rows. The object is to allow them to germinate quickly, then transplant them into the cell packs and a much coarser growing medium. I usually expect a couple of hundred or so seedlings per flat, depending upon the plant variety. I sow several different kinds of plants in each flat, carefully marking the beginning of that variety with a label.

I'll typically do 2 germination flats. They'll be heated with heating cables that I place into the flats before adding the mix. Most people, I believe, use heat mats. Heat is very important for rapid germination.

The seedlings are transplanted at a very early age. This process is also something that is difficult to describe, but easy to do. The seedlings can be picked up in clumps from their rows, and gingerly inserted into already prepared (filled, watered, and holes drilled) cell packs. The cell packs fit into the same liners I use as germination flats. I use either a 36 plant per sheet or a 48 plant per sheet size.

Anyhow, that is (generally) the process that the seed pack mentioned. Sowing your seed directly into the cell packs is what many folks do, though at this late date, I would seriously think about planting your seed in situ.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:7766}}