Unless you're seed starting in a cold area you can turn the seedling mats off after emergence of seedlings above the soil line.

Tray covers are debated...some don't like the excess moisture dripping back onto the plants increasing disease pressure, but some like the extra week or 2 under the covers so the soil doesn't dry out while the plant sets up a more extensive root system.

It's a good idea to wait for at least 2-3 true sets of leaves to transplant (more is fine). the initial "feeder leaves/cotyledons" don't count as true leaves.

IMO, it's best to start in small pots and transplant up rather than starting in a larger pot. Soil moisture control in larger pots while the plant sets a root system can be tricky.

I start my seeds a few different ways, some in seed trays and others in ziplock bags. if I am germinating a large quantity of the same variety i put them in a ziplock with damp paper towel (this to me is the easiest way by far). Either way, as soon as they emerge they are put in a container and put directly under the lights. I use fluorescent lighting and I put my lights as close as I possibly can to the plant. Floro lights will not harm the plants and need to be very close for the best results.

I let the plants roots fill up the pots before I pot up.

If you are going to start any hot peppers of the chinense species I would start them soon because they are very slow growers and require a long growing season to get ripe. I start my tomatoes right around St.Patricks Day. Hope some of this helps.

I put my seeds in the germinating box that i keep between 86 and 90 degrees.
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Dale

Here is a link that might be useful: Podpiper's Pics

Be sure to check out all the FAQs and relevant discussions over on the Growing from Seed forum here too.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing from Seed forum

Thanks for the tips all. Dale, that's quite the setup you have there. Mine is a little more modest, just one shelving unit. I have been looking for some tips for seed trays and a lot of people seem to really love the speedling tray.

http://www.groworganic.com/speedling-transplant-tray-72-cell.html

I'm curious about the approach with those. Do you pot up tomato seedlings if you start them in those. Would the 2" or the 1" make more sense.

If you're not crazy about those, what source can anyone recommend for seed trays? I've been searching on the forums and online and se far the only consensus I can find is that people don't like pellets. I am currently using the starting set from Hydrofarm since it came with the heating mat I wanted. Before I started my test tomato seedlings, I did some herbs and hard a really hard time getting the seedlings out of the tray intact. The speedling trays seem to alleviate this problem.

That is amazing podpiper! You have such excellent seeds starter equipments. But to me it is far more than a home grower needs. Maybe yours is for commercial purpose?

f you're not crazy about those, what source can anyone recommend for seed trays?

novoselenterprises.com

The main problem with the speedling trays is their size. They aren't standardized to the industry so finding a transport/bottom watering tray for them is impossible.

The trays Dale shows in his germination box are called plug trays and are used for germination only, not growing on, so yes you 'pot-up' from those. Size of holes you choose depends on the number of plants you plan to start. For example there is no reason to use a 250 plug tray if you are only starting 10-20 plants so use your money instead to buy grow-on cell packs or just plastic Solo cups.

Dave

Thanks Dave, that's just what I was looking for. I was searching all over for trays and having a heck of a time finding some for under $25 for some reason.

Forgive my basic questions again, but what about starting the seedlings in something like this 72-cell tray kit:

http://www.novoselenterprises.com/products/single.asp?ID=5701

And then potting-up to the larger star plug tray, say 21 or 38 cell.
http://www.novoselenterprises.com/products/single.asp?ID=595142

I realize I could just use plastic cups or something, but the star plugs (like the speedling trays) promote supposedly easier transplanting as well as air-pruning of the roots. Plus, the price is right and probably ends up being the same as buying plastic cups. Looks like one advantage of these trays is that they are also 1020 sized so I can use the bases from the starter cells.

I'm probably going to start around 200 plants though not all are for my garden. I doubled the size this fall and it's now raised rows and is 24' x 24'.

Again thanks for tips!

I use teksupply.com. They have all different sizes of plug trays, cell inserts (which I use), bottom watering trays, etc. They've always shipped very quickly and are very reasonable with no minimum. Here's what I use:

http://www.teksupply.com/contractor/supplies/prod1;;pg109048_109048.html

bob

I have used very simple methods for seed starting over the past 10 or so years. However, I appreciate my climate allows me to garden year-around, so my situation doesn't require a lot of effort and equipment over a short period of time.

So - my seed starting is done fairly all the time, which can be done piecemeal.

Simple yogurt cups with a hole punched in the bottom - with a heated ice pick for drainage - used 8 to a box. The holding box is a plastic-type shoe box - that comes with a cover. Covers can be used for seed starting - damp paper towel method.

After seeds are started - either directly in the cup soil or after sprouting in paper towels and planted in soil cups, the 8 cups in the box - are then put into a plastic bag big enough to enclose them - then under the lights they go. The grow lights provide enough heat - about 75 degrees to provide enough to warm soil temps adequately.

When the seeds are growing nicely, developing roots, the plastic bag is removed - to allow for air circulation. To prevent damping off. The seedlings can be moved closer to the lights as their needs are required.

It is easy to remove seedlings from the yogurt-type cups, as the plastic is stronger than some planting tray cubicles. If the soil is a bit on the dry side when removing from the cup with a plastic-type knife, the soil should stay intact.

When the seedlings are ready to be hardened off, I place the entire shoe box and cups outside in the shade - weather permitting - with another shoebox type plastic cover on top. After about a week or so - they are ready to be planted in the ground - with attention paid to temperature preferences. Again, I am in a mild climate - so can't predict other locations soil/weather conditions.

All-in-all - for small home gardeners - this is a very simple, economical way to start seeds, if they can be done over longer periods of time - rather than having to be planted within a shorter window of growing time.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

mp, I germinate hundreds of varieties that is why I use the seedling trays. I really prefer the plastic bag method but i still do it both ways. It is way less work using the baggies.
I transplant into the 72 cell trays as soon as they sprout and leave them in those until they get their 3rd set of tru leaves. Then from there they go into the 4inch pots and thats where they stay.
For the last couple of years i germinated all my tomatoes in the ziploc bags because I am doing so many of each variety. As soon as they sprout I put them into thier 4 inch pots and never pot-up. I start those in the germination box but as soon as they go into the pots they go out into the greenhouse.

This year though I think i will start all of the tomato varieties each in thier own 6 inch pot and let them get around 2 to 3 inches long and then just seperate them all by dunking the root mass in a bucket of water. I did this with a few varieties last year and it worked very well. This way I can put them in the 4 inch pots and bury them up to the cotyledons.

Dale