Help!

20 years ago

I got my seed starting supplies today and got so happy I thoughtlessly started planting seeds. After doing carnations and spiderwort it hit me that I shouldn't be doing it this early, according to the packages. Most say 6-8 weeks before frost, which is late April here from what I can gather. What will happen if I start them all now? WIll I just have bigger plants to put out, or will they not survive that long? If I can't do it now, then what do I do about the tiny seeds already planted.

Also, I am using a seed tray with the plugs with the holes where you just drop the seed down in there. How many should I put in? Just one or two or more?

Thanks to anyone who can help. i want to do this right.

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Comments (3)

neil_allen
20 years ago
In general, if you start things too early and have to keep them indoors too long they can get pot-bound and spindly. You can keep them from getting pot-bound by moving them into bigger pots, assuming you've got space. You can keep them from getting spindly by giving them lots of light. You might think of giving them some kind of protected outdoor or semi-outdoor quarters -- a fairly sunny screen porch, a home-brew cold frame and so on.

Whether you put more than one seed in a plug space is somewhat a question of preference. Let's say you want about 12 plants in your garden and about 80% of the seed is likely to germinate. You could put one seed each in 15 spaces and you'd probably end up with 12 seedlings. You could also put 3 seeds each in 12 spaces and you'd have a 99.2% chance of having at least one seedling in each space. So which is more scarce -- seed or space? The answer will vary from one kind of seed to another and one garden/gardener to another.
susanzone5 (NY)
20 years ago
If you start seeds too early, you run the risk of having plants that are too leggy (stems too long and they droop over), or, plants that are malnourished and rootbound. If you have a good fluorescent light set-up where you can get the lights one inch from the plants, you will have to keep repotting each individual plant so it has enough room, and they will be fine.

You should have luck with the carnations because they are perennials and grow slowly.

As for seeds, I usually put 2 or three seeds in each hole/cell, and pull out the weakest when the first leaves appear. Other times, esp/with tiny seeds, I sprinkle them all in one pot and transplant the tiny seedlings later, one to a cell.

Gardening's a continual learning experience. Even long-timers goof. I highly recommend getting a beginner's gardening or seed starting book and learning the basics. It will save you a lot of trial and error. Have fun and be patient. LOL.
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agardenstateof_mind
20 years ago
What about turning it into a winter sowing method. As long as you have clear covers for the seed trays, and the seeds are suitable for WS (I think those two are, but there's a list on the WS FAQ forum), they should be fine. It's like direct sowing, but with a little more protection.