How to Pick The Right Size Container For Seed Starting
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- When starting seeds, the correct size container is important. In this episode we will cover what size containers work best, what to plant in them, how long the seedlings can survive in them, and so much more!
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Thank you all so much for watching and Grow BIG!
I laughed so hard..."don't move on! I don't even know what a flat is!" That was me 10 years ago. I learned at least 80% of gardening successfully due to your channel and your book!! Thank you Luke. My family eats delicious and healthy all year long thanks to you!!
I watch so many gardening videos to improve my listening skills
I can say that English spoken in movies are harder than in TH-cam videos :')
What book is that?
@@patrickpieszala5683 The Autopilot Garden
Yesssss
No matter how many times you call that a 72 cell flat, it’s still only a 50 cell flat 🤣💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
It's also only 10"x20" :)
We'll forgive you this time, Luke :)
That confused me too initially. My 72 has much smaller cells in it, lol.
Yup I was thinking the same thing...
thank you for saving me a ton of money buying the wrong size.
Something I found very useful is an old carving fork with flat prongs. I can slide the prongs down the side of the cell and lift the plant out without disturbing the roots.
Great idea 🙋🏻♀️
You read my mind. I was the one saying,,, wait, stop, what's a flat? 😂 Thank you for explaining that. I learned from trial and error about size though. But thanks for letting me know not to put tomatoes in the biggest pot too soon in attempt to save transfer time.
can you give a list of fast growing and slow growing plants so I can know which cell size to use.
Hey Luke, you mentioned how fast tomatoes grow. Last year they outgrew my lights and my living room. Also the recommendations to start more seeds than you really need, added to the problem! It would be helpful if you could speak more about how fast things grow and how many plants to start for just one or two people. Maybe a list of fast medium and slow growers. I plan on starting less this year and I’m sure will still have plenty to give away. 😀
I’m worried about my seedlings outgrowing my lights this year also and would also love to hear tips about this! 👍🏼
It's a common theme for many; just a testament to how well we can grow stuff. Just sowed my peppers almost a full flat.
How many plants per person would really vary though depending on yield (i.e. two different types of tomato plants had very different yields for me last year) as well as how much someone uses something, my husband uses a LOT more peppers than I do.
if you keep your plants pot bound they won't grow as tall so make more transplants but smaller sizes between jumps. also make sure the light is sufficient but not abundant. The goal is to give them enough light that they're not stretching and getting lanky, and not too much light that their exploding in growth. also leaf pruning and branch pruning slows growth/ redirects it. play around with all these methods and youll see that it's easy to maintain a plant in a somewhat "dormant" slow growth stage. For fast medium and slow growers, look at time to harvest/ maturity and plant height and that will give you a good idea. For example, a 120 day cayenne pepper that grows 24" when mature will grow slower than a 60 day to harvest cucumber that is 4-6 ft when trellised. Etc etc. I know this is an old comment but hope it helps out
Another educational and useful video for growers. Most lifetime gardeners don’t realize that what is intuitive/common sense for them is mysterious for us newer gardeners. I wish there were more channels like this that taught basic seed starting. One of the biggest struggles I have is how much to pack the soil in seeding trays. One year it was too loose so my plants died. Next year it was too hard packed so the plants died. Last year I started all flowers in larger 4x4 pots without knowing ‘slow growing’ versus ,fast growing, and I did have many plants dying of root rot, getting mold, and just not thriving period until I got them in the ground. The ones that made it thrived. Thanks for this great video! The sunflower video is also a winner.
I couldn’t find a feedback section on your website so I figured I’d post a comment here. Thank you again for the seeds and as always y’all exceeded expectations.
To those of you who haven’t purchased seeds from MIgardener, give it a shot. Imho, they’re usually better than those you get from big box stores. Thanks again y’all, cheers!
It looked to me like your fave flat was a 50 cell. 5 x 10. Regardless, good video. I haven't seen anyone talk about this topic before!
I think he grabbed the wrong one lol in his other videos he has a rigid 72 cell flat I've been trying to find some but no luck yet
Johnny's also sells the rigid cell trays.
I noticed that right away! Lol
Another thing with potting up: you have to make sure you have the room to put all those bigger plants! A flat of 36 or 72 all of a sudden becomes 2-3 TABLES full of that many 3" pots!
It's fun though! And gives your room(s) lots of fresh oxygen to breathe!
This is true!
Larger containers for seed starting are fine as long as you’re only doing a small amount of plants. I typically start 12-15 plants from seed in containers that are 4”x4” and around 5” deep. Works perfect for me and don’t have to worry about potting up and have never had issues with mold or fungus because of the extra soil
Every time I have a question you pop up a video thats perfect. Thank you!
I have been using a soil blocker for many years and have never been more successful with my seedlings. Once big enough, I transplant into homemade newspaper pots and have since done away with using plastic containers completely. The system works amazingly well. ps. Luke, I LOVE LOVE LOVE your videos. I think I've seen every single one you have ever done.
Thank you, I am considering buying Bootstrap farmer trays and pots after so many years of having to throw away trays especially. I want to do it right and get what I need the first time since it is expensive initially. I was trying to figure out what the most common size for peppers and Swiss chard lettuce etc. seed starter pots are and this helped me so much. Thanks for giving the approximate weeks they will be able to stay in the different sizes as well as this helps me determine which size as well.
I am also growing all my veggies from seed again this year. I am surprising successful with an over abundance so I have been sowing our veggie seeds very sparcely to keep more of them. I absolutely prefer growing in the ground but have been enjoying getting a head start on growing our veggie garden.
Growing from seeds is the best way to go it is extremely rewarding and fun to watch them grow so quickly.
I just got a soil blocker. I’m so bad about washing pots so I thought this would be a good idea.
Luke, thank you! I have been starting seeds in larger containers thinking I was doing them a favor...so glad I caught this before I start my seeds!!! And yes I've had all the problems you mentioned with too large cells.
I am rewatching all of these in prep for the spring.
A chopstick or popsicle stick pushed up through the bottom helps release a plant from a cell. Best wishes from Kate in Olympia, WA
After years, I still enjoy this channel. Plus I have my first greenhouse so I really need this info right now!
Whew, you guys are fast! I just got the email yesterday that trifecta had come back in stock and it was already all gone again by the time i was able to find time to sit down and order some today. 🤣 Hopefully some more is ready soon.
Anyways thanks so much for the info about the seed flats, i always appreciate your knowledge!
Very helpful explanation of WHY certain sizes matter. Thanks!
To save money I start things like tomatoes in red solo cups from the dollar store cheap and you can get several years out of them if you put them in a box in the basement out of the sun after putting the plants in the garde.
Just put my third seed order in with you Luke 🤣🤣 I gotta stop buying seeds LOL I need to expand and get another shelf with more lights this season 😬 I've already filled my two shelves from last season! I sell starts locally but business picked up this year, super excited to be growing some of the new tomato varieties from you guys! Keep up the great work 😁
Hey Luke!! Just started my seeds after watching your most recent seed starting video this morning:)
I wish I would have seen this before I got all my seed starting stuff, I bought a seed starting kit thinking it would be better for me since I consider myself a wanna-be gardener and I don't have a lot of room, someday though I'll have bigger flats and a room dedicated to seeds and growing! Thanks for your videos, they are always so very helpful!
No worries. Your seed startng kit will work just as well. Happy gardening. 😊
@@marygrott8095 Thank you, yes I agree. it's working so far, seeds have sprouted! So I'm excited!
You've got seeds to sprout, you've gone into the realm of being a gardener.
@@EhGardenerGuy indeed I have this is my 4th year (2nd year seed starting) and I learn something new each season and thanks to MI Gardener and Garden Answer, I'm getting the hang of it! ;)
This video was so helpful to me…thank you! I am going to try to start seedlings inside for the first time this spring. 🙂
Put strings in them before you put in the soil. Then you can pull up with the strings.
Clever!
Love all y'all do for us! Thank you. Blessings, julie
Thanks, Luke! I'm guilty of starting in bigger pots! 😱 Now I know better!
We have all done it!
Got some of your Giant Crimson seeds in a seed trade today! Happy to be part of rebuilding the rare species! 🇺🇸✌👍🤪😎
Thank you so much for this! I was stressing trying to plan out what seed tray I needs since I want to start from seed this year for the first time! Keep on growing❤️
Thank you!!! So glad you made this. I’m just about to start my seeds and I was going to start them all in the same size (small) container. I think I’ll end up using solo cups with poked holes for the larger plants, since I don’t want to spend the money on more starting pots :) love your videos! Thanks!
Your a life saver. I'm starting my seeds today cause I figured I can start planting them in by spring break which for me it's on the week of March 14.
I use a grapefruit spoon to transplant
I'll try that! Thanks!
Bootstrap gardener has those rigid containers with a popper tray that I ordered this year I'm so excited to try!
I used to germinate vegetable seeds in these pocket tray but mine smaller than yours, any thanks for gardening tips us such informative
I always learn alot from each of your lessons. ….thanks! 🌱🌱🌱❤️
Definitely enlightening! Thanks so much!
Did anybody else notice that his "72 cell flat" was actually a 50 cell? No hate, just couldn't help not saying anything. Always love the content!
Thanks for remarking that I shouldn't start seeds in the 3" pots this year. You are right about the moisture problem.
We have all done it, so it would just be bad of me not to talk about it.
Thank you for this!
Super helpful! Now to find a supplier online I like.
Thank you!
Burpee has some great seed starting trays that are solid with silicone bottoms so you just pop them out. Very convenient. They are more expensive but I use the one that I have all the time. I will probably get more.
Thanks!🌿💕
Wow. That was great lessons. Very informative. THANK YOU so much . Namaste
Luke, no matter how I divide it, the “72 cell” flat you kept using as an example was only fifty cells…..
How about starting in the peat containers, less shock planting them?
Luke, i swear you have a nack of posting videos 48 hours after i make that exact same mistake you are talking about. First time indoor sowing and i plopped everything in 4inch pots. Zucchini, onion, herbs, cucumbers, nasturtiums, brown eyed susans, all of em.
Thank You!
Great video! Thank you Luke! I downsized this year from a 3inch pot to using exclusively the two sizes you recommended. I'm excited about the space as I am also growing perennial flowers and garden vegetables! 😄
Does anyone have a recommendation for flats that are sturdy? The cells I use are pretty one and done, and every flat I have found so far breaks after the first year. I have resorted to using tubs that are not nearly as long just to get a sturdier plastic I can reuse.
Since I am asking you all for recommendations, I am also wondering if Pepper plants are considered slow growing and would work in the 1.5 by 1.5 inch cells. Thank you in advance for your help!
You should do a medicinal herb series/video! Specifically biblical herbs like Hyssop!
Thank you for all the in-depth, free content! Just placed my seed order from your store and looking forward to the planting season.
One question regarding containers, and a few questions unrelated:
- We have all sorts of those cardboard type egg cartons made of what looks like biodegradable material that seem like they could be useful in the garden. Obviously they would have poor drainage (no holes) and probably won’t withstand watering so I don’t know that seed starting is ideal but do you have any ideas for how to reuse these egg cartons in the garden?
- looking at past fruit tree pruning videos, there seems to be a discrepancy, some videos you have recommended spring/fall pruning and some (I think most) recommend either mid summer or (ideally) late winter, March or so for those of us in the Midwest. I get the sense that late winter is probably best but can you confirm which is the best option for pruning, or does it vary by age or type of tree.
- would love to see a video on non-garden related pest control for those of us with home gardens. My house is front-facing south, so many of my brambles and fruiting bushes are actually used as landscaping as the front yard perimeter of the house provides the best sunlight. However, we live next to wooded area and pests like mosquitos and fleas are an issue if not handled with sprays unfortunately. Out of desperation, we hired a company to spray the perimeter of the house which quickly nipped the pest problem in the bud but now that the next growing season is coming up I would prefer to handle pest control myself so that I can ensure that we avoid toxic sprays to areas of the landscaping with fruiting trees and bushes. Any suggestions for pest management of this type?
The standardized flats that I use are 10 in by 20 in.
Or what we typically call a 1020 flat.
All of my cell trays that go in my flats are size for a 1020.
I have not seen flats that are 12 in by 24 in but I suppose they are out there.
They do exist but seems to me what Luke has is the standard 1020.
I think that he sometimes has so much info to share in such a short amount of time that he gets confused 😆
My standard flats are 16 by 16!
@@gifgloria I've never seen 16 x 16 flats.
But all my local gardening supply stores greenhouses etc. use the 1020 flats.
I wouldn't use a 16x16 because I don't think I could find cells that would fit it.
If I did I'd have to order them and they would probably cost a lot more.
It's just easier for me to use what I can find and buy cells for.
Plus the way my grow shelves are set up I can fit four 1020 flats on each shelf just perfectly.
Hi! Thank you for the video! It was exactly what I was looking for. Can I do start to transplant in the 36 cell containers no matter what vegetable it is? Man I tried everything this year (first year). Peat pots, jiffy 3 inch pots, also the tiny ones. Then.. I up potted to 4 inch pots and some 3 inch pots. With my grow lights things are growing slow. So. Am I able to plant everything in the 36 cell containers or even 3 inch pots or the two by two by 3 you mentioned. Thank you.
Thanks!🌿💕
how do i transfer plants barley surviving inside (orange tree/pepper plants), to outside, thanks
btw theres 50 cells in that first flat
When I start my vegetable seeds starting from the small seeds all the way to the large seeds can I spread vermiculite on the top of all seedlings after they are put in the little cells? Or is it only certain seeds to spread the vermiculite on?
So, just to help with my planting schedule, are you able to tell us where you live? (State & Plant hardiness zone?) Thanks
I see trays which have narrow deep cells and some have wide shallow cells, though they seem to hold the same volume. Would these cell shapes affect seedling growth? How you clean that sturdy mini cell tray? Seems so tedious.
Not to be "that" guy...but...that's a 50 count cell tray, not 72. 🤪😝. Anywho...good starter points all around, thank you!
Do I have to use deep root trainers to indoor sow sweet pea seeds?
being a lazy gardener like myself I try not to up pot if I can help It so I well just go with the larger container when It comes to starting seeds Indoors
I’m just using cardboard egg cartons for starting seeds this year🤞🏽
My cabbage is turning purple, this is the first year of starting from seed. Any recommendations? Early flat dutch and copenhagen market
You are correct that a flat is 12" x 24" I believe. However, consumer trays or flats are roughly 10" x 20" inside measurement. I think they are called 1020's. Also, you forgot to cover the whole package - Tray, Insert, clear dome. I will probably just seed in the tray part this year as inserts are not available in nearby stores this year. I mark areas of different plantings with popsickle sticks or quart paint wood stirring sticks.
I know you recommend nothing larger than a 36-flat for seed starting, but if i am growing some slow-growing plants like peppers--can I go straight to those? Or would you recommend starting with the 72 then potting up. For what it's worth, I only think I will need to keep indoors for a month.
you should check out the epic 4 cells and epic 6 cells from epic gardening. they have changed my life! (ps i made sure you didnt sell seed start trays before posting it)
Would love to have those but 24 @ $59 was quite steep and I couldn't find anyone to split the 120 with me 🙁 I really don't need that many.
What do you like best about them?
@@sbffsbrarbrr they are very durable and will never need to be replaced, they have slits down the sides so that roots air prune instead of getting bound, and there's a hole in the bottom large enough for my finger to pop out the plug.
I have found that the plants, such as cucumbers and squash are best being direct sowed in the ground, since they grow so quickly.
Depends on where you live. Up here in the north I have found that starting them a couple weeks before last frost , and then planting them sometime after gives them a good warm start. When I sowed the seeds directly in the ground here, it took several WEEKS for them to be warm enough to germinate and grow very well. Once it got hot enough though, they took off like a rocket. It was too late for the melons though. But these days I do a combination of indoor starting and direct sowing of cukes, squashes, and such.
What is the ratio of flats to grow lights? How do you know how cells you can use per light?
what about watering requirements?
Interesting, so flats are the gardening equivalent of hotel pans for restaurants
How about a grow-light seedling tour?
show how you get a plant out of flat
I live in Mich. Can I grow green beans and yellow wax beans together on one of those wooden towers?
enlarge the hole in the bottom of the 72 rigid cell? big enough for finger to push the plug out?
Where do you get your tan trays for your flats? They look much more durable than the thin black plastic ones that come with flats. I’m needing to replace mine.
Hi Luke, I'm new to your channel and gardening, can you drop the links where I can buy the flats and trays, amazon has different sizes, I found 50 and 32 cell flat, but not 72 or 36 cell flat.Thanks.
i have some small yellow potato i really love .and a red one i really
love thinking about letting a few plants go to fruit going to hand cross
polinate them . and try to start new variety from seed. any suggestions
? i already know not to eat the fruit
😂 Going to channel Michael Scott, “that’s what she said”.
Did you graduate from Michigan State?
Do you ever use 144 count or 200 count cell plugs?
I have a quick question about your tomatoes start date. You said you start them 5 to 7 weeks before your last frost date. On my mi gardener seed packet it says 10 to 12. I am not sure which one to go with
I agree, last year I followed the seed staring guidelines on packets and other guidelines on when to start seeds. I ended up with huge tomato plants that would no longer fit under grow lights and took over my living room. Then had to tote them outside and in again to harden them off. This year I’m waiting a while longer😀
I noticed this as well. Some things just have a misprint lol. Peppers are 8-12 weeks, tomatoes are 6-10 weeks-ish. A couple years ago I started tomatoes at this time in February (I'm in Michigan) and ended up with huge plants everywhere, most from that group didn't make it. The ones that did didn't plant in the ground very well, but they did grow to like 8 feet tall that summer! But yeah I'm waiting this year on tomatoes until April sometime. Peppers though, I'll be starting in a couple weeks.
@@justuslightworkers Thank you for your input. I started my tomatoes too early last year I think they were huge plants
@@jenjoy4353 Thanks for your input I think I will do that as well
Do you have a link to purchase the sturdy 72 cell tray?
I wish you mentioned what trays to start onions and leeks
I don't know about onions, but my leeks go in a tray (no cells) with about 1.5 inches of soil. They don't mind root disturbance, in fact they grow thicker with root trimming and transplanting.
I'd like to see you plant some seeds.
We aren’t planting seeds yet. Not for a few more weeks!
Can not find any cell inserts for my flat trays. Have lots of flat trays that I save from year to year and just used to buy new inserts, and throw the inserts away at the end of the year. The stores have the tray, or the tray and the insert and the clear dome for sale at high cost at the stores, but no inserts by themselves for sale as they previously had. Hope to find inserts somewhere around town. Ones on Ebay are overpriced even in quantity plus shipping. Otherwise I will have to think up a way to make my own cells. Also if I were to use peat pots, that gets expensive very quickly. Toilet cardboard paper roll pots are out of question for me. Any suggestions?
Boostrap Gardener sells a variety of cells on their own, as does the Rusted Gardener :) That's where mine are all from.
In a seed cell, not a nut shell 😉
A little confused, I count 50 cells in that flat, not 72….
I grabbed the wrong one for the video. 6 x 12 or 5 x 10, they look very similar when grabbing them in a rush.
@@MIgardener thank you for everything you do, I love your videos!!
Why would you put it in a smaller container then have to move it to a bigger one before you even get it outside. Just start it in the 3by 3
That looks like a 50 cell flat to me
that is a 50 cell flat not 72 ??
fyi that's a 50 cell not 72 :)
The sound is not synchronized ;-)
Is it me or is that a 50 cell being called a 72 cell?
Size matters. For some, the smaller the better.
👍👍👍👍👍
I´d never use the seedtray You´ve shown! There are so many better models where You can poke out the plants with Your fingers from the bottom. The one You showed looks like a pain in the a**...🤷♂
I have never had any issues at all, but use whatever works.
When people tell me they are starting seeds in an egg carton I cringe. You need more soil than what fits in an egg carton. It drys out to fast.
Is it me or does you 72 cells flat looks more like a 50 cells flat? 😬