You don't want to pull your seedling out of the cell. Give it a gentle squeeze and if it feels mostly solid it's probably time to take it out. Tip the cell to a 45 degree angle and let the seedling gently fall into your open hand. If it's stubborn give a gentle push to the bottom of the cell. Never pull on the stem. Been gardening 40 years.
yup always been told not to pull the plant but tease the soil out with it. obviously if you just pull the stem the plants roots are gonna be pulled off.
I got a tray kit off of Amazon- came with little seed tray inserts, lids with vents, label sticks and miniature tools. MINIATURE TOOLS! The tiny spade is PERFECT for getting the babies out gently. I tilt, as you said- slide the spade in and voila, like taking a pizza out of the oven, lol. No push to the bottom is really needed, no damage to my babies or the trays. That kit is worth getting just for those mini tools.
An elderly lady I knew showed me from seed pack to transplant , her method for growing tomatoes: She broadcast an entire pack of seeds across the topsoil of a styrofoam ice chest, cut down to 10 inches, filled with about six inches of potting soil. The seedlings sprang up like a dense miniature forest. She pinched the top first leaves after the secondary leaves appeared. She said this triggers the plant to focus new growth in the thickness of the stem instead of its height. When these tomato plants were around eight to ten inches high, she seperated them and transplanted into individual containers. I could see that they had strong stems and thick hearty tap roots. She said starting them like this allowed them to generate much stronger taproots that prepared them better for withstanding the outdoor garden environment. She put a wooden match stick, chemical end down,in the soil of the new container right against the stem. This would deter cutworms, because they can't activate the body muscles for full penetration of the skin of the tomato's stem if there is something interfering with any of the cutworm's sucking apparatuses' along its body to make full contact. What an amazing lady.
Thank you for sharing those amazing tips! My grandad always said, pop your tomato stems way down into the pot/soil, as the stems are where it grows new roots from (which support it into the soil and provide more roots for feeding). Our toms are always strong and sturdy, and are prolific fruiters. The old ways are the best, my Grandad had so many tips, tried and tested.
@@katjoy9921 Hmmm, I don't know, But makes sense. I will wrap some material around some of mine that allows me to peek at the growth and compare them to some bottles without any material. Thank you, I love to do comparisons. 👍🧓
Milk jugs! Great for winter sowing, protects seedlings from pets, it’s a mini greenhouse, and depending on the plant, you can probably see at least some roots.
Go online! There are plenty that have a transparent cell tray that sits inside an opaque tray. Theyre usually 12 cells and come in packs of 5 oh and they come with little dome lids. Theyre awesome!
Starting seeds indoors for the first time this year, and good grief, is there a lot to learn! 😣 Just have to keep telling myself it’s okay to be a beginner and make mistakes! Thanks for the info!
What I would do is what rachel did/does from "That 1870's Homestead" She planned on buying seed.Starts every year for the first several years.When she was teaching herself how to grow things from seed. There were years that she did great her first time trying it, so she had extra seedlings.But it's better than planning on growing everything from seed.And then it's not doing well and the nurseries being sold out... It took me about 3 years to REALLY get it all down pat.
Gardening is a constant learning process! There's always new things to learn. I've been gardening almost 60 years, still learning things. Old ways, new ideas, MIgardener....it's fun! ❤🌱❤
I think of the practice of gardening as failing, and every year my new goal is to fail less. The joy and satisfaction I get comes from doing just that and having new successes I wasn't able to attain for years. There are definitely frustrations every season, but also revelations that lead to predictable success. Good luck on your journey!
Loved the hermit crab shedding its shell and the plant growing in the crack of a sidewalk metaphors - these make your propositions totally relevant, understandable, and memorable.
When I was a pro gardener we raised a lot of ornamental annuals (like tens of thousands by a two man team) and we would only pot up a young plant if you could pop the whole rootball out of the cell by giving the sides a quick squeeze and a push from the bottom. If it popped out cleanly it was time to pot up, if the seedling didn't pop up it wasn't ready. If you are doing it commercially you can't afford the time, the space, the compost or the plant losses you get if you pot up too early, if you don't have a good firm root ball you WILL damage the plant by potting it up too soon. Great vid, very well presented.
Happy to learn this lesson now, as so many have said when they have their first true leaves, I was going to move so many seedlings today. I am leaving them now.
Write down the points you want to remember. I'm starting a garden journal to keep up with planting times, germination times and such as. We aren't promised the Internet and I don't have much for gardening books so I'm starting my own! 😂
I definitely transplanted too soon. Most of the seedlings are doing well, but several are in a state of shock and probably cursing me under their breath. I've gardened most of my life, but new to starting from seed. Thanks so much for this video!
Another tip is to be mindful when they go outdoors - overcast days are ideal so they do not get a sunburn. Or hardening them off while they are still in the larger pots.
😂winter sowed in milkjugs today ...tomatoes, onion seeds, and lettuce. Wait and see what happens. Cucumbers, chards and tomatoes planted in early Feb are growing in milkjugs. We are in zone 6. Have a fun time gardening everyone.
Good info. I learned a few things I may have been doing wrong. The cranial lightbulb lit up. 😊. I’m learning more from your channel. Keep these simple and direct learning videos coming.
It really depends on the seed starting medium. If you use only coconut coir, then your seedlings will need to be either up-potted to a grow medium with compost in it or be given a little liquid fertilizer after the first set of true leaves appear. The seed has only enough nutrients to produce the first pair of true leaves.
I grow everything in 3" square pots as 18 fits 1it 1020 tray and with 4 trays of tomatoes and 3 of peppers transplanting would be so much work. i can last until they go outside in these pots and so ony one pot... i do this method every year and never have any issues...
i figure he uses the plugs because he grows literally hundreds if not thousands of them. For your average person growing a plant in his house, particularly a novice such as myself, his method seems out of place.
If you started them in seed starter soil you will need to transplant into more nutrient dense soil or your plants will suffer from lack of nutrition. Also, don't pull them out by the stem.
I transplanted because I got the feeling that they lacked nutrients. Roots were also coming out the bottom. I guess it was necessary but maybe I could have waited a. it longer.
7:10 I wondered if I transplanted my peppers too soon, but they do have small true leaves and looked a bit needy 😄 nope not much larger pots and still a few together, room needs! But I just tested old!!! pepper seeds and had a lot in a tiny pot and yup, most germinated! More peppers than I have room for!
This is great information! As a veteran of growing pumpkins and giant pumpkins, I can say that you shouldn't sleep on those. They can become root bound in 10 days in a four inch pot. They really want to expand quickly. But sometimes I'm too quick to upsize the others.
It feels like you are teaching me something that I already knew, when I know for a fact I didn't, which makes YOU an excellent communicator. I was not a good student, but I know a good teacher when I see one 😊
Thanks for this video! I did all the things im not supposed to 😂 and now know what i did wrong because you explaoned it so well. You gave me hope to try again 😂😊 yaaaaayyyy!
Seattle soil is still too cold to transplant my seedlings. 3yrs ago we had a nice early spring in March but last two yrs its been so cold in evening that ive had to wait till june. Im really impatient at this point. Can't wait till evening is atbleast 50 degrees. Thanks for your info.😊
This was so helpful and uses so much horticulture common sense. Sometimes I think us gardeners put too much stress into our gardens instead of just sitting back, being patient and enjoying the process. Thanks for the license to ‘chill’ that you inserted into your video in such a nice way.
I've been starting seeds in 2" soil blocks for 30 years or so. I find that the "container-less" blocks air prunes the roots and gives much more leeway in transplanting. ✌
I have found my new favorite trays. The reusable pop-out trays are awesome. You don't have to pull on the plant or dig out roots. Also harden off your plants before transferring outside. Especially at the start of the season.
Luke - You just cracked the code for my tomato problem. I’m up potting way too early. Sure enough my seedlings got root rot and dampening off. I need to wait longer for a bigger root system to grow. Thanks for your informational videos!!!
I start my plants- seeds in my window in toilet paper rolls filled with potting soil. They all stand up in a milk carton cut open on a long side. I get about eight in one milk carton. Once there are levels of leaves & weather is free of frost, I put each whole toilet paper roll (paper towel roll cut into 3 sections too) in a pot or card board box with soil (my garden) in my yard. Oh I forgot, I did put plastic wrap around and over the carton for humidity/heat. They have always done great.
I love your channel, bonus that I’m not too far south of you took me a bit to find some zone 6 gardeners. I have learned so much this winter watching your content and for the first time this year I’m starting a ton of my own plants! Of course I watched this video and realized I transplanted too soon…live and learn. All the transplanted things are doing okay but this explains some lack of growth for a good stretch (longer than I expected) after transplant. Now I know and seed starting will go even smoother next year.
I use the CD 60 module trays with large holes in the bottom (no squeezing necessary) and rounded sides. Seedling just slip out the trays can be used over and over. The roles also air trim and you can see when they are ready to come out.
I wish I would have seen this before I up potted all my plants last week and put majority of them in shock & died lol. 🤣 First year seed starting in TX.
Man you just saved my garden this year. I was going to transplant my seedlings this weekend because I started my seeds in small cells, but dang, they are nowhere near ready to go. Glad I only did some of my winter squashes, but those were pretty good sized. Thanks so much, man!
🥺Awww, i gave up trying to start plants inside because they all got the root rot thing and/or whatever fungus wilts them (sometimes my soil went moldy too) and ALSO, my "hardening off" didn't work and they would die once i put them in my garden (somehow i got lucky once though and SOME things were fine) but the whole "they're not ready and don't worry about the roots showing" part is also a BIG thing i was messing up with, apparently... i always was SUPER worried for my plants when i noticed the roots trying to run away, and when i tried to plant them they...definitely weren't ready, but i didn't know that either. But next year maybe i will try again, i was SO sad and shamed of myself for all my plants dying that i just couldn't bring myself to try again, but now i know better how to treat them. Lucky my huge garden has alot of perrenials and it is laughably easy to grow radishes, but without them, i would have NOTHING, plus, half my dirt SUCKED the last 2 years and things were turning yellow and all sad except for a few exceptions, but this year i am getting more compost made, and i am FINALLY done actually planning and putting my garden together, so i have more time...i am just OUT of soil though...but, with the compost, i should have SOMETHING next year.
This was so helpful. I just realized I’ve been transplanting way too soon and I’ve been pretty much killing my plants so thank you for making this. I really appreciate it!
Thank you! I was just about to transplant my seeds way too early ! Now I know there’s no rush just because I see a tiny bit of root coming out the bottom- great timing . I am determined to get some success this year after failing dismally last year to damping off ! My seedlings are so far doing great - my nerves not so good!
That was very informative ! I was thinking of transolanting my peppers and tomatoes out in the garden when they are just six weeks old and bear true leaves ! just checked two of them each kind...u r right.... still need a couple of more weeks...thanks Luke 🌹🌹🌹
Luke, I have used plastic markers and a sharpie to label my starts (like you have in the beginning of this video) then place them in the garden upon transplanting but by late in the season when the plants are producing and I want to see what varities are doing well or not so well, I find that most of the markers are so faded that I can't read them anymore. Obviously you can draw a map of the plants and save it but that doesn't help when I give starts to family and friends with the markers and they fade over time on them as well. How can you label individual plants and have it remain legible throught the entire season?
I found the answer in another one of his recent videos (10 Tips To WIN at Seed Starting!), the second tip is to use UV Resistant markers. I found Sharpie Extreme Fade Resistant markers in a 2-pack at my local hardware store (McGuckin) for $6.
@@yvonnealexander3241 I have a bunch of reusable seed-starting greenhouses that come with clear 12-cell trays. Mine are made by Vivosun, but I'm sure there's plenty of other brands out there that have a similar design.
My first time going to a nursery on opening day and it was 6 weeks before our last frost date. I saw a worker put a perennial plug from a 72 tray into a gallon pot. If they could do that I could put seedlings into 4” pots and they don’t even have their first true leaves. I saw their soil mix was light and almost have half perlite/vermiculite. I spray water only til the seedling gets bigger to avoid dampening off. This is my second year growing from seed. So far so good. But I do prefer to wait until the hermit crab out grows their shell but I over seed so I can get extra plants and when overcrowded they need to be evicted sooner than later.
Potting up. I learned my lesson the hard way. Used to overwater and transplant into wet soil. My transplants are doing great this summer. Thanks for the lesson.
Great info at the PERFECT time for me! Just saw this. I miss MI dirt - moved to GA in 1983. Can't wait to get my flower and carrot sprouts out in the garden!!
Wow. I just stumbled upon this and it was sooooo helpful! I have tried to sprout inside, and transplant many things, only for them to die within two days. They look great, get an upgrade and then poof! Gone. I thought I wasn’t acclimating them enough and they got shocked, trying to do the in and out for a couple hours a day, that didn’t work. Finally these peas I was trying to grow, I decided to just start outside.. they’re growing and I’m terrified lol this was really helpful to know! Thank you! 🙏🏼
"Go down a size from what you need." I have begun to discover this. Many annuals actually enjoy a snug, cozy cell. I love the tip about aerial roots! I've always noticed them in tomatoes and some other crops, but wasn't sure that they signified anything all that important. Thank you for a helpful video.
I often put two seeds in each cell and then transplant both into separate pots. It has always turned out ok, but do you recommend against this practice?
I did soil blocking this year with Coco Loco and sheep wool pellets. Game changing and will never go back to cell trays to start seedlings. Just up-potted this week and the growth and lushness of my seedlings are incredible.
Definitely new to me. I’m from Az. gardening and now learning Ar. gardening. I plan to go visit my local County Extension service next week to hopefully obtain a soil sample idea and hopefully plot ideas. Good luck to you.
This year i ised the 4" seedling pots. I knew i wouldnt be ready when they would normally go outsde. Still working on the garden. This way they could get bigger in the pot, with a larger root ball for stability. Almost ready for it. Had problems with extremely aggressive weeds in previous years so im spending more time preparing to guarantee success for the short growing season. Also ill be more than ready for a full growing seaon next spring.
From my experience, atleast with tomatoes and peppers which are indoors for a while before moving outside, I just put them straight into large yogurt tubs as seeds and found they've done far better than with repeated transplanting and constrained roots. Takes out the guesswork as long as I'm careful with watering and drainage.
I tried to start plants from seed last season and overall had an epic failure. This vlog helps me understand that I did not wait long enough for root development before I transplanted them either in larger pots or directly into the garden soil. I see I did everything wrong with my seedlings. TY very much for helping me see where I made mistakes. I hope this year will be much more bountiful than last. PS... I'm in southern lower MI.
Luke, the 5 weeks you mentioned, is that 5 weeks after you seeded or 5 weeks after germination? P.S. I baby my seedlings by using a popsicle stick to help pop them out of their seed trays. Thanks so much!!
You don't want to pull your seedling out of the cell. Give it a gentle squeeze and if it feels mostly solid it's probably time to take it out. Tip the cell to a 45 degree angle and let the seedling gently fall into your open hand. If it's stubborn give a gentle push to the bottom of the cell. Never pull on the stem. Been gardening 40 years.
yup always been told not to pull the plant but tease the soil out with it. obviously if you just pull the stem the plants roots are gonna be pulled off.
Bamboo kebab sticks are good.
I got a tray kit off of Amazon- came with little seed tray inserts, lids with vents, label sticks and miniature tools. MINIATURE TOOLS! The tiny spade is PERFECT for getting the babies out gently. I tilt, as you said- slide the spade in and voila, like taking a pizza out of the oven, lol. No push to the bottom is really needed, no damage to my babies or the trays.
That kit is worth getting just for those mini tools.
This is what my dad taught me long ago. Never had a problem. I’d rather ruin the plastic container than kill my seedlings 🌱
@@cbkqmom I got the same oe only the vents have grow light attachments! Such a genius idea!
An elderly lady I knew showed me from seed pack to transplant , her method for growing tomatoes: She broadcast an entire pack of seeds across the topsoil of a styrofoam ice chest, cut down to 10 inches, filled with about six inches of potting soil. The seedlings sprang up like a dense miniature forest. She pinched the top first leaves after the secondary leaves appeared. She said this triggers the plant to focus new growth in the thickness of the stem instead of its height. When these tomato plants were around eight to ten inches high, she seperated them and transplanted into individual containers. I could see that they had strong stems and thick hearty tap roots. She said starting them like this allowed them to generate much stronger taproots that prepared them better for withstanding the outdoor garden environment. She put a wooden match stick, chemical end down,in the soil of the new container right against the stem. This would deter cutworms, because they can't activate the body muscles for full penetration of the skin of the tomato's stem if there is something interfering with any of the cutworm's sucking apparatuses' along its body to make full contact. What an amazing lady.
I agree. She did right with less dli to get more root and less vegetation. Trimming back allows for more roots and less vegetation.
Excellent techniques. Love learning from elders.
Thank you for sharing those amazing tips! My grandad always said, pop your tomato stems way down into the pot/soil, as the stems are where it grows new roots from (which support it into the soil and provide more roots for feeding). Our toms are always strong and sturdy, and are prolific fruiters. The old ways are the best, my Grandad had so many tips, tried and tested.
@@spritzpistolthat’s what I have done this year. I hope it will bring me some strong tomatoe plants with lots of fruit.
@sarahgirard1405 how is your experiment turning out?
Great information! Somebody should make clear seedling trays so that we can watch the root development!
I save water and soda bottles for exactly this reason. It's so easy. You can buy clear desert cups and drinking glasses to use also.👍🧓
I read that black pots are better because roots don’t grow towards light. True?
@@katjoy9921 Hmmm, I don't know, But makes sense. I will wrap some material around some of mine that allows me to peek at the growth and compare them to some bottles without any material. Thank you, I love to do comparisons. 👍🧓
Milk jugs! Great for winter sowing, protects seedlings from pets, it’s a mini greenhouse, and depending on the plant, you can probably see at least some roots.
Go online! There are plenty that have a transparent cell tray that sits inside an opaque tray. Theyre usually 12 cells and come in packs of 5 oh and they come with little dome lids. Theyre awesome!
Starting seeds indoors for the first time this year, and good grief, is there a lot to learn! 😣 Just have to keep telling myself it’s okay to be a beginner and make mistakes! Thanks for the info!
It also helps to have someone who has been at it awhile to tell you that it's ok to be a beginner and make mistakes. We've all been there.
What I would do is what rachel did/does from "That 1870's Homestead" She planned on buying seed.Starts every year for the first several years.When she was teaching herself how to grow things from seed. There were years that she did great her first time trying it, so she had extra seedlings.But it's better than planning on growing everything from seed.And then it's not doing well and the nurseries being sold out...
It took me about 3 years to REALLY get it all down pat.
Gardening is a constant learning process! There's always new things to learn. I've been gardening almost 60 years, still learning things. Old ways, new ideas, MIgardener....it's fun! ❤🌱❤
I think of the practice of gardening as failing, and every year my new goal is to fail less. The joy and satisfaction I get comes from doing just that and having new successes I wasn't able to attain for years. There are definitely frustrations every season, but also revelations that lead to predictable success. Good luck on your journey!
Me too! I’m so happy Luke puts out so much helpful info :)
I had a couple peppers stay in their seedling tray most of the summer cause I ran out of places to plant. They both produced a pepper. 😮
Loved the hermit crab shedding its shell and the plant growing in the crack of a sidewalk metaphors - these make your propositions totally relevant, understandable, and memorable.
When I was a pro gardener we raised a lot of ornamental annuals (like tens of thousands by a two man team) and we would only pot up a young plant if you could pop the whole rootball out of the cell by giving the sides a quick squeeze and a push from the bottom. If it popped out cleanly it was time to pot up, if the seedling didn't pop up it wasn't ready. If you are doing it commercially you can't afford the time, the space, the compost or the plant losses you get if you pot up too early, if you don't have a good firm root ball you WILL damage the plant by potting it up too soon.
Great vid, very well presented.
Happy to learn this lesson now, as so many have said when they have their first true leaves, I was going to move so many seedlings today. I am leaving them now.
That is a good first indicator to see if you have good roots. I usually check root system after first true leaves are fully out.
This is SO helpful. I’m growing seeds for the first time and I’m really thankful you have so many videos for us newbies
Very interesting. I was feeling guilty about leaving my plants in the small trays, so I already moved them. I hope I remember this!
Write down the points you want to remember. I'm starting a garden journal to keep up with planting times, germination times and such as. We aren't promised the Internet and I don't have much for gardening books so I'm starting my own! 😂
I usually can tell by just looking at my plants when they need to be planted to a larger pot. I think it is just something that comes with experience.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I definitely transplanted too soon. Most of the seedlings are doing well, but several are in a state of shock and probably cursing me under their breath. I've gardened most of my life, but new to starting from seed. Thanks so much for this video!
Great advice
😂😂😂 cursing me under their breath 😂😂😂😅
Another tip is to be mindful when they go outdoors - overcast days are ideal so they do not get a sunburn. Or hardening them off while they are still in the larger pots.
I transplanted too soon also. Love Luke and his instruction
😂winter sowed in milkjugs today ...tomatoes, onion seeds, and lettuce. Wait and see what happens. Cucumbers, chards and tomatoes planted in early Feb are growing in milkjugs. We are in zone 6. Have a fun time gardening everyone.
Wish I would've known this a week ago. Live and learn. Thanks for the helpful information.
I love ALL MIgardener videos!
Good info. I learned a few things I may have been doing wrong. The cranial lightbulb lit up. 😊. I’m learning more from your channel. Keep these simple and direct learning videos coming.
I've always had terrific gardens best results ever by just planting the seeds in the ground
It really depends on the seed starting medium. If you use only coconut coir, then your seedlings will need to be either up-potted to a grow medium with compost in it or be given a little liquid fertilizer after the first set of true leaves appear. The seed has only enough nutrients to produce the first pair of true leaves.
Excellent comment. Maybe that's why his 5 week old plants look stunted.
Yep, important tip.
Excellent information I'm not hearing anywhere else. Thanks.
Murdock double cup for monster seedlings
I really learned what to do when, and stop stunting my plants. By the way I love my bootstrap product’s and seeds from you!
And then just as the plants are ready to go out, you get a surprise ice storm... :)
Yes us too
Save milk jugs, they’ll save you in a bind like late snow and ice
Murphy's Law 😆
Oh u live in Illinois too? 🥲
@@person35790 I'm in Ontario Canada, where we don't get milk in jugs. It comes in bags.
Great tips, appreciate you pulling out the underdeveloped seedling to compare roots.
This video came at such the right time!! Got my pepper seedlings growing and was wondering when to transplant, great information ty.
This was very helpful! I have had years where I transplanted my peppers and they were stunted for weeks!
Ditto!
I absolutely adore the idea of thinking of the seedlings as hermit crabs 💛
Smart tricks you are teaching us about seedlings - let them grow up before u plant them .. thanks ..
I grow everything in 3" square pots as 18 fits 1it 1020 tray and with 4 trays of tomatoes and 3 of peppers transplanting would be so much work. i can last until they go outside in these pots and so ony one pot... i do this method every year and never have any issues...
I do the same, with around 25 peppers and 25 tomatoes every year. I've never had any issues.
Excellent to hear a voice of reason.
i figure he uses the plugs because he grows literally hundreds if not thousands of them. For your average person growing a plant in his house, particularly a novice such as myself, his method seems out of place.
Thanks, you just saved me. I was about to transplant two week plants! 😅
If you started them in seed starter soil you will need to transplant into more nutrient dense soil or your plants will suffer from lack of nutrition. Also, don't pull them out by the stem.
I transplanted because I got the feeling that they lacked nutrients. Roots were also coming out the bottom. I guess it was necessary but maybe I could have waited a. it longer.
As usual very useful information. I appreciate these videos.
I have always found the best indicator for the time to pot up is a slow down in growth of the seedlings.
7:10 I wondered if I transplanted my peppers too soon, but they do have small true leaves and looked a bit needy 😄 nope not much larger pots and still a few together, room needs! But I just tested old!!! pepper seeds and had a lot in a tiny pot and yup, most germinated! More peppers than I have room for!
Give the extras away! People love free stuff. 😉
This is great information! As a veteran of growing pumpkins and giant pumpkins, I can say that you shouldn't sleep on those. They can become root bound in 10 days in a four inch pot. They really want to expand quickly. But sometimes I'm too quick to upsize the others.
agreed it really depends on the plant variety
I find a good rule of thumb for transplanting time being that if it needs to be watered every other day it will be ready to transplant.
It feels like you are teaching me something that I already knew, when I know for a fact I didn't, which makes YOU an excellent communicator. I was not a good student, but I know a good teacher when I see one 😊
Wow! This is super helpful. Thank you so much!
Thanks for this video! I did all the things im not supposed to 😂 and now know what i did wrong because you explaoned it so well. You gave me hope to try again 😂😊 yaaaaayyyy!
Seattle soil is still too cold to transplant my seedlings. 3yrs ago we had a nice early spring in March but last two yrs its been so cold in evening that ive had to wait till june. Im really impatient at this point. Can't wait till evening is atbleast 50 degrees. Thanks for your info.😊
What a contrast with separating mass seedlings. There you advocated spooning out seedlings early because of intertwining roots. Both make sense.
This was so helpful and uses so much horticulture common sense. Sometimes I think us gardeners put too much stress into our gardens instead of just sitting back, being patient and enjoying the process. Thanks for the license to ‘chill’ that you inserted into your video in such a nice way.
I've been starting seeds in 2" soil blocks for 30 years or so. I find that the "container-less" blocks air prunes the roots and gives much more leeway in transplanting. ✌
I like seed starting by soil blocking too! It's also no stress transplanting to a container because you handle the entire block.
@@soulbestrongaprilbillups4559 Exactly.
I learned about soil blocks from Eliot Coleman. 😀
Great advice! You're a wonderful teacher and I appreciate your videos. Thanks!
I have found my new favorite trays. The reusable pop-out trays are awesome. You don't have to pull on the plant or dig out roots. Also harden off your plants before transferring outside. Especially at the start of the season.
I wish I would have learned this sooner. I've been transplanting way to early. Thanks Luke!
Luke - You just cracked the code for my tomato problem. I’m up potting way too early. Sure enough my seedlings got root rot and dampening off. I need to wait longer for a bigger root system to grow. Thanks for your informational videos!!!
Who else thinks "seedling" is an adorable name for a baby plant? I smile every time someone says seedling lol.
Me!! Pretty much anything with "ling" is adorable. 🤣
Lol. This was too cute... but accurate. 🤔
I never thought about it till now....but now I will smile whenever I hear "seedling"!
@@elaineburbridge7629 hahahaha go to the videos where the person in the video says "seedlings" the most times!
Very informative.
Thank you!!
I start my plants- seeds in my window in toilet paper rolls filled with potting soil. They all stand up in a milk carton cut open on a long side. I get about eight in one milk carton. Once there are levels of leaves & weather is free of frost, I put each whole toilet paper roll (paper towel roll cut into 3 sections too) in a pot or card board box with soil (my garden) in my yard. Oh I forgot, I did put plastic wrap around and over the carton for humidity/heat. They have always done great.
That’s clever, thanks for that
Thank you! I feel more confident knowing when to transplant!
Learned about aerial roots- thanks!
Thank you! This helped a lot😊
I love your channel, bonus that I’m not too far south of you took me a bit to find some zone 6 gardeners. I have learned so much this winter watching your content and for the first time this year I’m starting a ton of my own plants! Of course I watched this video and realized I transplanted too soon…live and learn. All the transplanted things are doing okay but this explains some lack of growth for a good stretch (longer than I expected) after transplant. Now I know and seed starting will go even smoother next year.
Thank you for this video
I use the CD 60 module trays with large holes in the bottom (no squeezing necessary) and rounded sides. Seedling just slip out the trays can be used over and over. The roles also air trim and you can see when they are ready to come out.
I wish I would have seen this before I up potted all my plants last week and put majority of them in shock & died lol. 🤣 First year seed starting in TX.
Man you just saved my garden this year. I was going to transplant my seedlings this weekend because I started my seeds in small cells, but dang, they are nowhere near ready to go. Glad I only did some of my winter squashes, but those were pretty good sized. Thanks so much, man!
🥺Awww, i gave up trying to start plants inside because they all got the root rot thing and/or whatever fungus wilts them (sometimes my soil went moldy too)
and ALSO, my "hardening off" didn't work and they would die once i put them in my garden (somehow i got lucky once though and SOME things were fine)
but the whole "they're not ready and don't worry about the roots showing" part is also a BIG thing i was messing up with, apparently...
i always was SUPER worried for my plants when i noticed the roots trying to run away, and when i tried to plant them they...definitely weren't ready, but i didn't know that either.
But next year maybe i will try again, i was SO sad and shamed of myself for all my plants dying that i just couldn't bring myself to try again, but now i know better how to treat them.
Lucky my huge garden has alot of perrenials and it is laughably easy to grow radishes, but without them, i would have NOTHING,
plus, half my dirt SUCKED the last 2 years and things were turning yellow and all sad except for a few exceptions, but this year i am getting more compost made,
and i am FINALLY done actually planning and putting my garden together, so i have more time...i am just OUT of soil though...but, with the compost, i should have SOMETHING next year.
This was so helpful. I just realized I’ve been transplanting way too soon and I’ve been pretty much killing my plants so thank you for making this. I really appreciate it!
I did learn something, bud. I learn something every video you put out. Thank you.
Thank you. Perfect timing for this video, you just saved my seedlings😊
Thank you! I was just about to transplant my seeds way too early ! Now I know there’s no rush just because I see a tiny bit of root coming out the bottom- great timing . I am determined to get some success this year after failing dismally last year to damping off ! My seedlings are so far doing great - my nerves not so good!
That was very informative ! I was thinking of transolanting my peppers and tomatoes out in the garden when they are just six weeks old and bear true leaves ! just checked two of them each kind...u r right.... still need a couple of more weeks...thanks Luke 🌹🌹🌹
I. Just. Learned. So. Much!
Luke, I have used plastic markers and a sharpie to label my starts (like you have in the beginning of this video) then place them in the garden upon transplanting but by late in the season when the plants are producing and I want to see what varities are doing well or not so well, I find that most of the markers are so faded that I can't read them anymore. Obviously you can draw a map of the plants and save it but that doesn't help when I give starts to family and friends with the markers and they fade over time on them as well. How can you label individual plants and have it remain legible throught the entire season?
I found the answer in another one of his recent videos (10 Tips To WIN at Seed Starting!), the second tip is to use UV Resistant markers. I found Sharpie Extreme Fade Resistant markers in a 2-pack at my local hardware store (McGuckin) for $6.
I love the clear cells. Easy to see what happening
Where can you get the clear cells ???
@@yvonnealexander3241 I have a bunch of reusable seed-starting greenhouses that come with clear 12-cell trays.
Mine are made by Vivosun, but I'm sure there's plenty of other brands out there that have a similar design.
Soooo helpful! Thanks, Luke!!
Thank you! I have been learning slowly the last two years and have made so many mistakes. It’s any wonder I keep trying to grow stuff.
so appreciate this channel Greatful its here for information n your kindness
Sir, yiu and your channel are the best gift the YT algorithm brought me in ages!! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for this information. And, yes, I've been doing it all wrong. But, no longer!
What were you doing wrong ?
My first time going to a nursery on opening day and it was 6 weeks before our last frost date. I saw a worker put a perennial plug from a 72 tray into a gallon pot. If they could do that I could put seedlings into 4” pots and they don’t even have their first true leaves. I saw their soil mix was light and almost have half perlite/vermiculite. I spray water only til the seedling gets bigger to avoid dampening off. This is my second year growing from seed. So far so good. But I do prefer to wait until the hermit crab out grows their shell but I over seed so I can get extra plants and when overcrowded they need to be evicted sooner than later.
Wow...learned so much and perfect timing too.
Ditto! I was gonna go fuss over the seedlings tomorrow, LOL.
Potting up. I learned my lesson the hard way. Used to overwater and transplant into wet soil. My transplants are doing great this summer. Thanks for the lesson.
I've been sharing all of your videos with my daughter.
Great info at the PERFECT time for me! Just saw this. I miss MI dirt - moved to GA in 1983. Can't wait to get my flower and carrot sprouts out in the garden!!
Wow. I just stumbled upon this and it was sooooo helpful! I have tried to sprout inside, and transplant many things, only for them to die within two days. They look great, get an upgrade and then poof! Gone. I thought I wasn’t acclimating them enough and they got shocked, trying to do the in and out for a couple hours a day, that didn’t work. Finally these peas I was trying to grow, I decided to just start outside.. they’re growing and I’m terrified lol this was really helpful to know! Thank you! 🙏🏼
I shared with a couple garden groups here in Texas
Love your enthusiasm!
Excellent information Luke, thank you 👍🧓
"Go down a size from what you need." I have begun to discover this. Many annuals actually enjoy a snug, cozy cell. I love the tip about aerial roots! I've always noticed them in tomatoes and some other crops, but wasn't sure that they signified anything all that important. Thank you for a helpful video.
Great video, Luke! Thanks
Amazing video! Thank you so much for the knowledge 🙌❤️ Love your channel and your content 👍
Hi Luke, Another excellent video. Very helpful information. Thank you for sharing your knowledge to help us make better choices. Have fun, Mark : )
I often put two seeds in each cell and then transplant both into separate pots. It has always turned out ok, but do you recommend against this practice?
That was super concise and helpful. Thank you!
I transferred my tomatoes to a bigger pot too soon, but i see them growing fine, nice and healthy.
I did soil blocking this year with Coco Loco and sheep wool pellets. Game changing and will never go back to cell trays to start seedlings. Just up-potted this week and the growth and lushness of my seedlings are incredible.
Definitely new to me. I’m from Az. gardening and now learning Ar. gardening. I plan to go visit my local County Extension service next week to hopefully obtain a soil sample idea and hopefully plot ideas. Good luck to you.
Thank you, great information!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
This year i ised the 4" seedling pots. I knew i wouldnt be ready when they would normally go outsde. Still working on the garden. This way they could get bigger in the pot, with a larger root ball for stability. Almost ready for it. Had problems with extremely aggressive weeds in previous years so im spending more time preparing to guarantee success for the short growing season. Also ill be more than ready for a full growing seaon next spring.
you should get seed trays with a black top to stop the light but clear underside to see the roots
Thank you for making this video. I now know what my mistake was last year - I transplanted too early - snapping off too many roots.
From my experience, atleast with tomatoes and peppers which are indoors for a while before moving outside, I just put them straight into large yogurt tubs as seeds and found they've done far better than with repeated transplanting and constrained roots. Takes out the guesswork as long as I'm careful with watering and drainage.
I tried to start plants from seed last season and overall had an epic failure. This vlog helps me understand that I did not wait long enough for root development before I transplanted them either in larger pots or directly into the garden soil. I see I did everything wrong with my seedlings. TY very much for helping me see where I made mistakes. I hope this year will be much more bountiful than last. PS... I'm in southern lower MI.
Luke, the 5 weeks you mentioned, is that 5 weeks after you seeded or 5 weeks after germination?
P.S. I baby my seedlings by using a popsicle stick to help pop them out of their seed trays.
Thanks so much!!
Do you have any videos about clippings/cuttings dos and donts
What are your thoughts on using Mycorrhizal Fungi when transplanting?
Awesome, thanks!
Always love some good transplanting tips. Just the bottom watering tip is so right! Do you ever use rockwool?
Excellent video! I’ve made nearly all these mistakes 😂😂 thanks for educating us ❤