1. She didn't fertilize her seedlings. 2. Waited too long to transplant and allowed the plants to get too big. 3. She failed to harden them off. The process of exposing your seedlings gradually to the sun, wind, fluctuating temperatures, and not being watered as often. 4. She planted them in the garden too early and they all froze.
I hate transplanting things, so I just start everything in solo cups (with a hole drilled in the bottom of each). Roomy and re-usable, no fiddling with bitty plants. I put my potting soil/garden mix in the bottom 2/3 of the cup and put seed starter in the top 1/3 so the seeds can start easily, and then grow to reach the more nutrient-rich soil beneath. This has saved me a lot of time and tedium!
@@macrocoachkellimichelle I make my own seed starting mix with peat moss. You can also put very small perlite pebbles in in. Peat has no nutrition so I always fertilize (diluted) after they pop up and have leaves. Way cheaper than seed starting mix. Sometimes I just use potting mix.
I actually get really mad when people see my garden and say "Well, you just have a green thumb." No. I work my butt off and learn over time! I have watched countless videos, read articles, and read books about what to do and what not to do in the garden. Then, I bust my butt working outside at it. Weeding, spreading compost and mulch, tying up plants, turning the compost, etc. It is not luck or instinct. It is hard work, experience, and knowledge.
I appreciate it too. Because I didn't know any of this and have killed a few seedlings I successfully sprouted, but didn't know what to do next! 🥴 oops!
1:31 - 1. She didn't fertilize her seedlings. 3:06 - 2. Waited too long to transplant and allowed the plants to get too big. 6:19 - 3. She failed to harden them off. The process of exposing your seedlings gradually to the sun, wind, fluctuating temperatures, and not being watered as often. 7:54 - 4. She planted them in the garden too early and they all froze.
Some of the best lessons we learn, we learn when we fail. But your failure was really a success! You took that experience and shared it with thousands of others, so they could learn from your experience. Thank you for sharing!
I love the show. I would like to leave a little tip that I learned about starting seeds. Tip: place a cup of water in your blender with a garlic clove. blend and strain into your spray bottle. top up with water and use this to water your seeds. This mixture prevents damp-off! hope I've helped a little.
Thank you so much Sarah! This is my first year starting my own seedlings, I usually buy plants from the nursery. I wasn't sure when to fertilize them, and when to replant if the garden wasn't ready. Your bad luck last year will help me this year, thanks again!! We would be lost without ya'll!!!
THIS is why my seedlings died last spring! UGH! Thank you for posting this. I'm such a noobie when it comes to this stuff still. Make mistakes and learn! That's how it goes!
Sarah, We have done what you have been saying for the last 25 years. Hey Sarah, we had a lot of our plants freeze as well a few years. We were told to plant after Mother's Day; well in June, we had frost. What we do now is get buckets from our bakery to cover plants; just in case we get that frost it sure help to keep them warm. Good information for people.
I hear ya! In East Central Minnesota, my large garden at my dad's is in a low area, prone to lower temps. One year, we had THREE hard frosts until June 12th; almost a full month after the suggested plant date of May 15th. I lost almost everything, and what did survive was stunted and had later harvest dates. We had a very warm Spring that year too, Dad (not a gardener) was harping on me for not planting in April. Live and learn.
This is where so many folks have problems is starting their seeds to early. It is not good to keep transplanting seedlings from pot to pot to pot to pot. I start my seedlings into a pot big enough to hold them for 30 days with out getting so root bound. If you put a oscillating fan on them in the greenhouse to harden them up will save you a lot of heartaches.
Yes, during the winter we get so excited and anxious for spring gardening that we tend to jump the gun and start seeds in January. I did that one year, it cost me dearly since I ended up having to purchase starts in late May to replace all my failed seeds, I learned a valuable lesson. Patients is a virtue for sure!
agree , i sow them in small portion in the ground which i have control over so no issue of space , i also plant one badge in pot . i do 3 or 4 badges so i always have backup
I've started seedlings for the first time this year. I really think I am repeating most of these mistakes...lol.. I actually transplanted a few and they died. So I waited and now have a couple that seem to be still alive. I am having fun learning. And I can still buy plants at the garden stores around so I am not to upset. Been wanting to do this forever and finally moved to a place I could last fall....Really enjoying it so far.
U will have better luck next year! The hardening off is most difficult because taking in and out is a pain. However, you will be amazed at how strong they get in just a week. Best wishes.
😭 I know your pain. My seedlings were healthy and strong, and I had at least 12 varieties of perennial flowers which I was sooo excited for. We had planned a fishing trip and I watered all of my trays, and made sure they were all wet before I left. I underestimated the power of 3 days,came back all ALL of them were completely dead with no chance of reviving them. It was heartbreaking because they were ready to be potted up and all had their true leaves. I learned a technique to prevent this if you need to leave anywhere and that’s to place a hand towel on the bottom of the seedling trays and wet it, and then place your cells on top of it, and cover the tray with a humidity dome. This will prevent the leaves and roots from completely drying out over the course of a few days.
You might want to consider cold frames as well. You can put the seedlings in there pretty early to harden off. Keep them watered and open the frames a little more each day. You have to watch them so they don’t cook in there because it will get pretty warm pretty fast. When you get to the point where they are open most of the day you can put screen over the frames so they get filtered light. It’s always worked for me.
Hi. If you're busy or if your springs tend to be uncertain as to when it's safe to plant, I suggest starting in the 36 count trays, these hold 36 plants and give a lot more dirt than the 72 or smaller planting trays. That way instead of having to pot up, you don't have to do anything, and can generally weather cool or rainy outdoor conditions that aren't good enough to plant in, or handling another project or crisis while your plants grow comfortably in their large size pots, knowing you've got an extra week or two built in by using the 36 count trays. It saves me every year as things are so busy in springtime, it's a real luxury to be able to let the tomatoes, onions and lettuce just sit and grow in their trays while I focus on whatever needs doing around the homestead.
Love your greenhouse. I was newbie in 2018 I have learned so much from other gardeners. I love TH-cam it has helped me out so much. And now I get so many great comments on my garden. I started my garden 6ft x16ft and now it's 45ft by 18 ft..
A tip that many might miss regarding transplanting things like Tomatoes: Don't make the mistake of just planting in a 6 inch or larger pot to start, thinking that will eliminate transplanting. For tomatoes, and other plants that can grow roots from the stems, transplanting up from seedling, to 2 inch, to 4 inch, to 6 inch, is an important sequence because each time you transplant you bury as much of the stem as you can get into your pot, giving the plant more, and deeper, roots. And don't wait so long for each transplanting that you can't bury most of the stem when you do it.
No way......ive started everything from seeds and never transplanted anything from smaller pots to lrgr to lrgr.....for 40 years......... Plant in 4" pot....at the right time put in garden...... I use fish fert and SUPERTHRIVE....THATS IT...WATER ALL WITH AND PUT SAME IN HOLE WHEN TRANSPLANTING....LOTS OF WATER TILL THEY PERK UP... Too tall tomatoes...lay on their sides and have 4-5" sticking up.....
If the stem is too long to bury, it can be laid in a trench to bury most of the stem. The top sticking out will turn and begin to grow upward in several days.
One year I lost all my tomatoes when my greenhouse heater went out on a 19 degree night. One year I lost all my tomato seedlings when i didn’t give them enough light and they got leggy and fell over dead. One year I burnt up all my tomatoes when I forgot to open my greenhouse vents on an early spring clear 70 degree day. It was literally 126 degrees in the greenhouse. I feel your pain.
I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes! One year I grew from seed a magnificent tomato plant, was home to move the plant from window to window for light exposure, hardened it off, it was 4' around...dug a hole and did NOT let it warm up for 2-3 days FIRST prior to transplanting. Since I live in Fairbanks, Alaska, this last omission was a fatal one. I was heartbroken, having spent months and hours raising this "child". Later on in the summer one tiny green tomato appeared, prompting a friend to name the plant "Lazarus". I did not plant, grow, or accept as a gift, any tomato plant for nearly 10 years.
Thank you Thank you Thank you. Guess what I will being doing today....Fertilizing my starts. I had no idea..... love that you share both success and failures...we all need each other to learn from.
I live in ND right on the line between zones 3 and 4. I cannot tell you how many times I have planted and replanted and replanted and REplanted tomatoes... all because I got impatient and didn't wait until the last frost date!! (Our last frost date isn't until late May/early June) One year I replanted FOUR times...got to be rather expensive because at that point I was having to purchase plants rather than use seedlings I had started!! I LOVE your show and as one who has been gardening for over 30 some-odd years I have really learned a LOT from your experiences!! God bless you and your family!!
What makes you one of my favorite channels to "watch & learn" from is your willingness to be transparent with what's working and what isn't working! You & Kevin inspire me with your research, your enthusiasm, your partnership, and the diverse topics you cover! I'm most impressed that you haven't bought store meat in so many years! 👏 I love your "how to make" videos, and your gardening videos! Your kitchen & food preservation videos are wonderful! Would love to see more videos about how "systematically" run your homestead......the "organization" & "money-saving" side! 😀 I've noticed that you are both superb "problem-solvers". Love to see more about how to sustain the homestead without modern conveniences, as well. 💙💜 your channel! You have a beautiful family!
I live in NC. Our last frost date is March 15th. However, I usually plant tomato around April 10th. That way, I’m sure the threat of frost is over. I start the seeds inside in middle of February. In about three weeks. Start taking the seedlings outside to get more light. Only about three to four hours a day. Then as they grow taller, I transplant from plug size into solo cups that have holes cut out in bottom, so plant can drain. As they grow taller keep transplanting to bigger pots till planting time. I will feed the miracle grow after second set of leaves come out.
Great video! Thank you for your personal experience and observations. Here's a tip I learned. You need CLEAR covering over your greenhouse and you will find the greenhouse is warmer (even in the winter) and the plants will grow better and faster. To increase the heat in the greenhouse have a composting pile in the middle (with leaves and some wood chips) wrapped in a BLACK tarp (you can even go higher with your composting pile). The composting pile will produce about 4 months of heat and the black will attract the sun's heat during the day while the sun's UV rays through the CLEAR covering (not opaque). I learned this through surviving winter RVing and even growing microgreens inside without soil.
Many thanks for sharing your experience! I‘ve been gardening including vegetables for over 40 years and I continue to learn new things through mistakes every year. This year‘s lesson: start tomatoes indoors in mid to late March and not before. They are very leggy and this year we have had the coldest spring on record preventing me from getting them outside during the day. Every growing year is a new adventure! Don’t get discouraged! Keep learning and trying! Success comes to those that don’t give-up!
All of my basil seedlings died last year, and I think you covered all the reasons. I never had the chance to plant them before they died. I'm determined to have something grow this year, and I think I'm only to plant one type. I don't have the space for much. Thanks for this video!
I am retired and stARTED gardening as a hobby. I was lucky enough to do my homework before I planted my seeds. I live in India (Chennai), so we don't have to worry about the last frost. Thanks once again and hope you have a great harvest this season.
Pay attention to the forecast and cover if you need to. Also, if you have cabbage bug issues, you don’t want to plant your kale, cabbage and brassicas too late you may not get a good harvest before pests hit. They are very hard to combat and planting early gives you a better chance for a reasonable harvest before peak bug season.
Thank you Sarah. I'm a gardening enthusiast that does things without much thoughts. Now I can understand why my vegetables die easily in the very early stage of growth. God bless. From Malaysia
I never fertilize my seedlings, the seed starting mix is enough. I sometimes wait too long because of the last frost date being extended. I never harden off my seedlings. I do all these things "wrong" but my seedlings get a bit stressed and eventually survive and thrive. Most likely, the reason you failed is mostly because they all froze, and they would've survived had it not been for the frosts.
Thanks for the pointers. I'm getting ready to move my seedings to bigger pots and didn't realize they already should have been fertilized! Today is the day.
Sarah, I hope I spelled your name right. I wanted to let you know I think you are so good at teaching and speaking. So is your husband. I learn so much. I might not remember it all but most of it sticks in my mind. Keep up the good work. Love you guys.
And the "soil" you use for seeds is sterile. You can also transplant your seedlings before they get their true leaves. This is actually better because if you separate multiple seedlings it will disturb the roots less. I use a pencil to take the seedlings out and only grab the leaves, not the stems. Check out The Rustic Garden and Charles Dowding TH-cam channels...they are great!
Thank you so much! Planted 72 seeds in seed pods and they have all broke ground and some are coming up about an inch...today is 3/4 and we are getting the coldest temps and extended freezing temps over the next several days! Appreciate all the information!
This was super helpful. New gardner learning and im about to start my seedlings inside. This info all in one place has saved me loads of time. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm starting seeds right now for the first time in a long time and at our new home. I'm so scared they will all die and I will have wasted so much money. I will use all your tips for sure! Hope your season grows well.
I have found that pushing seedlings out from the bottom of plug tray with a stick that is diameter of drain hole, does the least damage to it. Works only for plug trays, I have done 288 and 98 with zero broken seedlings. Mixing some fertilizer in your growing medium saves one step as well. I don't always remember to fertilize later, this way I don't have to.
Great idea about this stick! The natural fertilizers we use are mostly liquid. I might think about how we can incorporate them into the seed starting mix.
I have a grow light set up inside and all of my seedlings on trays. Then on warm sunny days I'll take the outside for a few hours and then bring them in over night. I do need to transplant and fertilize more often, though! Here's to a great growing season to all!
Thank you so much for sharing. I will be posting a video on my channel about my seed starting journey and how I failed miserably. Everything that I started from seed died, but I tried again and now I’m having so many success that I’m giving them away because I have too many. Now I know what I did wrong! Thank you!
Hello, Thank You for sharing. I would like to HELP to make your life even easier with seedling. Just use 1/ 4 of worm casting on top of your growing media. When you first plant your seeds and if you move to a large pot just repeat.. You NEVER have to worry above doing anything wrong again and just watch them grow. Remember to bottom water only. This is do you wetting the roots first so they can Bring in the nutrients next.
I am doing grow bags because we don't have access to plant a garden and my seedlings are doing ok in the grow bags but seem to be stuck at an inch and a half high with first leaves on the tomatoes and peppers...Could I still get the worm casting and sprinkle some around the seedlings and water it in?... I have to water the bags from the top but am very careful to do small amounts but often...When they are dry on top...Appreciate your thoughts...
Tomatoes and peppers both will stop growing when night or day temps go below 55 degrees might be one cause.. Next you can add worming casting any amount at any time on top of the soil.. It will never cause harm. Just for helpful info...you can grow in pure casting in any size pot if you wish. Thanks for asking.
I teach organic gardening through the northern CA. Snap-Ed program and workshops @ my local community garden, I add worm casting and Amazonite to my grow bags, every 4 weeks, I love the grow bags for my cabbage, napa cabbage, lettuce, and chard. The grow bags are great in my opinion however the nutrients get washed away quicker then other growing options, so fertilizing more often helps and if your water is highly chlorinated it is good to fill a 5-gallon bucket with water then let sit out for a day or two before watering your containers. Chlorine kills the beneficial microbes in the soil that feed your veggies, chlorine will evaporate if you let it sit out for a day or two.
Happy Lemonhead - GREAT to hear you are a teacher. Can you share any info of research from any colleges that you might have. First: What % of Amazonite is plant available.. ? 2nd: Chlorinated water kills BM. I heard it does not. There is test on youtube showing it does not. 3rd: What beneficial microbes ( there specific name That are kill by it ) . Because there is none working in grow bags.. THANK YOU in advance.
Also Remember that roots grow according to the watering. Frequent water but small amounts might be stopping the roots from growing deeper in the soil. I learned when I started a succulent garden that it is important to water thorough sometimes depending on the plants. Maybe this is something you could look in to to help your plants. Good luck!
All of what what was mention is important and I thank you so much for pointing it out. I have many failures too, I'm glad seeds are cheaper that my other hobbies. LOL I plant mine in stages. A bit time consuming, but I don't need 15 or 20 of the same vegetables all at once. Im not good at canning and not enough space for freezing. Usually after 3 weeks after the first batch, I germinate another 10 depending on the season. Of course, this is only for family consumption. Extra goes to extended family, friends, neighbors.
Also remember.. If you live in a rural area (or non city center area) the nightly temps will be a few degrees less than what the weather forecast days. So if it says it's 32... It will probably be below freezing at your homestead
not everywhere I would like you to consider those who live in east tx since at least three climates are in the area and constantly interfere with each other
Thanks Ive struggled last few years and this was helpful as I no longer am able to grow directly from a garden, nor am I familiar to the new seasons and this made a lot of sense.
I did all these same things!! Last year was my first time growing from seeds and Learned the hard way. thank you for your candidness and willigness to share!
I spoke to my My grandmother and I told her I was planting, what does she say oh I just threw jalapeños seeds into the garden and omg they are growing so big.😑 (I am nurturing them and caring for them with my life and they are wilted and possibly dying) 🥺
Isn’t that so frustrating?! My dad said the same types of things to me (he grew up on a farm and they never started indoors back then). My starts have all gone to shit and I’ve babied the heck out of them! Ha
Save money. Brassica family -one week before last frost put seeds directly into ground about 60 per sq foot, do not touch inspect or play with, when they reach 3 to four inch tall loosen the soil with a fork and remove plants by the hand full and tap the roots gently to remove excess soil. At this stage you can treat against club root or give it a miss if you are organic, put root down in a container to stop roots drying out, plant in prepared rows within two hours water if the ground is dry, apart from weeding leave them alone. Do not use fertilizer of any sort on sprouts you will end up with then bolting and growing fluffy instead of the hard sprouts that you like, Keep your green house for plants that actually need that sort of care. If in doubt ask your grandmother before you plant anything she was around before plastic seed trays and You Tube.
Thank you for showing this. Many people only show success. This helps us to know we are not alone if it is not a success the first time yet try again with what we learned. Thank you for allowing us to learn and see perseverance and the learning which did lead to the success you were striving for.
Thanks for sharing your past experience of planting seeds. I knew of a few of the rules but didn’t know everything. I have started seedings and so far everything is growing. I’m and hoping to get about 500 vegetables, fruits and flowers out of these seedling. Good luck on your seedlings hope everything grows. Keep us posted.
Thank you so much, I'm only gardening 7mths now, I have had great success planting directly into the ground but any time I tried planting indoors from seed they all started well but exactly as you described they didn't thrive. Thanks to your video I now have a lot more understanding of where I'm going wrong. Many thanks
You were in a new place. I've moved several states, different zones and soil & conditions. It's like learning all over again even though you have been successful. Also, different needs; different plants. Then trying to learn organic permaculture practices makes things a new experience as well. This year we are starting many things from seeds but considering raised beds. We are buying a few plants. The soil at our new house is still being "built" I'm still in "training" on that issue; learning the plants & trees that are already here & what care they need because of gross neglect. Some plants were here & I couldn't Identify them nor understood if some were weeds or purposely planted. I also have lots of room but all full of crab grass, weeds, very invasive vines & challenges because of little to no topsoil. We are hiring an expert to prune old trees and deciding what new ones to plant. Just alot to know and to put to practice. Thanks for sharing it was helpful.
You are so brave and encouraging at the same time to share those struggles and I truly appreciate the help. Just started germinating seeds now. I'll take note of the tips. Thanks and a lot and God bless you
Save money brassica family one week before last frost put seeds directly into ground about 60 per sq foot, do not touch inspect or play with, when they reach 3 to four inch tall loosen the soil with a fork and remove. at this stage you can treat against club root or give it a miss if you are organic. put root down in a container to stop roots drying out, plant in prepared rows within two hours water if the ground is dry, apart from weeding leave them alone. Do not use fertilizer of any sort on sprouts you will end up with then bolting and growing fluffy instead of the hard sprouts that you like, Keep your green house for plants that actually need that sort of care.
I found this one just in time. It's the first time I'm trying to grow just these vegetables from seed. I live on Long Island NY and everything I read said these need to go in a month before our last frost date. When I have planted them before - with very limited success- I relied on the nurseries to have plants. Well they don't have them that early so I decided to grow from seed this year. My seedlings haven't gotten their true leaves yet so I found you just in time - I never would have used fertilizer before planting in the garden! I do know about hardening off and I probably used too big a peat pot to start them in so I won't need to transplant - but being I'll plant them right in the pots I think I'll be ok there. I will give them a little more time depending on the weather. Thank you so much. Wish me luck. !
hello can i add 5th , you did in one badge , always do in batches , sow 1st 20 then next 20 then next 20 with gap of few days , now even if u did mistake in 1st badge , you will get signs and you can always get reminded and fix it in next badge and if any drastic mistake or climate change still u will never loss all ur plants at once , u will always have backup .
Two years ago I came upon this video. The title caught my eye as I was new to seed starting. Thank you for honestly sharing your mistakes, I learned several things that I didn't know. Have been a suscriber ever since. Keep up your great teaching!
I don't have a natural green thumb, however my father in law is a very seasoned gardener and he swears planting by the moon phases....I've been listening to his ques on when to plant what etc etc and so far.....my thumbs are blessed. Thanks for these tips.....I will pay attention to your mistakes and learn
Thanks for this video. I am pretty inexperienced at gardening and my last efforts happened years ago. But this spring I am going to start anew. It really helps me to hear experienced people talk about how this is all a learning process.
I have been following 3 to 4 garden channels as I have done all the above mentioned mistakes. Another good tip I heard is using biodegradable paper(like Dixie cup) she uses 2 holes on the bottom of first inserts 2nd with no bottom, the first can be used again the second goes in the grand & protects from toot shock keeps it warm & when yiu water the water stays around root better.
Thank you so much for this!! I've had trouble at times too with seedlings living in a cold climate so i was so glad to see this vid and just in time!! Will start them inthe next few days and i won't feel guilty about putting them out later!!
I've been gardening for quite a while, but typically buy starts from a nursery or direct sow. This year I'm trying my hand at sprouting seeds indoors, 8 weeks before my intended plant out. It was helpful to hear how you analyzed your mistakes. Thanks for the good info!
This video was very detailed ,and helpful.I really enjoyed this video,it helped answer all my questions about why my plants died and what I was doing wrong...Now I understand,however I am in zone 9 don't have to worry about frost!! Just the heat!..Thank you for sharing.
Yeah big learning curve. I'm in zone 10b and quickly found that my best growing season is from November to maybe July then it's too hot and wet for most veggies. I only had luck with peppers through last year. My tomatoes stayed so wet the main stems were growing roots. And just failed miserably. So far so good but I'm so worried I might catch a frost between now and march.... fingers crossed. I'm almost ready for fruiting to begin.
John Burgess what kind of tomatoes are you trying this year in 10b? I have some roma started from seed. Just put them in the ground as two inchers. If roots appear up the stem, I figure I need to replant them deeper or build up soil around them.
@@thehomeplatespecial597 those that went wrong were determinants. The ones I have now are indeterminant and no idea what they are except they we left over vine ripened tomatoes I got at the store to eat. My winters are pretty good. Hasn't gone below 40F so far and been pretty dry. My summers are hot and wet. Daily rain and 90-100+F. Just a backwards season. I have so far little tomatoes growing. 1-2 inch diameters so far and growing hopefully. I'm iffy with indeterminants in containers. Not sure how it's going to work out if the plant will continue to grow past 4 ft, if the fruits will be small, I don't know. I'm watering and fertilizing but feel like the plant will get root bound at some point.
Thanks so much. I've been gardening since I was a kid with my Dad. I have tried several times to start from seed only to fail again and again. Just gave up when I found a great green house that sells organic seedlings. But would like to try again now that you gave me more info. God bless
Hope all is goin well with your Greenhouse. I first started, with a Greenhouse. All my seedlings passed away. So I moved thr Greenhouse to the deck. Well it rained, that spring, it rained, and rained and all the seeds started growing. Since I thought they passed away, I did not label anything. As the plants were growing, I had to ask my Dad, what was the plants coming up. Melons, grew, and Zucchini.
I just love your humility and your integrity!! This type of characteristic displayed is definitely how we all can learn. Thanks for the tips andcequallybthank you (and your husband) for your fun, honest approach to gardening!!
I have been looking into gardening as well, and I have been reading up on it and have a few questions. All of the list of plants you gave are members of the cabbage family, how do you plan on dealing with pests? From what you said, it sounds like you started them all at once, wouldn't that lead to them being harvested around the same time? I had been reading that it is better to spread out when you start them if you want fresh plants continuously. This would also help stop all of your seedlings from dying from the same thing, as you could prepare the later sprouts to better deal with whatever killed the earlier ones. What gives you the impression that they needed nutrients, rather than failing to be hardened off? Did you use a potting mix or seed starting mix? If so, they should have been fine in that regard. I am asking because apparently things can go very wrong if you fertilize improperly. From what I've read there are three numbers that describe a nutrient ratio, and some plants are particular about how much they get. Some plants, like blueberries, are picky about the soil pH as well. And as if too little nutrients weren't bad enough, too much can hurt plants as well, though I don't know how delicate this balance is. I also don't know if liquid fertilizer follows this rule as well or not.
Does anyone plant heeding the phase of the moon? My parents always had huge, very productive gardens. They always planted in regards to the phase of the moon, and, of course, after the last frost date. Root veggies were planted in a different phase than tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. but I can't remember which phase for which.
Annual flowers and veggies that produce ABOVE ground, from New Moon to 1st day of Full Moon. Perennial flowers and plants that produce BELOW ground from day after Full Moon to day before New Moon.
Thank you, Kathy. Makes perfect sense. I thought it was full moon for above, new moon for below but wasn't sure. My dad used to buy the Old Farmers Almanac for the table of moon phase listings and plant accordingly. Thank you for making it clear!
I agree that gardening is a learned skill. I’m not sure how the “green thumb” notion got started but gardening isn’t mysterious or mystical although it may have seemed that way to folks a long time ago! I grew up in the country where gardening was second nature to most people. I inherited a love of flowers from my moms family and ended up owning a greenhouse for a while. Folks today have it sooo much easier when it comes to garden wisdom thanks to the internet and TH-cam channels like yours! You can look up most everything you need to know. When I started out commercially I bought tons of books and did lots of trial and error!! I think the most important part is enjoying the process. I got so much satisfaction going out to the greenhouse in the morning and seeing how much the plants had grown the night before.
I hear ya. After a chicken got out of the run and ate ALL my peas I wanted to give up. When I got back to my special chair I saw the other package of peas I hadn't planted. What made me buy 2 packages? What made me plant only one package? Cause this is all a learning experience for me. And I love it !
Great video. My neighbor always used to say "wait until after the iceman days". In other words, wait until after the last frost. I did and always had wonderful tomatoes. That was in WI. I live in AZ now and miss those homegrown tomatoes.
I can so relate to these errors. We learn as we grow! One tip I learned this year about the timing of hardening off and frost date planting time: check the two-week forecast. While it won't be 100% precise, it provides helpful trends about nighttime lows and daytime highs. I didn't harden off perfectly this year, but I managed not to kill anything but a few potatoes that drowned in the rain. Keep learning!
I planted my first seedlings…. including my first plant…. ever…. and I’m 43 (better late then never…. lol) luckily, I thought beforehand to use my cheap seeds because I knew I’d make mistakes my first time; and I did…. everything you said; all my seedlings were doing great then they all suddenly wilted overnight; It can be frustrating but, I spent and still continue to, hrs and hrs of researching; I found that’s, as they say, “a green-thumber” (as with anything): a desire to learn and ask, and fueling that desire in continuation despite failure; I can’t imagine gardening 10-15 yrs ago versus now, when we have access to SO much information and are able to hopefully learn from yours, and others, mistakes beforehand so we don’t have to repeat them. Thanks for the video ! Shalom ; )
Great advice thank you so much for the tutorial I didn't know what hardening plants meant I live here in Florida and we don't really have Frost but it was nice to know that just like I failed last year so did other people looking forward to new season thanks again sincerely April garrahan
If you transplant in mild , wet weather with more ahead you can get away with minimal hardening off , especially for cole plants . And they are not bothered by a light frost. Water them in well , and covering them with a light row cover will give added insurance.
When you look at an amazing garden you also see that who ever did it made ALOT of mistakes along the way! lol. The more amazing the garden the more you can tell how much work they really did do in order to be able to get to that point! Great video!
@@chanelprincess6061 yes!! it takes sometimes WEEKS to prepare soil and cultivate it FIRST before you can even plant! its tiring and labor intensive sometimes, but SOOOO worth it in the end! dont give up! keep trying different things, and you WILL eventually succeed! ; )
DIYWithDara (we have a late last frost where I live in Alaska) and I’m currently cultivating our soil and amending. It’s been soooo much work. But I’d rather put in the work now to have success later!
I also was following someone who said you really need to "plan" & for most of us it might be better to start small if your seedlings don't make buy some starts it's not April yet. I'm in DFW Tx. So it's not safe for most plants until the 3rd week of April. Good luck everyone :)
I always hardened off in 7 days. 1st day 1 hour, 2nd day 2 hours, add an hour/day and after 7 hours, plant them in the ground. You can put a row cover over them if it's going to freeze.
I found out that used yogurt containers work very well for transplanting seedlings from the seed trays. I have made the same mistake of planting too early.
Me.too but i always plant say three to four.successive plantings...they all dont go out at.same time that way they all dont come into at the same time...extending my season..
I germinate seeds on a heat mat in 4" biodegradable Jiffy pots, in trays with covers. I keep them moist being careful not to over water them, using diluted fertilizer and a product called Thrive, which smells like vitamins. When the seed sprouts, I place them under an indoor grow light. After hardening, I plant the pots in healthy (balanced) soil with home-made compost. Using larger starter pots prevents having to replant them. I do not have a large scale grow operation like shown in the video, so my methods are more practical for smaller gardens. Thank you for sharing your failures and successes as we all attempt to do more to save our planet.
Green/black thumbs are a myth people use to justify not taking the time to find out what plants specific needs are. Gardening is hard and gardening from seed is even harder, there are a lot of steps that need to be done just right.
This video is just fantastic! So articulate and clear with easy to understand instruction. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge! I started my first garden this year and I never knew to fertilize that early! I was wondering why they were slow growers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️ The time and care you spent sharing this knowledge will help me grow more food for my family. I am so blessed to have found your channel. What a wonderful message at the end. Bless you and your wonderful family. ❤️
@JoJo Skye They have probably been killed by a disease known as damping off. Making sure everything is sterile, including soil and pots. Good air circulation with the fan helps too. Good luck!
1. She didn't fertilize her seedlings.
2. Waited too long to transplant and allowed the plants to get too big.
3. She failed to harden them off. The process of exposing your seedlings gradually to the sun, wind, fluctuating temperatures, and not being watered as often.
4. She planted them in the garden too early and they all froze.
Thank you.
Omg thank you
Thank you!
Blessings
You are the MVP
I hate transplanting things, so I just start everything in solo cups (with a hole drilled in the bottom of each). Roomy and re-usable, no fiddling with bitty plants. I put my potting soil/garden mix in the bottom 2/3 of the cup and put seed starter in the top 1/3 so the seeds can start easily, and then grow to reach the more nutrient-rich soil beneath. This has saved me a lot of time and tedium!
Awesome advice, thanks!
What soil is seed starter? I have been starting mine in soil garden mix but noticed it’s a little heavy. Thanks
@@macrocoachkellimichelle mine says “seed starting potting mix” right on the bag. It’s a Miracle Gro product
@@macrocoachkellimichelle I make my own seed starting mix with peat moss. You can also put very small perlite pebbles in in. Peat has no nutrition so I always fertilize (diluted) after they pop up and have leaves. Way cheaper than seed starting mix. Sometimes I just use potting mix.
I really like that idea!!!
I actually get really mad when people see my garden and say "Well, you just have a green thumb."
No. I work my butt off and learn over time! I have watched countless videos, read articles, and read books about what to do and what not to do in the garden. Then, I bust my butt working outside at it. Weeding, spreading compost and mulch, tying up plants, turning the compost, etc. It is not luck or instinct. It is hard work, experience, and knowledge.
OK but your garden's probably only about 25 square feet.
No, just jivin' ya!
Closer to 200 sq feet actually.
Ok but i guarantee if i did this my garden would still not thrive. I'd mess up a step somewhere along the way.
I’ve never seen someone get so bent out of shape over a compliment lol
Nobody’s ever so excited to post their mistakes like this - thanks for sharing
I appreciate it too. Because I didn't know any of this and have killed a few seedlings I successfully sprouted, but didn't know what to do next! 🥴 oops!
1:31 - 1. She didn't fertilize her seedlings.
3:06 - 2. Waited too long to transplant and allowed the plants to get too big.
6:19 - 3. She failed to harden them off. The process of exposing your seedlings gradually to the sun, wind, fluctuating temperatures, and not being watered as often.
7:54 - 4. She planted them in the garden too early and they all froze.
She didn't them poor things a chance.
You're the real MVP! 😍😂
Brian K thanks man
omg thank you! that voice, god bless and hope she does well but that tone and pitch is not made for my australian ears. My lordddd
Not made for any ears really...
Some of the best lessons we learn, we learn when we fail. But your failure was really a success! You took that experience and shared it with thousands of others, so they could learn from your experience. Thank you for sharing!
Gardening is the same as life. Some successes, some failures, but always enjoy the journey, and learn along the way
I love the show. I would like to leave a little tip that I learned about starting seeds. Tip: place a cup of water in your blender with a garlic clove. blend and strain into your spray bottle. top up with water and use this to water your seeds. This mixture prevents damp-off! hope I've helped a little.
Been gardening for 50 years and I always learn something new from y’all.
I'm seed starting for the first time. Thanks for going before me
Thank you so much Sarah! This is my first year starting my own seedlings, I usually buy plants from the nursery. I wasn't sure when to fertilize them, and when to replant if the garden wasn't ready. Your bad luck last year will help me this year, thanks again!! We would be lost without ya'll!!!
THIS is why my seedlings died last spring! UGH!
Thank you for posting this. I'm such a noobie when it comes to this stuff still. Make mistakes and learn! That's how it goes!
Sarah,
We have done what you have been saying for the last 25 years. Hey Sarah, we had a lot of our plants freeze as well a few years. We were told to plant after Mother's Day; well in June, we had frost. What we do now is get buckets from our bakery to cover plants; just in case we get that frost it sure help to keep them warm. Good information for people.
I hear ya! In East Central Minnesota, my large garden at my dad's is in a low area, prone to lower temps. One year, we had THREE hard frosts until June 12th; almost a full month after the suggested plant date of May 15th. I lost almost everything, and what did survive was stunted and had later harvest dates. We had a very warm Spring that year too, Dad (not a gardener) was harping on me for not planting in April. Live and learn.
This is where so many folks have problems is starting their seeds to early. It is not good to keep transplanting seedlings from pot to pot to pot to pot. I start my seedlings into a pot big enough to hold them for 30 days with out getting so root bound. If you put a oscillating fan on them in the greenhouse to harden them up will save you a lot of heartaches.
Yes, during the winter we get so excited and anxious for spring gardening that we tend to jump the gun and start seeds in January. I did that one year, it cost me dearly since I ended up having to purchase starts in late May to replace all my failed seeds, I learned a valuable lesson. Patients is a virtue for sure!
agree , i sow them in small portion in the ground which i have control over so no issue of space , i also plant one badge in pot . i do 3 or 4 badges so i always have backup
You are correct especially gold tolerant plants
i agreeee
This is what I was wondering, why not plant in larger pots? In the little multi-trays the seedlings seem too fragile to get them out.
"I want you all to sucSEED!" 😄 HOW ADORABLE YOU ARE 🤗
I've started seedlings for the first time this year. I really think I am repeating most of these mistakes...lol.. I actually transplanted a few and they died. So I waited and now have a couple that seem to be still alive. I am having fun learning. And I can still buy plants at the garden stores around so I am not to upset.
Been wanting to do this forever and finally moved to a place I could last fall....Really enjoying it so far.
U will have better luck next year! The hardening off is most difficult because taking in and out is a pain. However, you will be amazed at how strong they get in just a week. Best wishes.
😭 I know your pain. My seedlings were healthy and strong, and I had at least 12 varieties of perennial flowers which I was sooo excited for. We had planned a fishing trip and I watered all of my trays, and made sure they were all wet before I left. I underestimated the power of 3 days,came back all ALL of them were completely dead with no chance of reviving them. It was heartbreaking because they were ready to be potted up and all had their true leaves. I learned a technique to prevent this if you need to leave anywhere and that’s to place a hand towel on the bottom of the seedling trays and wet it, and then place your cells on top of it, and cover the tray with a humidity dome. This will prevent the leaves and roots from completely drying out over the course of a few days.
You might want to consider cold frames as well. You can put the seedlings in there pretty early to harden off. Keep them watered and open the frames a little more each day. You have to watch them so they don’t cook in there because it will get pretty warm pretty fast. When you get to the point where they are open most of the day you can put screen over the frames so they get filtered light. It’s always worked for me.
Hi. If you're busy or if your springs tend to be uncertain as to when it's safe to plant, I suggest starting in the 36 count trays, these hold 36 plants and give a lot more dirt than the 72 or smaller planting trays. That way instead of having to pot up, you don't have to do anything, and can generally weather cool or rainy outdoor conditions that aren't good enough to plant in, or handling another project or crisis while your plants grow comfortably in their large size pots, knowing you've got an extra week or two built in by using the 36 count trays. It saves me every year as things are so busy in springtime, it's a real luxury to be able to let the tomatoes, onions and lettuce just sit and grow in their trays while I focus on whatever needs doing around the homestead.
John Craftenworth where do you get your trays? i have closest access to the home depot and lowes and wm but they only have the 72 plug trays.
Thanks for thinking of us. I am always trying something new and have mistakes.
O-M-G! I finally know why I'm failing at starting seeds. Thank you!
Love your greenhouse. I was newbie in 2018 I have learned so much from other gardeners. I love TH-cam it has helped me out so much. And now I get so many great comments on my garden. I started my garden 6ft x16ft and now it's 45ft by 18 ft..
A tip that many might miss regarding transplanting things like Tomatoes: Don't make the mistake of just planting in a 6 inch or larger pot to start, thinking that will eliminate transplanting. For tomatoes, and other plants that can grow roots from the stems, transplanting up from seedling, to 2 inch, to 4 inch, to 6 inch, is an important sequence because each time you transplant you bury as much of the stem as you can get into your pot, giving the plant more, and deeper, roots. And don't wait so long for each transplanting that you can't bury most of the stem when you do it.
I think I am at this point now.
No way......ive started everything from seeds and never transplanted anything from smaller pots to lrgr to lrgr.....for 40 years.........
Plant in 4" pot....at the right time put in garden......
I use fish fert and SUPERTHRIVE....THATS IT...WATER ALL WITH AND PUT SAME IN HOLE WHEN TRANSPLANTING....LOTS OF WATER TILL THEY PERK UP...
Too tall tomatoes...lay on their sides and have 4-5" sticking up.....
If the stem is too long to bury, it can be laid in a trench to bury most of the stem. The top sticking out will turn and begin to grow upward in several days.
We need more of this type of video; detail failure to help others. In TH-cam people only share their success… We learn more from mistake than success!
One year I lost all my tomatoes when my greenhouse heater went out on a 19 degree night. One year I lost all my tomato seedlings when i didn’t give them enough light and they got leggy and fell over dead. One year I burnt up all my tomatoes when I forgot to open my greenhouse vents on an early spring clear 70 degree day. It was literally 126 degrees in the greenhouse. I feel your pain.
I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes! One year I grew from seed a magnificent tomato plant, was home to move the plant from window to window for light exposure, hardened it off, it was 4' around...dug a hole and did NOT let it warm up for 2-3 days FIRST prior to transplanting. Since I live in Fairbanks, Alaska, this last omission was a fatal one. I was heartbroken, having spent months and hours raising this "child". Later on in the summer one tiny green tomato appeared, prompting a friend to name the plant "Lazarus". I did not plant, grow, or accept as a gift, any tomato plant for nearly 10 years.
But you make great compost
126 degrees jesus
An expert is one who has made more mistakes than everyone else. You're definitely building some great expertise.
I am so moved with your humbleness. I would reiterate it in my terms, "Let's not learn by reinventing the wheels but by listening to others."
Thank you Thank you Thank you. Guess what I will being doing today....Fertilizing my starts. I had no idea..... love that you share both success and failures...we all need each other to learn from.
Hi @Kerri Hartz. What kind of fertilizer you use ? Just curious bcz I never used any fertilizer last summer for my pot plants !!
I live in ND right on the line between zones 3 and 4. I cannot tell you how many times I have planted and replanted and replanted and REplanted tomatoes... all because I got impatient and didn't wait until the last frost date!! (Our last frost date isn't until late May/early June) One year I replanted FOUR times...got to be rather expensive because at that point I was having to purchase plants rather than use seedlings I had started!! I LOVE your show and as one who has been gardening for over 30 some-odd years I have really learned a LOT from your experiences!! God bless you and your family!!
What makes you one of my favorite channels to "watch & learn" from is your willingness to be transparent with what's working and what isn't working! You & Kevin inspire me with your research, your enthusiasm, your partnership, and the diverse topics you cover! I'm most impressed that you haven't bought store meat in so many years! 👏
I love your "how to make" videos, and your gardening videos! Your kitchen & food preservation videos are wonderful! Would love to see more videos about how "systematically" run your homestead......the "organization" & "money-saving" side! 😀
I've noticed that you are both superb "problem-solvers". Love to see more about how to sustain the homestead without modern conveniences, as well.
💙💜 your channel! You have a beautiful family!
Yes! I learned to do my bread by watching them!. No kneading needed. Bit it was perfect!
I live in NC. Our last frost date is March 15th. However, I usually plant tomato around April 10th. That way, I’m sure the threat of frost is over. I start the seeds inside in middle of February. In about three weeks. Start taking the seedlings outside to get more light. Only about three to four hours a day. Then as they grow taller, I transplant from plug size into solo cups that have holes cut out in bottom, so plant can drain. As they grow taller keep transplanting to bigger pots till planting time. I will feed the miracle grow after second set of leaves come out.
Great video! Thank you for your personal experience and observations. Here's a tip I learned. You need CLEAR covering over your greenhouse and you will find the greenhouse is warmer (even in the winter) and the plants will grow better and faster. To increase the heat in the greenhouse have a composting pile in the middle (with leaves and some wood chips) wrapped in a BLACK tarp (you can even go higher with your composting pile). The composting pile will produce about 4 months of heat and the black will attract the sun's heat during the day while the sun's UV rays through the CLEAR covering (not opaque). I learned this through surviving winter RVing and even growing microgreens inside without soil.
What about for a small greenhouse for one plant is clear still better than opaque?
This is great advice!!
My experience is opaque prevents the sun’s heat from coming through. Clear is necessary.
Many thanks for sharing your experience! I‘ve been gardening including vegetables for over 40 years and I continue to learn new things through mistakes every year. This year‘s lesson: start tomatoes indoors in mid to late March and not before. They are very leggy and this year we have had the coldest spring on record preventing me from getting them outside during the day. Every growing year is a new adventure! Don’t get discouraged! Keep learning and trying! Success comes to those that don’t give-up!
All of my basil seedlings died last year, and I think you covered all the reasons. I never had the chance to plant them before they died. I'm determined to have something grow this year, and I think I'm only to plant one type. I don't have the space for much. Thanks for this video!
I am retired and stARTED gardening as a hobby. I was lucky enough to do my homework before I planted my seeds. I live in India (Chennai), so we don't have to worry about the last frost. Thanks once again and hope you have a great harvest this season.
Pay attention to the forecast and cover if you need to. Also, if you have cabbage bug issues, you don’t want to plant your kale, cabbage and brassicas too late you may not get a good harvest before pests hit. They are very hard to combat and planting early gives you a better chance for a reasonable harvest before peak bug season.
Thank you Sarah. I'm a gardening enthusiast that does things without much thoughts. Now I can understand why my vegetables die easily in the very early stage of growth. God bless. From Malaysia
I never fertilize my seedlings, the seed starting mix is enough. I sometimes wait too long because of the last frost date being extended. I never harden off my seedlings. I do all these things "wrong" but my seedlings get a bit stressed and eventually survive and thrive. Most likely, the reason you failed is mostly because they all froze, and they would've survived had it not been for the frosts.
Thanks for the pointers. I'm getting ready to move my seedings to bigger pots and didn't realize they already should have been fertilized! Today is the day.
I saw this video as I was planning on starting my seeds myself to save money.
Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Sarah, I hope I spelled your name right.
I wanted to let you know I think you are so good at teaching and speaking. So is your husband. I learn so much. I might not remember it all but most of it sticks in my mind. Keep up the good work. Love you guys.
And the "soil" you use for seeds is sterile. You can also transplant your seedlings before they get their true leaves. This is actually better because if you separate multiple seedlings it will disturb the roots less. I use a pencil to take the seedlings out and only grab the leaves, not the stems. Check out The Rustic Garden and Charles Dowding TH-cam channels...they are great!
We learned the pencil trick from our Master Gardener instructor. I've used it 18 years now.
Thank you so much! Planted 72 seeds in seed pods and they have all broke ground and some are coming up about an inch...today is 3/4 and we are getting the coldest temps and extended freezing temps over the next several days! Appreciate all the information!
This is my first year growing from seed. I think you just saved my garden!
The only real rule is don't.put your plants.out in frost conditions, wait.till the last frost, its really that simple.
This was super helpful. New gardner learning and im about to start my seedlings inside. This info all in one place has saved me loads of time. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm starting seeds right now for the first time in a long time and at our new home. I'm so scared they will all die and I will have wasted so much money. I will use all your tips for sure! Hope your season grows well.
You didn't fail anything, it was live and learn. ❤Fantastic video.
I have found that pushing seedlings out from the bottom of plug tray with a stick that is diameter of drain hole, does the least damage to it. Works only for plug trays, I have done 288 and 98 with zero broken seedlings. Mixing some fertilizer in your growing medium saves one step as well. I don't always remember to fertilize later, this way I don't have to.
Great idea about this stick! The natural fertilizers we use are mostly liquid. I might think about how we can incorporate them into the seed starting mix.
I have a grow light set up inside and all of my seedlings on trays. Then on warm sunny days I'll take the outside for a few hours and then bring them in over night. I do need to transplant and fertilize more often, though! Here's to a great growing season to all!
You just saved the rest of my seeding! Had started to loose my babies and thanks to you I know what to do to try and save them. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing. I will be posting a video on my channel about my seed starting journey and how I failed miserably. Everything that I started from seed died, but I tried again and now I’m having so many success that I’m giving them away because I have too many. Now I know what I did wrong! Thank you!
Hello, Thank You for sharing. I would like to HELP to make your life even easier with seedling. Just use 1/ 4 of worm casting on top of your growing media. When you first plant your seeds and if you move to a large pot just repeat.. You NEVER have to worry above doing anything wrong again and just watch them grow. Remember to bottom water only. This is do you wetting the roots first so they can Bring in the nutrients next.
I am doing grow bags because we don't have access to plant a garden and my seedlings are doing ok in the grow bags but seem to be stuck at an inch and a half high with first leaves on the tomatoes and peppers...Could I still get the worm casting and sprinkle some around the seedlings and water it in?... I have to water the bags from the top but am very careful to do small amounts but often...When they are dry on top...Appreciate your thoughts...
Tomatoes and peppers both will stop growing when night or day temps go below 55 degrees might be one cause.. Next you can add worming casting any amount at any time on top of the soil.. It will never cause harm. Just for helpful info...you can grow in pure casting in any size pot if you wish. Thanks for asking.
I teach organic gardening through the northern CA. Snap-Ed program and workshops @ my local community garden, I add worm casting and Amazonite to my grow bags, every 4 weeks, I love the grow bags for my cabbage, napa cabbage, lettuce, and chard. The grow bags are great in my opinion however the nutrients get washed away quicker then other growing options, so fertilizing more often helps and if your water is highly chlorinated it is good to fill a 5-gallon bucket with water then let sit out for a day or two before watering your containers. Chlorine kills the beneficial microbes in the soil that feed your veggies, chlorine will evaporate if you let it sit out for a day or two.
Happy Lemonhead - GREAT to hear you are a teacher. Can you share any info of research from any colleges that you might have. First: What % of Amazonite is plant available.. ? 2nd: Chlorinated water kills BM. I heard it does not. There is test on youtube showing it does not. 3rd: What beneficial microbes ( there specific name That are kill by it ) . Because there is none working in grow bags.. THANK YOU in advance.
Also Remember that roots grow according to the watering. Frequent water but small amounts might be stopping the roots from growing deeper in the soil. I learned when I started a succulent garden that it is important to water thorough sometimes depending on the plants. Maybe this is something you could look in to to help your plants. Good luck!
All of what what was mention is important and I thank you so much for pointing it out. I have many failures too, I'm glad seeds are cheaper that my other hobbies. LOL
I plant mine in stages. A bit time consuming, but I don't need 15 or 20 of the same vegetables all at once. Im not good at canning and not enough space for freezing. Usually after 3 weeks after the first batch, I germinate another 10 depending on the season. Of course, this is only for family consumption. Extra goes to extended family, friends, neighbors.
Also remember.. If you live in a rural area (or non city center area) the nightly temps will be a few degrees less than what the weather forecast days. So if it says it's 32... It will probably be below freezing at your homestead
not everywhere
I would like you to consider those who live in east tx since at least three climates are in the area and constantly interfere with each other
Thanks Ive struggled last few years and this was helpful as I no longer am able to grow directly from a garden, nor am I familiar to the new seasons and this made a lot of sense.
Aren't you glad you didn't give up? Never lose your passion...
I did all these same things!! Last year was my first time growing from seeds and Learned the hard way. thank you for your candidness and willigness to share!
I spoke to my My grandmother and I told her I was planting, what does she say oh I just threw jalapeños seeds into the garden and omg they are growing so big.😑 (I am nurturing them and caring for them with my life and they are wilted and possibly dying) 🥺
Start burying your kitchen scraps in that soil
Isn’t that so frustrating?! My dad said the same types of things to me (he grew up on a farm and they never started indoors back then). My starts have all gone to shit and I’ve babied the heck out of them! Ha
That's why I don't transplant. I just grow from seed in larger pots. Already crushing after 4 days.
All depends on wheather time
Save money. Brassica family -one week before last frost put seeds directly into ground about 60 per sq foot, do not touch inspect or play with, when they reach 3 to four inch tall loosen the soil with a fork and remove plants by the hand full and tap the roots gently to remove excess soil. At this stage you can treat against club root or give it a miss if you are organic, put root down in a container to stop roots drying out, plant in prepared rows within two hours water if the ground is dry, apart from weeding leave them alone.
Do not use fertilizer of any sort on sprouts you will end up with then bolting and growing fluffy instead of the hard sprouts that you like,
Keep your green house for plants that actually need that sort of care.
If in doubt ask your grandmother before you plant anything she was around before plastic seed trays and You Tube.
Thank you for showing this. Many people only show success. This helps us to know we are not alone if it is not a success the first time yet try again with what we learned. Thank you for allowing us to learn and see perseverance and the learning which did lead to the success you were striving for.
Thanks for sharing your past experience of planting seeds. I knew of a few of the rules but didn’t know everything. I have started seedings and so far everything is growing. I’m and hoping to get about 500 vegetables, fruits and flowers out of these seedling. Good luck on your seedlings hope everything grows. Keep us posted.
H
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Mmmmlkkoo00
Thank you so much, I'm only gardening 7mths now, I have had great success planting directly into the ground but any time I tried planting indoors from seed they all started well but exactly as you described they didn't thrive. Thanks to your video I now have a lot more understanding of where I'm going wrong. Many thanks
You were in a new place. I've moved several states, different zones and soil & conditions. It's like learning all over again even though you have been successful. Also, different needs; different plants. Then trying to learn organic permaculture practices makes things a new experience as well. This year we are starting many things from seeds but considering raised beds. We are buying a few plants. The soil at our new house is still being "built" I'm still in "training" on that issue; learning the plants & trees that are already here & what care they need because of gross neglect. Some plants were here & I couldn't Identify them nor understood if some were weeds or purposely planted. I also have lots of room but all full of crab grass, weeds, very invasive vines & challenges because of little to no topsoil. We are hiring an expert to prune old trees and deciding what new ones to plant. Just alot to know and to put to practice. Thanks for sharing it was helpful.
You are so brave and encouraging at the same time to share those struggles and I truly appreciate the help. Just started germinating seeds now. I'll take note of the tips. Thanks and a lot and God bless you
SUPER useful video! You just saved me, and a lot of other people, a lot of money. Thank you guys so much for this information!
Save money brassica family one week before last frost put seeds directly into ground about 60 per sq foot, do not touch inspect or play with, when they reach 3 to four inch tall loosen the soil with a fork and remove. at this stage you can treat against club root or give it a miss if you are organic. put root down in a container to stop roots drying out, plant in prepared rows within two hours water if the ground is dry, apart from weeding leave them alone.
Do not use fertilizer of any sort on sprouts you will end up with then bolting and growing fluffy instead of the hard sprouts that you like,
Keep your green house for plants that actually need that sort of care.
Thank you for allowing us to benefit from what you have learned through your mistakes. So glad you found the courage to keep gardening. 🌱❤️
I found this one just in time. It's the first time I'm trying to grow just these vegetables from seed. I live on Long Island NY and everything I read said these need to go in a month before our last frost date. When I have planted them before - with very limited success- I relied on the nurseries to have plants. Well they don't have them that early so I decided to grow from seed this year. My seedlings haven't gotten their true leaves yet so I found you just in time - I never would have used fertilizer before planting in the garden! I do know about hardening off and I probably used too big a peat pot to start them in so I won't need to transplant - but being I'll plant them right in the pots I think I'll be ok there. I will give them a little more time depending on the weather. Thank you so much. Wish me luck.
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hello can i add 5th , you did in one badge , always do in batches , sow 1st 20 then next 20 then next 20 with gap of few days , now even if u did mistake in 1st badge , you will get signs and you can always get reminded and fix it in next badge and if any drastic mistake or climate change still u will never loss all ur plants at once , u will always have backup .
Hi Usman. A badge is something you wear. You mean 'batch' :)
Batches? We don’t seed no stinking batches!
if u read context you can get it , its not that you sow on badge that you wear lol , common sense is the most rare thing ...
This is true. Great recommendation
Forget what is right or wrong ...... loved the brutal honesty
Two years ago I came upon this video. The title caught my eye as I was new to seed starting. Thank you for honestly sharing your mistakes, I learned several things that I didn't know. Have been a suscriber ever since. Keep up your great teaching!
I don't have a natural green thumb, however my father in law is a very seasoned gardener and he swears planting by the moon phases....I've been listening to his ques on when to plant what etc etc and so far.....my thumbs are blessed.
Thanks for these tips.....I will pay attention to your mistakes and learn
Thanks for this video. I am pretty inexperienced at gardening and my last efforts happened years ago. But this spring I am going to start anew. It really helps me to hear experienced people talk about how this is all a learning process.
I have been following 3 to 4 garden channels as I have done all the above mentioned mistakes. Another good tip I heard is using biodegradable paper(like Dixie cup) she uses 2 holes on the bottom of first inserts 2nd with no bottom, the first can be used again the second goes in the grand & protects from toot shock keeps it warm & when yiu water the water stays around root better.
In the "ground" & protects from "root" shock sorry misspelled texting too fast :)
Thank you so much for this!! I've had trouble at times too with seedlings living in a cold climate so i was so glad to see this vid and just in time!! Will start them inthe next few days and i won't feel guilty about putting them out later!!
Me Too!! I live in PA. I was thinking that was too late to start my seeds. It's April 10th and it is still kinda cold outside.
I've been gardening for quite a while, but typically buy starts from a nursery or direct sow. This year I'm trying my hand at sprouting seeds indoors, 8 weeks before my intended plant out. It was helpful to hear how you analyzed your mistakes. Thanks for the good info!
This video was very detailed ,and helpful.I really enjoyed this video,it helped answer all my questions about why my plants died and what I was doing wrong...Now I understand,however I am in zone 9 don't have to worry about frost!! Just the heat!..Thank you for sharing.
Yeah big learning curve. I'm in zone 10b and quickly found that my best growing season is from November to maybe July then it's too hot and wet for most veggies.
I only had luck with peppers through last year. My tomatoes stayed so wet the main stems were growing roots. And just failed miserably. So far so good but I'm so worried I might catch a frost between now and march.... fingers crossed. I'm almost ready for fruiting to begin.
John Burgess what kind of tomatoes are you trying this year in 10b? I have some roma started from seed. Just put them in the ground as two inchers. If roots appear up the stem, I figure I need to replant them deeper or build up soil around them.
@@thehomeplatespecial597 those that went wrong were determinants. The ones I have now are indeterminant and no idea what they are except they we left over vine ripened tomatoes I got at the store to eat. My winters are pretty good. Hasn't gone below 40F so far and been pretty dry.
My summers are hot and wet. Daily rain and 90-100+F.
Just a backwards season.
I have so far little tomatoes growing. 1-2 inch diameters so far and growing hopefully. I'm iffy with indeterminants in containers. Not sure how it's going to work out if the plant will continue to grow past 4 ft, if the fruits will be small, I don't know. I'm watering and fertilizing but feel like the plant will get root bound at some point.
Thanks so much. I've been gardening since I was a kid with my Dad. I have tried several times to start from seed only to fail again and again. Just gave up when I found a great green house that sells organic seedlings. But would like to try again now that you gave me more info. God bless
Hope all is goin well with your Greenhouse. I first started, with a Greenhouse. All my seedlings passed away. So I moved thr Greenhouse to the deck. Well it rained, that spring, it rained, and rained and all the seeds started growing. Since I thought they passed away, I did not label anything. As the plants were growing, I had to ask my Dad, what was the plants coming up. Melons, grew, and Zucchini.
Reasons my seedlings died last year : my rabbit ate them 😁
56+ other people felt this in their souls.
mine the birds did 🐦
reason my seedlings died last year: seedling?what seedling,who seedling,where seedling?
but in all seriousness,heatwave killed em all,one by one😓
My Jack Russell ate mine..... 😠
My cats tried to kill all mine lol
I just love your humility and your integrity!! This type of characteristic displayed is definitely how we all can learn. Thanks for the tips andcequallybthank you (and your husband) for your fun, honest approach to gardening!!
I have been looking into gardening as well, and I have been reading up on it and have a few questions.
All of the list of plants you gave are members of the cabbage family, how do you plan on dealing with pests?
From what you said, it sounds like you started them all at once, wouldn't that lead to them being harvested around the same time? I had been reading that it is better to spread out when you start them if you want fresh plants continuously. This would also help stop all of your seedlings from dying from the same thing, as you could prepare the later sprouts to better deal with whatever killed the earlier ones.
What gives you the impression that they needed nutrients, rather than failing to be hardened off? Did you use a potting mix or seed starting mix? If so, they should have been fine in that regard. I am asking because apparently things can go very wrong if you fertilize improperly. From what I've read there are three numbers that describe a nutrient ratio, and some plants are particular about how much they get. Some plants, like blueberries, are picky about the soil pH as well. And as if too little nutrients weren't bad enough, too much can hurt plants as well, though I don't know how delicate this balance is. I also don't know if liquid fertilizer follows this rule as well or not.
Thanks a lot, very valuable feedback from your experience.
Does anyone plant heeding the phase of the moon? My parents always had huge, very productive gardens. They always planted in regards to the phase of the moon, and, of course, after the last frost date. Root veggies were planted in a different phase than tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. but I can't remember which phase for which.
Annual flowers and veggies that produce ABOVE ground, from New Moon to 1st day of Full Moon.
Perennial flowers and plants that produce BELOW ground from day after Full Moon to day before New Moon.
Thank you, Kathy. Makes perfect sense. I thought it was full moon for above, new moon for below but wasn't sure. My dad used to buy the Old Farmers Almanac for the table of moon phase listings and plant accordingly. Thank you for making it clear!
www.almanac.com/content/gardening-moon-calendar This is where I got the info I gave you. Pretty neat , useful site to explore.
Hmm never really heard of this but this sparked my imagination and interest. Thanks for the tip!
now you can just google it
Thanks for sharing! I don't feel so alone anymore. Hopefully this year will be better for all of us.
Thanks so much for the information. Good luck with your growing season and God Bless you and your sweet family. ~Lisa
I agree that gardening is a learned skill. I’m not sure how the “green thumb” notion got started but gardening isn’t mysterious or mystical although it may have seemed that way to folks a long time ago! I grew up in the country where gardening was second nature to most people. I inherited a love of flowers from my moms family and ended up owning a greenhouse for a while. Folks today have it sooo much easier when it comes to garden wisdom thanks to the internet and TH-cam channels like yours! You can look up most everything you need to know. When I started out commercially I bought tons of books and did lots of trial and error!! I think the most important part is enjoying the process. I got so much satisfaction going out to the greenhouse in the morning and seeing how much the plants had grown the night before.
I hear ya. After a chicken got out of the run and ate ALL my peas I wanted to give up. When I got back to my special chair I saw the other package of peas I hadn't planted. What made me buy 2 packages? What made me plant only one package? Cause this is all a learning experience for me. And I love it !
Bittersweet
Thanks for the advice. You had some tips that other channels didn't cover. It's all a learning process for me, so I appreciate the information!
Great video. My neighbor always used to say "wait until after the iceman days". In other words, wait until after the last frost. I did and always had wonderful tomatoes. That was in WI. I live in AZ now and miss those homegrown tomatoes.
Thank you from Lachute, Quebec, Canada!
I can so relate to these errors. We learn as we grow!
One tip I learned this year about the timing of hardening off and frost date planting time: check the two-week forecast. While it won't be 100% precise, it provides helpful trends about nighttime lows and daytime highs. I didn't harden off perfectly this year, but I managed not to kill anything but a few potatoes that drowned in the rain. Keep learning!
Our greenhouse will be coming in this week. We hope to assemble it next week. We are getting the same one y'all have. So excited!
debra oster where did you order the green house from and do they ship internationally (if you know)? It is a lovely big green house.
Michele richards the greenhouse is from Growers solution. I do not know about international shipping. They are in Tennessee.
Michele richards just went to growerssolution.com and they do ship internationally!
I planted my first seedlings…. including my first plant…. ever…. and I’m 43 (better late then never…. lol) luckily, I thought beforehand to use my cheap seeds because I knew I’d make mistakes my first time; and I did…. everything you said; all my seedlings were doing great then they all suddenly wilted overnight;
It can be frustrating but, I spent and still continue to, hrs and hrs of researching; I found that’s, as they say, “a green-thumber” (as with anything): a desire to learn and ask, and fueling that desire in continuation despite failure;
I can’t imagine gardening 10-15 yrs ago versus now, when we have access to SO much information and are able to hopefully learn from yours, and others, mistakes beforehand so we don’t have to repeat them. Thanks for the video ! Shalom ; )
Great advice thank you so much for the tutorial I didn't know what hardening plants meant I live here in Florida and we don't really have Frost but it was nice to know that just like I failed last year so did other people looking forward to new season thanks again sincerely April garrahan
If you transplant in mild , wet weather with more ahead you can get away with minimal hardening off , especially for cole plants . And they are not bothered by a light frost. Water them in well , and covering them with a light row cover will give added insurance.
When you look at an amazing garden you also see that who ever did it made ALOT of mistakes along the way! lol. The more amazing the garden the more you can tell how much work they really did do in order to be able to get to that point!
Great video!
Those are good words, and very Encouraging!! I work all day on the yard.
@@chanelprincess6061 yes!! it takes sometimes WEEKS to prepare soil and cultivate it FIRST before you can even plant! its tiring and labor intensive sometimes, but SOOOO worth it in the end! dont give up! keep trying different things, and you WILL eventually succeed! ; )
DIYWithDara (we have a late last frost where I live in Alaska) and I’m currently cultivating our soil and amending. It’s been soooo much work. But I’d rather put in the work now to have success later!
I also was following someone who said you really need to "plan" & for most of us it might be better to start small if your seedlings don't make buy some starts it's not April yet. I'm in DFW Tx. So it's not safe for most plants until the 3rd week of April. Good luck everyone :)
I always hardened off in 7 days. 1st day 1 hour, 2nd day 2 hours, add an hour/day and after 7 hours, plant them in the ground. You can put a row cover over them if it's going to freeze.
I found out that used yogurt containers work very well for transplanting seedlings from the seed trays. I have made the same mistake of planting too early.
Me.too but i always plant say three to four.successive plantings...they all dont go out at.same time that way they all dont come into at the same time...extending my season..
any other containers work well because im using my yogurt containers for sarracenia and darlingtonia
LOL I WAS LOOKING FOR A COMMENT LIKE THIS I also use yogurt containers they are perfect! :)
I germinate seeds on a heat mat in 4" biodegradable Jiffy pots, in trays with covers. I keep them moist being careful not to over water them, using diluted fertilizer and a product called Thrive, which smells like vitamins. When the seed sprouts, I place them under an indoor grow light. After hardening, I plant the pots in healthy (balanced) soil with home-made compost. Using larger starter pots prevents having to replant them. I do not have a large scale grow operation like shown in the video, so my methods are more practical for smaller gardens. Thank you for sharing your failures and successes as we all attempt to do more to save our planet.
“I think I have a green thumb “
Literally killed everything 😂
Lol, thank you for sharing!
Wow. Rude much?
We were all thinking it though lol
Lol
@@jmajick4415 I mean, we all have to learn somehow, right? Oh wait, I forgot, you are perfect in every way.... 🙄
Green/black thumbs are a myth people use to justify not taking the time to find out what plants specific needs are. Gardening is hard and gardening from seed is even harder, there are a lot of steps that need to be done just right.
This video is just fantastic! So articulate and clear with easy to understand instruction. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge! I started my first garden this year and I never knew to fertilize that early! I was wondering why they were slow growers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️ The time and care you spent sharing this knowledge will help me grow more food for my family. I am so blessed to have found your channel. What a wonderful message at the end. Bless you and your wonderful family. ❤️
I like to keep a fan blowing near the seedling trays. That seems to toughen them up a bit for transplant.
@JoJo Skye True, but all you needed is a gentle breeze and not category 5.
@JoJo Skye They have probably been killed by a disease known as damping off. Making sure everything is sterile, including soil and pots. Good air circulation with the fan helps too. Good luck!
Thank you for being honest and admitting you were wrong because that means so much to me
Thank you, this will be my first time planting my own seedlings. I pray that I will be successfully in this task for my children. 🍀 blessings