I ran across this post from a local gardener and wanted to save the text here also.
from:
http://www.allenonline.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/21593I enjoy the savings of growing my transplants from seed and this is my 4th year doing it. I'd like to share some of my experiences that have worked. I specialize in sweet peppers because there is a variety I just cannot get locally. Much of what I am offering in tips is specific to peppers, but it applies to a variety of other summer vegetables.
Tips:
1. Peppers take a long time to grow. Sweet peppers will generally not produce fruit in mid summer so you need to maximize the early season May-June as much as possible. I start my pepper seeds NOW.
2. Seeds need heat and moisture to germinate. No heat - no seedlings. I use a heat mat like below...
http://compare.ebay.com/like/290413332756?var =lv&a...
It works great. Year 1 was a complete disaster until I bought this mat.
3. Don't start pepper seeds in the seed starter. I harvest my own seeds from the previous year's crop and/or peppers in the grocery store. The germination rate can be 50% or less so don't waste your seed starter beds on worthless seeds. I put the seeds on a wet paper towel, place the towel in a ziplock bag and throw the bag on top of the heat mat. 10 days later I have micro seedlings to transfer to the seed starting trays. Using this method you get a full tray of seedlings. Most other vegetables can be directly sowed into the seed starter but peppers are just a little harder to start.
4. Seed starter trays. These are really the best way to go. They are $5-6 for a 72 cell starter tray and 4 trays fit perfectly on the heat mat. Finding them is very hard this time of year, BUT now that the christmas decorations are bing put away at walmart, lowes and HD the trays should be coming out soon. If you beg and plead they might pull some out for you from in back. Lowes did for me and it was my Christmas miracle.
I use the jiffy 72 cell listed below, but it should come with a cover and 72 little peat pucks.
http://compare.ebay.com/like/350597142529?var =lv&a...
5. Light - Soon your seedlings will popup and they need light. I use (2) 2-bulb fixtures for a total of 4 grow lights across my 4 trays on the heat mat. I ususally give them 12-18 hours of light per day. But any warm days > 60 degrees, get the seedlings out for the real thing. You cannot completely simulate real sunlight unless you spend a lot more money on lights. Even a sunny window is a great option for the little guys.
6. Once the seedlings are filling up their peat pucks with roots (you will see the roots), they get transfered to Red solo cups with soil to grow out. I put the red solo cups into coke/pepsi carry containers you can find in the backs of 7-11, grocery stores or where ever fine carbonated beverages are sold. It makes moving the seedlings easier. Again, give them as much natural light as possible but keep them from getting exposed to temps below 50 degrees.
7. New for this year is putting the seedlings out into the cold frames as soon as possible in spring. I anticipate march, but we will see.
In conclusion this is a great way to fill your garden up with plants without spending big dough. Best of luck to everyone and happy gardening in 2013!!
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Just an update - my first batch of seedlings are ready to go into their "big boy cups" - Red Solo cups from Sam's. I will probably wait another week or so to allow the later batches to grow a little. The reason is I only have one set of lights and once they get into their big boy cups I need to raise the lights about 3". I place my lights about 2" above the height of the plants. The florecesnt tubes are cool and the plants will not burn even if they touch the tubes. This heigt of the light is important but probably not for the reason you think. Even with my density of tubes it is really not enough light so the plants will get spindly as they reach up for more light. That's how you know if you have enough light or not. If the plants are growing thin and tall then they need more light. By getting the bulbs lower you are giving the plants as much light from the bulbs as possible.
My first batch is a little spindly because I was lazy and did not get them under lights as soon as I should. My later batches done completely in the light are stockier and stronger. I can correct spindly transplants by burying the plant a little lower. This is important because after get into the garden we are denstined to get a horrific storm with pounding winds. A splidly plant does not stand a chance.
The top reasons I have failed:
1. Late frost or freeze will kill peppers
2. Packed them in too tight. The plants need air circulation no mater how well you irrigate
3. Too much compost - I cooked an entire year worth of crops once at the roots.
Charge on gardeners!! We must be victorious.
