Trays and multi-cells

[workhorse]

This is my first year of growing from seed, so I've gone the whole hog and got myself a nice 10' x 6' greenhouse, so now I'm ready to grow.

My question is to do with growing from seed packets. I have purchased a number of seed trays with the drainage holes in the bottom, and also some multi-cells to transfer the seeds once they have germinated. My question is when I have transferred the seeds to the multi-cell, do I then stand the multi-cell back into the seed tray for stability, or just let them stand alone.

Should I cover the seed trays with the newly sown seeds over with cling film until they've germinated.

One last question (for now) Some of the seed packets say that you can start sowing the seeds in the greenhouse, but my greenhouse is unheated, so should I hold off for a while, and if so, for how long.

[smallblueplanet]

Everyone does things differently, but we tend to sow into individual modules and cells. Here is some growing from last spring. Most seeds can be sown individually - one seed into a small module.



When we're germinating seeds they are either in the heated prop and that has a lid, or we put a plastic lid over the modules with them standing in a seed tray. (I always put newspaper in the bottom of our trays indoors cos I always forget they've got holes when I water the seedlings!) I only use gravel trays (no holes) outdoors with bigger things like bean seedlings as they don't mind if they get too wet. (But this is just personal and works for us.)

We only tend to use full-sized seed trays to stand modules in after seeds germinate. When we put seedlings out in our unheated greenhouse during the day for light, we bring them in at dark so they don't get too cold.

Here's our toms from last year.

[workhorse]

Do you always use vermiculite on your seed trays? and are you saying that you have a house full of seed trays overnight, or do you leave them in the greenhouse.

[Cutecumber]

My process is to sow into modules or rootrainers and pot up once to the final container or bed.

Only larger seeds warrant a 3 or 5 inch pot to start in.

I don't use a seed tray because I don't like pricking out - my fingers are all thumbs! Some plants resent their roots being disturbed, too.

However, my advice on the seed tray is to cover it with cling film, or something similar, because they can quickly dry out. Try to avoid siting the newly germinated seedlings behind glass that could get full sun - it is very, very easy to kill young seedlings in this way. I've done it

[momol]

Workhorse,

I did the tray sowing in the past but since 2 years ago I have been using multi cells, cups, individual small pots and lately with root trainers too (depending on what i sow).

The reason was, it took lots of time to prick the seedling out ( at 2 true leaves stage) and repot them in small pots plus during this prickling process the roots structures tend to get disturb/ damage in certain extend.
In a way, sowing in cell/cups/pots/root trainers are much easier as you won't be disturbing the root too much ( apart from when planting out).
I think you should try both way and decide which way work better for you.

As for sowing time, it is really depending on what seeds. If the package said to be sown now in GH, give it a try but don't sow too much at a time...

All the best...

[smallblueplanet]

Do you always use vermiculite on your seed trays? and are you saying that you have a house full of seed trays overnight, or do you leave them in the greenhouse.

The OH likes to put vermiculite on the smaller seeds, reckons it helps stop damping off. So I just go along with it and it seems to work! 5l bag from Wilkos (£1.29-ish) lasts ages.

Err yes we often have a kitchen table full of seed trays (as per the 1st picture), and later 3"/4" pots in trays - if we started the aubs/chillis/toms later it wouldn't be necessary. But I like to get a bit of a start, though not as early as some, and the drawback is you have to have somewhere warm and light enough to grow them on. The greenhouse probably won't be warm enough for leaving them in overnight 'til (not sure) mid-April? Even then they'd get covered with fleece to keep them warm.

[PAULW]

As with those who have posted so far I prefer to sow straight into multi cells, I am very lucky to have a garden centre close by who have a crate outside with secondhand pots and multi cells that you can pick up for free sometimes there are 4-6-8-10 and 12 cell trays which are handy if you only want to sow a few seeds.

[ChocClare]

I am very lucky to have a garden centre close by who have a crate outside with secondhand pots and multi cells that you can pick up for free sometimes there are 4-6-8-10 and 12 cell trays which are handy if you only want to sow a few seeds.

Oooh, Paul, if I promise not to steal all your multicell supply, could you tell me which garden centre you're talking about? I work in Branksome...

I'll drop you some off every time I get some if you tell me where you are??!!!

[Flummery]

I bought - many years ago - some polystyrene modules. Good insulation for the seeds and the plastic tops for seed tray fit over them too. They are rigid so don't need to go in a seedtray. I use seedtrays on their own for things like french beans - they never seem to mind being hoiked out of there.

[rustylady]

I never use large seed trays for sowing now - sometimes use them as support for cell trays. As long as seeds are big enough to handle, I sow them two or three to a cell. Less disturbance and better growth.

[PAULW]

CHOCCLARE
If I told you I'd have to kill you LOL, Picked up ten 20lt pots the other day just right for my tomatoes

[sewer rat]

I use a mixture of 48 cell modules (chillies, lettuce), 12 cell modules (brassicas lettuces, celeriac etc) 3" pots (tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, herbs etc)and 1 litre pots (leeks). These (with the exception of the 48 cell modules) allow me to grow the plants to a saleable / plantable size without any disturbance.
I also do a lot of direct sowing into the growing position.

[Farmer_Gyles]

what worked best for me last year was:
- sow seeds in a half-size seed tray
- prick out seedlings into cells
- pot on to 3.5" pots
- either pot on to even larger pots or plant outside

i used normal size seed trays, used the clear plastic covers before i got the greenhouse, might not bother with the covers this year
i used ordinary multi purpose compost in the seed trays - didnt bother with seed compost etc
the cell inserts i used were mostly 24 cells (i do have the smaller cells (48?) as well but didn't use them last year)
i separated the cells before sowing (using them like tiny pots) as this makes it easier when potting on, and also means if one seedling dies, it's easier to replace it in the trays
the cells were stood in the normal size seed trays, same as if they were still joined together

maybe not the best or most effective way to go, but it worked fine for me and the whole process made it fairly simple to manage - i'm a busy person so "easy to manage" is very important to me!