what size pot to start seeds in??

[sleuth]

Looking over my Farmtek catalog along with my Jung Seed catalog.

Keep in mind that cost is a factor here as I am just starting.

Both are selling 10x20 flats, with options to put in 36, 48, or 72 cell inserts.
The Jung Seed catalog has deeper cell options, 3 1/8 versus 2 1.4 in Farmtek. However, Jung is $1.39 per insert versus $0.92 for Farmtek. I'm starting 300 plants inside in January, and more in the next 3 months.

My preference is to transplant these plants as few times as possible, hopefully only once.

What pot size is the most cost effective in terms of cell insert count? How much does that extra 7/8" really buy me?

Should I get open bottom flats or closed bottom for easier bottom-up watering?

Finally, what's the best value multi-function seed starting soil formula or mix? I keep reading that soilless formulas work well, but then you gotta add the nutrients. And seed starter formulas seem to have a bad rap.

 

[Wannabefree]

I make my own seed starting pots out of newsprint. They are 1.5 inches diameter and seem to be working as well if not better than the plastic ones. I do buy the soiless seed starting mix, because it is easier for the seeds, more specifically the roots, to get a good start without much resistence to the soil. Now that that is said, last year, I did use the plastic trays and pots, and everything did just fine in those too. You can start them in pretty much anything really, the key to good and proper growth is the growing medium and light, not the pots. I have started seeds in yogurt cups and got as good results as anything else. The trays, I would definately get the solid bottom trays if you go that route. It is MUCH easier to keep the seedlings damp, as they should be. They dry out much quicker when they are started in the ones with holes in them. I'm forgettful, and have a TON going on, I can't allow mine to drain and dry out that often. I do skip waterings from time to time due to my nutty schedule. If I used the ones with holes, I'd have dead plants, and that's just not the goal at all. That's all the opinion I have for the moment, use it as you see fit

 

[Emerald]

I use the little plastic things from the mushrooms that I buy and dixie cups and old potting cups and jiffy pellets and what ever holds dirt.
I do use a soil-less potting soil by plantation and I mix worm castings in it. The worm castings really seem to keep the damp off at bay. if and when I do need fertilizer I just use fish emulsion. Stinky but it works. I do start my tomatoes a bit later than some might in my area and I have better luck transplanting them quite small. they don't tend to have set backs at all. I've planted them bigger before and it seems to have the effect of them lagging or doing nothing for a couple weeks and then growing. The smaller ones tend to take right off.(unless we have a late frost that is)

 

[mrscoyote]

Another great seed starting cup is toilet paper rolls cut in half. I did this last year with great results.

 

[baymule]

Another great seed starting cup is toilet paper rolls cut in half. I did this last year with great results.

Great idea!

 

[~gd]

Looking over my Farmtek catalog along with my Jung Seed catalog.

Keep in mind that cost is a factor here as I am just starting.

Both are selling 10x20 flats, with options to put in 36, 48, or 72 cell inserts.
The Jung Seed catalog has deeper cell options, 3 1/8 versus 2 1.4 in Farmtek. However, Jung is $1.39 per insert versus $0.92 for Farmtek. I'm starting 300 plants inside in January, and more in the next 3 months.

My preference is to transplant these plants as few times as possible, hopefully only once.

What pot size is the most cost effective in terms of cell insert count? How much does that extra 7/8" really buy me?

Should I get open bottom flats or closed bottom for easier bottom-up watering?

Finally, what's the best value multi-function seed starting soil formula or mix? I keep reading that soilless formulas work well, but then you gotta add the nutrients. And seed starter formulas seem to have a bad rap.

I know little about Ohio climate but it sounds to me that you are starting way early and your starts are going to be very root bound when the soil is warm enough to plant out. Normally i would use solid flats but in your case the flats could be a solid mat at planting time which is a P.I.T. A. to work with. If open flats are used the roots will auto air prune. Also plants that spend too long in flats tend to be tall spindly and weak stemed as they fight for light. I use 3 parts soilless to 1 part VERY WELL AGED AND SCREENED COMPOST. If you use something like chemical nutrtents in the water dilute it so that it is half strength or weaker. you do not want a lot of growth in your starts, you want small sturdy plantsl

 

[sleuth]

I know little about Ohio climate but it sounds to me that you are starting way early and your starts are going to be very root bound when the soil is warm enough to plant out. Normally i would use solid flats but in your case the flats could be a solid mat at planting time which is a P.I.T. A. to work with. If open flats are used the roots will auto air prune. Also plants that spend too long in flats tend to be tall spindly and weak stemed as they fight for light. I use 3 parts soilless to 1 part VERY WELL AGED AND SCREENED COMPOST. If you use something like chemical nutrtents in the water dilute it so that it is half strength or weaker. you do not want a lot of growth in your starts, you want small sturdy plantsl

I'm only starting a few plants in about 2 weeks - onions, asparagus roots, mainly and chives in about 3 weeks. The bulk of my plants, according to my Mother Earth News garden planner, won't be sown indoors until March & April.

 

[me&thegals]

I use a lot of 72s for many larger plants. For onions, I put about 20 seeds in a 2"x2" tall (3" tall) pot. Same with leeks. Larger plants like melons and squash get planted in 50 cells. I do lettuce in 288s or a bit larger. They're pretty small when transplanted but grow large rapidly.

The longer the plant needs to stay in the greenhouse (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant), the larger the cell you want since it holds more soil and fertility to keep your plants healthy. The shorter the time needed or the smaller the plant (some herbs, lettuce, etc.), the smaller you can get away with.

I used to use this mix, made myself:
http://www.pottingblocks.com/eliot_coleman_soil_blocks/

But now I purchase Cowsmo compost by the 1/2-yard sling.

 

[Mickey328]

You can start seeds in just about anything that will hold the soil. I prefer not to use pots myself...you have to disturb the seedlings more than I like to get them transplanted.

My favorite thing is newspaper. I take a full page and fold it lengthwise twice. Then I pull a glass out of the cupboard that's up to about 3 inches in diameter. I roll the newspaper around the open end of the glass so that about 3 inches is up on the glass. I tuck the rest up inside the glass and slip the whole thing off. I push that excess down in the center and end up with a "pot" that's just about the right size. When it's time to plant 'em out, I just stick the whole thing in the ground...the newspaper will decompose and you haven't disturbed the roots even a little. Plus the cost is pretty much nil since I get the newspaper from neighbors.

 

[Emerald]

You can start seeds in just about anything that will hold the soil. I prefer not to use pots myself...you have to disturb the seedlings more than I like to get them transplanted.

My favorite thing is newspaper. I take a full page and fold it lengthwise twice. Then I pull a glass out of the cupboard that's up to about 3 inches in diameter. I roll the newspaper around the open end of the glass so that about 3 inches is up on the glass. I tuck the rest up inside the glass and slip the whole thing off. I push that excess down in the center and end up with a "pot" that's just about the right size. When it's time to plant 'em out, I just stick the whole thing in the ground...the newspaper will decompose and you haven't disturbed the roots even a little. Plus the cost is pretty much nil since I get the newspaper from neighbors.

I've really thought about trying the newspaper pots, and I mulch with black and white newspapers with grass clippings ontop and by the ned of summer the paper is mostly gone and the worms are starting to pull the grass clippings down into the soil.
I also like peat pots but I found that you have to make sure to bury the whole darn thing or the top left out of the soil will sometimes wick water away from the roots when it gets hot and dry.
I also bought for this year some coconut coir pots in strips that sit in my little mushroom containers(well when I cut them in half) I got them end of year for about .49cents each(three strips of 12pots per package) I'm hoping to use them in my baby steps to making an aquaponic set up around my fish pond. I hunt for clearance stuff end of year. I have beautiful daffidils and crocuses and tulips and other assorted bulbs cuz I bought them end of year for mere pennies a pack and was out there during the first snow that year digging and plopping them in the ground.