Propagation: Fire in the Hole! Don't try this at home :-), 3 by Zen_Man

Zen_Man wrote:
Hi mlmlakestevens,

I don't have current photos handy, but these was taken a few years ago. I am still using the same setup. I use chrome wire steel shelving to support everything, and I hang 4-foot 2-bulb fluorescent shoplights from the shelves above, using wire chain and S-hooks. The individual shelves are 2 feet deep by 4 feet wide. That makes room for four standard 11x22 trays per shelf. I use PermaNest trays because they are rigid, and last many years. The shelves are 6-feet tall. I usually have just three shelves per unit, with a fourth top shelf. That gives my plants some growing room.

I start my seeds individually in 3.25-inch square pots, to avoid an initial transplanting. Premier ProMix BX is my favorite indoor growing medium. I add some extra Perlite to it for better aeration and drainage. When my plants start to get a little root-bound in the 3.25-inch pots, I transplant them to the garden or I re-pot them to 5-inch square pots. Those usually get transplanted to the garden, but occasionally I will re-pot to a larger pot for a more mature indoor plant. Mostly I just use my shelves to start seedlings, though. Zinnias are my hobby, so most of what I start is zinnias, although I also start a few other things, like tomatoes. I label each pot individually, and that label stays with the plant in the garden for the life of the plant. I save seeds from my best specimens.

ZM