What i did to tranplant was to buy cheap plastic cups 16oz and stuck a knife through the bottom two or three times. Filled them with coir 1/4 deep then put a generous pinch of complete fertilizer organic- coir guy has this too. Then filled to 3/4 with coir added pinch of fertilizer before mentioned put rockwool cube or seedling into hole made with pencil the filled up to little less then lip of cup.
(Coir is usually sold in blocks esp. by DG merchant and it is awesome. You can buy a tub like I did as big as possible and toss the roughly 10 pound block in there and start pouring water on it. It sucks up the water and falls into pieces. It keeps moisture so it helps with watering. I have kept it in the tub and have had no problems with mold or anything. I keep the lid on it when not in use.) Sorry about the long blah about Coir but I am impressed both with the product and merchant.!!
Anyway - here is the kicker I love about all this- after you transplant your seedlings in cups- set them aside. Fix a tub just like before- cut two holes equidistant from each other and not suspend the lights but set them in the holes you made. I cut my holes smaller than the reflector shield so I just lay the reflector on the lid and the bulb goes down inside the tub a little. I put my tubs with seedlings in it on our glassed in but unheated front porch. I had a problem with temp on the concrete floor so we just put a carpet runner under the tub and all is good. I put an inch to inch 1/2 of water in the bottom of the tubs so the cups won't dry out. Also there will be spots we light is weaker etc. I rotate my plants. Any way put the lids on and wait--- then I bought some cheap blinds and cut them apart as I had to splint my tomatos because they took off. I got to eager last winter and ended up with over 250 tomato and pepper seedlings. The first week of April I had tomatos that were easy a foot and a half. The peppers were a little slower but they looked good. Sorry to be so winded. Hope it helps - dmail me if I can help. I work nights / so I come and go to the site often. I love DAVES GARDEN .
Transplanting
I can put roughly 45 16oz cups per tub- for transplants.
With the flat and 1x1 cubes roughly 98 seedlings.
I forgot to put what things roughly held. oooops---------G
is it possibloe for you to give us some pictures of above. thanks
some pictures and the first part is under feeding the soil topic this forum- sorry about splitting the thread
-----------G
Gerryd41,
All that fert in that 16 oz. cup doesn't burn the seedling roots? Also, what size tub did you use?
I used a complete organic fertilizer- and the tub to put the transplants into is 30 gallon 99% recycled tub i found at a box hardware store.
The fertilizer doesn't burn and believe it or not i left out the fact that I make a dilute fertilizer of a hydroponic solution I bought online and use it in the standing water of the transplants. I didn't put this in as it isn't necessary. I also have used smaller tubs to
germinate seeds. Tubs I found that are a bit bigger than a shoebox. I like the system cause it can be adapted to your needs. The only problem is cutting the holes in the lids- it is a pain but with a sharp knife it can be done.
I can tell you this some seeds go nuts with this process. Bloody Butcher tomato had a definite will to live and in this BOOM! it germinated and was taking no prisioners. Squash did good also. Tomatos did really good. Peppers too. We planted all seeds this year we got from Bakers Creek and Seed Saver's Exchange with only two bad results. Watermelon and Cantaloupe seeds- they do not like this system. They need heat - steady heat to germinate. Hope this helps.
Gerryd41,
Thanks! Could you please post some pics of how that light sits inside the cut holes? Some of us are visual learners. Also, please post a pic of the reflector system and how the light fixture fits inside of that, too.
Linda
When I say reflector this is what I mean. It is roughly 8 dollars at HomeDepot or Lowes.
Measure the reflector and cut the hole smaller. for example if the reflector is the size of a 8 inch pot cut the hole the size of a 6 inch pot. Lay the reflector flush with the lid with the bulb in the hole shining down on the plants. I don't have a picture of the plants inside. I just place the cups side by side until there is no more room. Yes the plants do eventually get tall. I roatate them and then make supports out of window blinds and pipe cleaners and begin to harden them off for the garden. I also should say CFL come in equal to 40 watt bulb or etc. Buy the largest wattage you can it gives you more light.
CFL bulbs just screw into the reflector .
