I learned something new today, I think.
I always start my seeds same way - 1/4 inch high plastic grid on the heat mat, than seeded cells in the moist medium and plastic cover. I never waited for ALL tomatoes to come up for more than a week, they usually started to pop up on day 4-5. This year I forgot the grid, in addition they were in a sunny spot. So I believe the temperature was pretty high in there. When none came up(not a single one!) after 6 days I decided that I cooked them, turned off the heat and decided to reseed in couple days. Today is day 9. I took the same cells for reseeding and was surprised, they all coming up now - on day 9. Just for one kind I didn’t find any coming up. And I have a mix of fresh seeds, old seeds, very old seeds - they all coming on day 9. I suspect they were waiting for a “right” weather. When I turned off the heat they just hurried to jump out… Before I thought they wait for moister and warm… Now I think they can detect if it is too hot as well.
Although not my tried and true method I have been having a little trouble getting my melon seeds to germinate reliably this year, especially the Musquee de Provence. I saw an interesting news item and tried it.
I put my insta pot on the yogurt setting at 33 F, put a half inch of water in, set in a bowl with damp paper towel and the seed sprinkled on the top, no cover. I closed the lid and let it go. I put them in yesterday at 12 noon, today at 4 pm they were all sprouted as well as the Petite Gris.
33 C, I am Canadian LOL. I have started thousands of seeds in the past years. As a cut flower farmer, as well as a seller of vegetable plants for the farmer’s market, I have used every method at least once and created a large binder with all the results and all the methods that worked for each variety.
I am now retired and the insta pot is a smaller version of my large heating table, I think it is great for a small amount of seeds. It is just an enclosed moisture rich environment with controlled heat. My heating table, which has bottom heat, did not produce this level of germination with the melons, nor this quickly.
When i was in first and second grade they taught me metric and then boom in third grade we just acted like that never happened and went imperial and i haven’t been right since 
We were imperial and then boom we went metric. I am the generation that learned both and I haven’t been right since either. I cook in imperial, measure in imperial, feel warm or cold in metric, and drive in metric. I confuse the heck out of grandkids.
Its getting to be seed-starting time again, so I wanted to check in on this topic.
Does anyone use these seed-starting bags, or something similar? Amazon.com : Biodegradable Seed Nursery Bags, Non-Woven Plants Grow Bags, Fabric Seedling Pots Plants Pouch, Home Garden Supply 9x12cm/3.54”x 4.72” : Patio, Lawn & Garden.
I bought these to use this year for the first time, and wanted to see if anyone had any successes.
I was also contemplating using them to root cuttings, my thought being that I could then just plant the whole thing in the ground (or pot) and not have to worry about transplant shock.
Any thoughts?
I saw this video… i like it. Gonna start some seed on TP.
Its in Russian but there are subtitles.
For those of you using plastic seed trays / seed flats and cells, do you, and if so, how and how often do you clean, disinfect or sterilize the trays after use? I’m wondering if it is one of those things that is optional or is it absolutely necessary? I’m thinking about doing it, but it seems like a chore that’s not so much fun, and I am wondering how to dispose of the bleach or hydrogen peroxide after I’m done. Thanks.
It’s one of those things that you really ought to do and will minimize risk of failure, but you can usually get away without doing. I usually just hose everything down and let them dry thoroughly before putting them in storage. I wouldn’t be surprised if not sanitizing comes back to bite me at some point, but I feel comfortable with that level of risk.