Starting Seeds Early ??

[Brown Thumb]

I am wondering if anyone has done it.
I decided to try it and have 500 planted so far and more to go. I put them in plastic cups so they do not get root bound. 11x22 starter tray only fits 26 cups and takes up one hell of a lot of room and soil materials. I hope I can also let them go past the last frost date buy a couple of weeks.
Any Input.
Thanks, BT

 

[Boboro]

Whens your last frost date.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Whens your last frost date.

I am zone 6a, May 5th I think.

 

[Boboro]

Ive kept seedlings that long. But I quit doin it ,cause its a pain in the ass. IMO young seedlings do better when transplanted.

 

[DGBAMA]

My VA Gold stayed in bulk germination trays with only 3/4" of soil for about 6 weeks last year. They stagnated at about 1" tall but made up for it when put in separate cells for 4 weeks then straight in the ground.

This year I seeded my cell trays directly, will thin to one per cell and give a couple "haircuts" if they get going too soon for planting time. No transplanting for me this year; cells to ground.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Thanks, 10 weeks + might be okey dokey they are in bigger cups no transplanting.

 

[Knucklehead]

Last year I kept my back up seedlings in the starter trays the whole season on my tailgate. I finally threw them away when I needed the space for drying seed heads. They reached 18-24" and never budded.

I'm starting seed a week or two later than normal this year because I'm scared of a blackberry winter this spring. The winter weather was so unusual it wouldn't surprise me if we got a late cold snap this year with frost. I'll watch the extended forecast real close before planting and if a late cold snap is expected I'll hold them back till it's over.

 

[Brown Thumb]

I won't argue with you on last years season Knucks , Just Trying out a new different Whatever,

 

[Knucklehead]

If you're thinking argument, you misunderstood me. I'm agreeing with you.

I'm just saying that staying in the starter trays the whole season (about 5 months) didn't bother those plants at all. They were back up plants that I never needed. I just wanted to see how long they would stay alive. I finally had to kill them. Starting early should be no problem at all. No argument. You'll be fine.

 

[Brown Thumb]

If you're thinking argument, you misunderstood me. I'm agreeing with you.

I was agreeing with you on the splended growing season we had last year and warm winter this year.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I think you'll be ok. Planting in cups will give you a lot of growing room. I'm just a tad bit south of you and I plant about May 5th but I use a float tray and 11 weeks is way to early for me.

 

[Markw]

You should be fine BT as for me over here I need to get them as big as possible before planting out. when they out-grow the float tray I plant them in one pint plastic beer glasses, this gives me a couple of extra weeks if the weather is bad.

 

[BarG]

I found that my plants left in trays or cups to long get leggy, or more spindly stems. I planted quite a few early last year and decided to wait till mid march to start this year, especialy with all the cold snaps we have been having.

 

[rainmax]

If you're thinking argument, you misunderstood me. I'm agreeing with you.

I'm just saying that staying in the starter trays the whole season (about 5 months) didn't bother those plants at all. They were back up plants that I never needed. I just wanted to see how long they would stay alive. I finally had to kill them. Starting early should be no problem at all. No argument. You'll be fine.

I will try to plant earlier this season, but I will also prepare backup plants in a week or so.

 

[Mad Oshea]

I found that the way The seeds I got sent to Me worked out great One week a set the next week another. and the last. It isn't as hard on Me on the start and transplant. I don't feel rushed. I however donot have back up plants here. They come up fine without em.

 

[DonH]

You should be fine BT as for me over here I need to get them as big as possible before planting out. when they out-grow the float tray I plant them in one pint plastic beer glasses, this gives me a couple of extra weeks if the weather is bad.

One pint cups should give you an extra month, if necessary. I've used those for backups.

 

[deluxestogie]

Backups are to replace transplant mortality in the field.

Bob