If you found this video helpful, please *LIKE* it and share it to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Introduction 0:26 Advantages Of Starting Transplants 1:46 The Best Plants To Start As Transplants 3:05 Seed Starting Mix Options 5:20 How To Fill Seed Trays 7:00 How To Sow Seeds In Vermiculite 10:53 How To Sow Seeds In Potting Mix 15:44 How To Germinate Seeds Properly 17:35 Seed Starting Results 18:01 How To Fertilize And Harden Off Seedlings 22:41 Adventures With Dale
@@vick6774 definitely he has some of the best tips & tricks, I copy his garden work every year 😜, I have over 200 different tomato seeds but mostly I grow his favorites 😉 Brandyboy, Bigbeef etc
I never thought of using vermiculite this way I think it’s very smart I received my big bag now I will start my onions hopefully this will work for me thank you
I never knew you could start seeds in vermiculite ONLY. Thank you for teaching me this. I cannot wait to get back out into the garden. There are approximately 2 inches of snow on the ground with more coming this evening. I have spring fever!
One of the best methods I have found for watering delicate seedlings is using a turkey baster. You can aim and control the amount of water very easily.
That is actually exactly what I used to do years ago! If you watch my old videos from 4-6 years ago, especially on peat pellets, you'll see me do exactly that. But, I can't do it anymore, because I grow so many seeds now it would take me all day. I bought a little watering can with a tiny spout specifically made to control the flow, and now I use that so I can water hundreds of cells pretty easily.
I’m glad to hear that. Honestly, my default reaction is that I truly loathe this time of year. That gap between when the holidays are over, but the worst of the cold is yet to come…it’s tough. You’re not alone. But, I learned a long time ago that positivity is a choice. You have to choose to focus on the good stuff in life. Gardening has helped me do that. I hope I can pass on that outlook. This is going to be a rough January, but it’ll pass. In 5 weeks, we’ll be coming out of it and the tomato seeds will be sprouting…warm vibes are on the way. Lots to look forward to if we choose to do so!
All my garden beds built- adding in soil next week, and awaiting seeds to arrive! Thanks for all your clear, logical, no BS advice!!! You've been an invaluable resource in designing my garden.
You really need to write a gardening encyclopedia of sorts to accompany these videos. I find myself taking a ton of notes! Also, HELL YES to starting seedlings for a different variety than what you'd find in store. I got so sick of vine borers attacking my zucchini so I gave up growing them. Then I discovered the trombetta or trombacino squash and good lord was it life changing! It takes up a lot of room, but can be eaten green as a zucchini-esque squash or allowed to ripen as a winter squash, and vine borers can't touch it. I've never seen it available in a nursery for transplant. That is my TED talk lol Awesome vid as always!
I would love to write a book one day. It’s on my very long To Do List that seems to increase in length 5X faster than I check anything off 😆 There are a lot of great borer resistant butternut squashes, too!
Wow! I just finished sowing my first flat of seeds using a chop stick. It was such a zen experience. It really does feel like being an artist. What a great idea - thank you for sharing.
I would love to, but it's a very long haul to get up to NJ and back. We still touch base once or twice a month and keep in touch, so I'm sure you won't see the last of us together. He's a genuinely great guy.
@TheMillennialGardener I understand. It nice to see yall get along and share this amazing information. You are SO helpful. Especially because I am in SC. Not so far from you.
Zone 5 here, onions: several years now I’ve planted in Pro Mix in milk jugs cut off around the base of the handle, drainage holes in bottom …holds around 25 or so, the root growth is great over two months plus, clip the tops a couple times, every one makes it, easy to transplant after hardening off.
I just love your channel. I planted the Bandy Boy tomato per your recommendation on one of your videos and you're not wrong. It did not disappoint. That and the Kellogg's Breakfast tomato were my star producers. I harvested over 800 lbs. (likely more but I stopped counting at 600 lbs.) of tomatoes in 2024. I'm still processing roughly 100 lbs. of them that I have stored in the freezer until I can get to them. I'm currently planning my 2025 garden. We're a few weeks behind you here in Springfield, Illinois. They will be on the roster indefinitely. :) Thanks for all you do , it's helped me become a better gardener.
Something I tried last year and will be using again this year is a miniature greenhouse I built. It's only about 4' tall and I used 1x2s and sheet plastic for construction. The plastic filters the sun quite well almost emulating an overcast sky! I can almost set my seedlings in the 'greenhouse' and forget about them.
When I grew up, my mom was a full-time nurse and worked three 13-hr shifts a week. We lived across the street from my grandmother, so when she would work on weekdays, we'd go across the street to her house. She didn't have cable, so we watched PBS. Bob Ross, The Galloping Gourmet, Yan Can Cook and The Victory Garden were my cartoons 😅
I love your videos and am a subscriber. I cannot stop giggling at how small you look next to that vermiculite bag! (I would love a bag that big!) you are right about the price point, but still so humorous to see you look so tiny there!
Thank you, Dale. I'm in Alabama, so having a southern gardener's advice is priceless, and your videos are always so spot on in the types of help I need. I'm getting ready to set up my indoor seed growing station this coming week, and I believe I have everything I need (except one more heat mat, which I'll be ordering today). But I'm curious about the plug in timer you showed that is associated with a phone app - where can I find that? I want one! Having the grow light set on a timer had not even entered my mind, so I'm excited about adding that to the set up!! Thank you again!!!!!
Some plants, tomato especially, are happy to germinate packed together dozens of seeds per inch in narrow rows ~2" apart. Prick out and transplant into trays as usual. Saves a ton of germination space.
I use a 50/50 mix of coco coir and soil. It's worked out great this past year. The coco is good and light for the roots, retains water but drains well and the soil will help feed.
When you say soil, do you mean dirt from the garden? That could be tricky for fungus gnats and diseases, so you have to be careful. You may want to bake it in the oven to sterilize it.
I am out of sink with most gardeners, I am cleaning my chicken coop and piling it in one of my compost bins, I know it’s too cold up here now to compost but the coop needs cleaning. Layering it with wood shavings,so in the spring it should take off and go. Getting ready to start onions end of the month or early next month.
I always need something growing. I can't look outside and see nothing. Having things for harvest year round really boosts my spirit. I don't handle the cold well mentally or physically. When you get into the 30's latitude, you really want to get your onions out in your garden by early March.
I am always inspired by your videos, thank you so much! It's cold and rainy here today, but I know in just a few weeks, the early Spring weather will be here, my new raised bed soil will be settled and ready for direct seeds and soon after, the first of the transplants can be set out. Looking forward to an even better garden this year! Happy New year!
Greetings and Happy New Year from Melbourne Au. Thank you for another informative, as well as entertaining video. Great tip on strengthening the young seedlings by mimicking the wind, with a fan....gold! 😊🍀💪😊
You're welcome! I know how tough the winters are in the Northeast. Those 4PM sunsets and nights in the teens get rough, and I only had to deal with Pennsylvania winters. Y'all in Maine really love the chill 😄
I have learned SO much from being subscribed to your channel! Thank you for linking the products that you use to each of your videos it makes my life so much easier to simply click the link and go directly to the product! Others just tell where they got their products and I have a hard time finding the exact product they use! I’m in Alabama zone 8 & have been watching your videos for about a year & have learned so much! Please keep them coming!!!
Can you do a video on up potting different plants, I enjoy you videos and great trips. I’m still new to gardening and not sure when to up pot and transplant outside
I'm so grateful for your content! I'm a new gardener, with GreenStalks on my apartment balcony, and I've been super nervous about seed-starting. Your content has been empowering, though, and I'm so thankful for you! I feel ready to start seed trays on a heat mat, on a table on the balcony. We'll see how it goes! Thank you!
Tried hot peppers in the 72 flats on heat mats. Some popped right away & other's were coming up a month later. This year I'm going to do the peppers in small plastic container for each type, then transplant seedlings. That way i don't get stuck with a half germinated cell tray. That's the plan anyways.
Thank you for this fantastic video! The information was so helpful and inspiring-I really appreciate the effort you put into sharing this. Looking forward to more of your content!❤🌱
Would love your thoughts on this. I like to germinate my seeds in a plastic bag with a moist paper towel. For me it ensures only germinated seeds go to soil. I also feel it allows me to eliminate an extra transplant since these will be container pots and for plants intended to be in-ground I just used a larger starter cell 2"-3" pods
I see the frost cloth blowing in the wind (like mine is/was til I used clothes hangers) and I know you're readying for the Arctic Blast like we are. Starting seeds indoors is what I am doing now to stave off the Seasonal Affective Disorder + Polar Vortexing. BONUS: Had no idea damping off could be prevented w/ damping off!!!! I amazed. Will be purchasing ASAP.
Definitely start NOW! It is already getting late for 10A. You need to get the cool crops in now and the tomatoes in by Valentine’s Day-ish because they’ll be toast by Memorial Day😊
Fish amino for an organic option indoors, smells like bread when fully broken down, if you can fish make your own with brown sugar for cheap cheap fertilizer. Its also great to add to compost/worm tea.
I can't use anything like that in my office. It's just unbearable 😂 Jack's 20-20-20 or MiracleGro tomato is just fine. It's cheap, easy and odorless. I know some people are against those fertilizers, but it really doesn't matter when they're confined to seed cells. Any plants you buy from the nurseries are going to use those types of fertilizers, anyway. You can discontinue their use once you actually transplant them into the garden soil.
Thanks for the information provided in the video. I am glad that you shared plants to direct sew and plants to start indoors as transplant--this has always been confusing to me but now I understand.
I’ve used seed starter, but I much prefer coco coir. I add some worm castings to coco coir, and I’ve had success with it. I have noticed the dampening off, but I’m learning to manage my watering better.
To be honest, I've *always* had better luck with peat moss than coco coir. It's cheaper, finer, easier to work with, it doesn't have the salt issue that coco coir has, and most plants love the mildly acidic pH. I do stock a lot of small coir bricks for seed starting, and I do use them every year, but I'll be honest - I'll take peat moss 10 times out of 10. That Jiffy mix is just beautiful. I think ti's the salts inherent to coco coir that makes it a little challenging to use, plus the buffering issue.
Thank you so much for all your info. I live in western Ontario on Lake Huron so we are colder and a month or two behind you. Still, your info is applicable just by adjusting the timing. Happy New Year and happy gardening.
My location is usually a little ahead of most. I try to use that to time things so the content is a little ahead of most people. That way, it gives them time to gather supplies, seeds, get a plan together, etc.
This may be a dumb question, but here goes. I am just beginning to try my hand at gardening and don't want to spend too much before I see how it goes. That said, if you don't have the funds for a mat and grow light can you put your seedlings in a sunny, south-facing window with similar results? Thank you so much for your videos; they are chock full of information.
It's great stuff! The only thing I will say is that 100% vermiculite doesn't hold together well as a soil ball. For onions and shallots, it doesn't matter because they're incredibly hardy, but for more sensitive transplants like brassicas, tomatoes, etc., I would blend in a good amount of potting mix to ensure a tight rootball. Vermiculite also works well as a topper to help minimize fungus gnats.
New subscriber here. Thank you. This video is loaded with valuable information. I have a hard time with my lettuce. It seems to always be sour and I don’t know why.
There are a lot of seed starting videos but this was really useful. Will try vermiculite as for the last couple years I have had a ton of trouble with damping off. As a suggestion could you do one on potting up of nightshade? I'm in Chicago so maybe in your climate you don't need to do that but would be interested in your thoughts there. Thanks
Thanks for this vermiculite tip, the big bag of Vigoro vermiculite I purchased from Home Depot last year before they more than doubled the price per bag is fine grade, it's supposed to be medium grade. It's useless for anything other than seed starting, I'm glad I didn't return it. I will sow my bulb onion seeds in it since I'm having trouble getting them to germinate in coco coir or peat moss based mixes even though my chives/scallion seeds germinate in my potting mixes without any issues. I wish a big RUclipsr like you would do an exposé on how the soil amendment companies are ripping us off by claiming products are 1 CU FT, 2 CU FT, etc. worth of product when it is most often nowhere near the amount they claim. I found a decent price on that big bag of 4 CU FT coarse vermiculite you featured in this video last year, but the supposed 4 CU FT bag was obviously more like 2 CU FT, so I returned the 3 bags back to Amazon. I was so frustrated & disappointed. Of course now on top of the bait & switch scams they're running by significantly skimping on the amount of product they're advertising, they're jacking the prices up more & more.
Ugh. Pre-covid, Depot sold the big 2 cubic ft bags of vermiculite for $17.99. It was awesome. They always had them stocked, and the price never changed year to year. I haven't seen them since, and if you order them online, the price has literally doubled! Breaks my heart. These 4 cubic ft bags are a mulch better deal overall. This vermiculite is a bit coarse. A medium may be a little better if you want to use 100% vermiculite. However, my onions are starting to come up as we speak, so it is working. I don't personally like knocking individual companies. There is a lot of shady business practices out there, and I do make some awareness videos, particularly about the insane rip-off pricing of transplants from big box stores these days. But generally, I try to stay positive. A long time ago, people would leave me comments saying that my videos weren't all that helpful, because even though the info was good, I never told anyone where to get the stuff I use. I've taken those comments to heart, and I try to share all of the things that I use and have personally vetted for quality and value. It takes me a very long time to tag all these items in these videos - we're talking like 2 hours a video. But I do it because I feel like it's helping people find good quality stuff for a decent price. That's how I've tried to handle the situation.
I started my super hot the same time you did. But I'll have to start my cold crops and I'll also start with my tomatoes on the 27th of January. My onions sees are on their way to me now. But we have a very bad wi ter storm about to hit us in Kentucky
That seems really early for tomatoes in Kentucky. I usually start my tomatoes around Feb 7th, and they'll be ready for transplant around March 30. When I tried starting my tomatoes the last week of January, they got so large that many of them were flowering in their little pots by mid to late March. You don't want them producing flowers when they're still in seed trays. That indicates they're rootbound and stressed.
Love your videos. I always learn something or at the least see something from a different light. Thank you. If I could make one suggestion, can you provide links to products that are not tied to amazon? Just a thought. Thanks
THANK YOU for another super helpful video. I have a question regarding the grow lights: Would it be harmful to leave them on 24/7 to try to speed up the growth?
You're welcome! Plants don't photosynthesize 24 hours a day, particularly these plants, which mostly come from subtropical regions. Don't run your lights 24 hours a day, there is no need. 16 ON/8 OFF is fine.
Greetings from Maine again! I love watching your channel and learn so much. Ive taken your advice many times. However, this time, I have an important FIG question! I left my 2 figs outside until we had a couple of light frosts, and they dropped their leaves. Brought them into a cool but still sunny room, intending to cut them back and create cuttings. I ended up ill for a time, and they began to leaf out, even creating a couple of baby figs. What do I do? Cut them back anyway and dark/cool store them, or bring them into my grow room and let 'em go? Help! Thanks. 😊
I have been germinating all my seeds in Vermiculite for many years in bulk then transfer them to podding mix trays otherwise they fall down once 3 inches tall and also they don't make a root ball in vermiculite
The vermiculite doesn't hold together as well as soil. But, onions are extremely hardy once they are 8 weeks old or so, so even if the root ball falls apart, they'll transplant just fine. It may not work well if you're transplanting something that doesn't like root disturbance, so it's best to mix in some peat or coir in those instances.
When you said to put them outside for 3 hours in the morning and then take them back inside for 10-14 days I about died laughing when I thought of all the people that have jobs they need to go to
I've found I'm bad at sunlight acclimation: I tend to get over-eager or I forget to bring them in at the right time. What works for me is placing the seed trays outside in shade and gradually moving them into dappled sun with less and less shade every day. If I forget to move them for a day or two it's OK, no sunburn. 💚
Whatever you do to make it work is best. As long as you don’t scorch them. Sticking them under trees that cast shade is another good strategy as long as you remember to move them back in before the shade area shifts.
I’m in zone 9b in central California and still have tomatoes on the vine, we haven’t had any frost yet and am wondering what I can do so save the fruit from frost since it’s taking longer than normal for them to ripen?
Couple points, and I think this affects some lettuce types more than others. I get the fastest germination with the soil temp below 75 F and this is recommended by different seed companies so I don't plant lettuce with anything I'm going to put on a heat mat. In fact it gets warm in the space they're in because of grow lights/small space so yes even LED bulbs will put off enough heat to warm up a small space added with a central heater running in the winter time. ANY lettuce type will germinate just as fast around 70 F as they will at 75 F and the ones that struggle when the soil temp gets up and over 75 are best kept in the 65 - 73 F range. So because of that I just plant all lettuce together, get them started with a paper towel method, once again because SOME of the types I grow do a lot better that way, and then because the soil temp will climb above 75 F in the small space, I put small ice packs underneath them to keep the soil between 65 - 73 F until I have all the germination I figure I'm going to get, which is typically 100% for the easier types to get growing and 80% with some of the more stubborn ones. I monitor with the Luxbird temp sensors. With the paper towel method the seeds are in a zip lock bag for 2 - 3 days with a little air in the bag, the time depends on the type, and they're in an ice chest with an ice pack and I'm keeping that in the 60 - 70 F range. The ice chest is partially open letting in indirect light. I pull them out once a day starting at the 24 hour point, and if I have near 50% sprouting I plant. If not, I use cold water to squirt onto the paper towel, press softly to push out the older water, and do this a couple times to where they have fresh, very cool water. Also, I mist the inside of the plastic bag with hydrogen peroxide just to keep anything from starting to grow other than the seeds. Rooting for the easier ones is 24 - 36 hours. Rooting for the stubborn ones is 3 - 4 days but I don't like them in a paper towel for more than 4 days so after that they get planted. There's typically some of the seeds that have started to root. Once again there are plenty of types of lettuce that will germinate fine around 75F. There's also plenty of types where they germinate pretty easily and no need for paper towels which is a bit of a hassle with tiny lettuce seeds. But then here's my other issue, peppers, and this will include those hot, tropical peppers will come up faster with a soil temp around 83 F. They're the only thing I plant that wants these warmer soil temps. They'll germinate at lower temps, but I prefer to get them going quickly and I can get them going in as little as 4 days around 83 F. The soil temp can get warmer, like up to 85 F but because germination is uneven and can be spread over about 4 - 5 days. Because of this I don't like putting peppers with anything else not even tomatoes which work better around 77 F. If you look at different soil temp charts most things will start well around 77 F. However there are cold temp greens that like it better between 70 - 75 F. So, with lettuce on its own and peppers on its own, I can either have a tray in the 76 - 78 F range and in my space that requires a heat mat though it won't be running during the warmer part of the day, or I have a tray in the 70 - 75 F range and since I get faster germination with pak choi in that lower range I just put brassicas in the same tray at the cooler range. I have to use ice packs to keep temps in that range. And these are thin and small ice packs where 8 of them fit under a 1020 tray. With lettuce, since the temps can go below 70 F I use 8 ice packs, all frozen. For the 70 - 75F trays I use 4 frozen ice packs and 4 at room temp and that only drops the temp a smaller amount. Having said ALL this, you can get germination at a pretty wide temp range, and the only thing I know that gives REAL problems above 75 F are some types of lettuce, which I just so happen grow and I'd have to do a bit of digging to figure out which types since I have been treating them all the same. A happy temp for most things is around 77 F, but some things other than lettuce struggle if the temps get much above that which is why I have that small range of 76 - 78 F for seeds that work well around 77 F. Sorry that was long.
I love your videos because they are so wonderfully detailed! Do you water your seedlings from the top or the bottom of the tray? Dale looks so cute in his Christmas pj's! :)
Thank you! I usually top water out of ease. Also, some of my trays have drain holes in the side. I always have to carefully look them over to make sure I don’t get them mixed it.
@ I have never grown seedlings in vermiculite. I’m wondering, do you find any difference in the growth of or the final outcome of the seedlings grown in vermiculite compared to potting soil?
I started my seedlings before watching this video. I did not do the warm water rinse now when I water the water goes right through and the soil is dry it out immediately. What can I do to remedy that is?😢
Those of us that leave the house before the sun comes up and barely home by dark ~ are out of luck! That’s why I can’t start seeds because I don’t have time. 😬 Can do all but the hardening off.
I grow almost everything in raised beds. Corn is very difficult for backyard gardeners, because you need a minimum 40’x40’ plot for it to naturally wind pollinate. If you want to grow corn in a raised bed, you will have to hand pollinate: ruclips.net/video/FTnou9SfFm8/видео.htmlsi=kVgOzrCBZ6LpVxL_
If you found this video helpful, please *LIKE* it and share it to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Introduction
0:26 Advantages Of Starting Transplants
1:46 The Best Plants To Start As Transplants
3:05 Seed Starting Mix Options
5:20 How To Fill Seed Trays
7:00 How To Sow Seeds In Vermiculite
10:53 How To Sow Seeds In Potting Mix
15:44 How To Germinate Seeds Properly
17:35 Seed Starting Results
18:01 How To Fertilize And Harden Off Seedlings
22:41 Adventures With Dale
Can you link the light timer that you use. I could not find it if you already have...
People let's start sharing this mens videos. Let's get him to one million subscribers this year
Thank you! I really appreciate it 🙂 I'm hoping #2025 is the year of 1M 🙏
I share nothing with ads attached! But he does have great content!
Just did! I'll tell all my folks about This. !
@@vick6774 definitely he has some of the best tips & tricks, I copy his garden work every year 😜, I have over 200 different tomato seeds but mostly I grow his favorites 😉 Brandyboy, Bigbeef etc
Yes. He is my fave
I never thought of using vermiculite this way I think it’s very smart I received my big bag now I will start my onions hopefully this will work for me thank you
My favourite gardening channel!
Thank you! I'm glad you like the channel!
I never knew you could start seeds in vermiculite ONLY. Thank you for teaching me this. I cannot wait to get back out into the garden. There are approximately 2 inches of snow on the ground with more coming this evening. I have spring fever!
I love Dale! Thats how all dogs should be treated, so loved!
We love Dale more than anything. He's the biggest source of joy in ours lives.
One of the best methods I have found for watering delicate seedlings is using a turkey baster. You can aim and control the amount of water very easily.
That is actually exactly what I used to do years ago! If you watch my old videos from 4-6 years ago, especially on peat pellets, you'll see me do exactly that. But, I can't do it anymore, because I grow so many seeds now it would take me all day. I bought a little watering can with a tiny spout specifically made to control the flow, and now I use that so I can water hundreds of cells pretty easily.
@@TheMillennialGardener Yes, I don't do as many seedlings as you do!
Thank you -- the chopstick tip is priceless!!!
When the negativity of winter grips, your positivity and info is a ray of sunshine and encouragement! Thank you!😊
I’m glad to hear that. Honestly, my default reaction is that I truly loathe this time of year. That gap between when the holidays are over, but the worst of the cold is yet to come…it’s tough. You’re not alone. But, I learned a long time ago that positivity is a choice. You have to choose to focus on the good stuff in life. Gardening has helped me do that. I hope I can pass on that outlook. This is going to be a rough January, but it’ll pass. In 5 weeks, we’ll be coming out of it and the tomato seeds will be sprouting…warm vibes are on the way. Lots to look forward to if we choose to do so!
All my garden beds built- adding in soil next week, and awaiting seeds to arrive! Thanks for all your clear, logical, no BS advice!!! You've been an invaluable resource in designing my garden.
You really need to write a gardening encyclopedia of sorts to accompany these videos. I find myself taking a ton of notes!
Also, HELL YES to starting seedlings for a different variety than what you'd find in store. I got so sick of vine borers attacking my zucchini so I gave up growing them. Then I discovered the trombetta or trombacino squash and good lord was it life changing! It takes up a lot of room, but can be eaten green as a zucchini-esque squash or allowed to ripen as a winter squash, and vine borers can't touch it. I've never seen it available in a nursery for transplant. That is my TED talk lol Awesome vid as always!
I would love to write a book one day. It’s on my very long To Do List that seems to increase in length 5X faster than I check anything off 😆 There are a lot of great borer resistant butternut squashes, too!
Dale is so lucky ❤🤗
Omg I just spit iced coffee on my work computer at the sight of the Bob Ross bust on the garden bed.😂😂🤣🤣🤣
Love that Bob Ross head!
Looks like a chia-Bob head 😂❤
What about the coffee makes me poop mug.... lol....
Wow! I just finished sowing my first flat of seeds using a chop stick. It was such a zen experience. It really does feel like being an artist.
What a great idea - thank you for sharing.
Coffee makes me poop too lol! I love the informative videos you put out, thank you!
You're welcome! I was wondering how long it would take for someone to notice 😅
@@TheMillennialGardener 🤣for me, it's the small things!
LOVE THIS GUY !!
DO another episode with JAMES !!!❤❤❤
I would love to, but it's a very long haul to get up to NJ and back. We still touch base once or twice a month and keep in touch, so I'm sure you won't see the last of us together. He's a genuinely great guy.
@TheMillennialGardener I understand. It nice to see yall get along and share this amazing information. You are SO helpful. Especially because I am in SC. Not so far from you.
Zone 5 here, onions: several years now I’ve planted in Pro Mix in milk jugs cut off around the base of the handle, drainage holes in bottom …holds around 25 or so, the root growth is great over two months plus, clip the tops a couple times, every one makes it, easy to transplant after hardening off.
I just love your channel. I planted the Bandy Boy tomato per your recommendation on one of your videos and you're not wrong. It did not disappoint. That and the Kellogg's Breakfast tomato were my star producers. I harvested over 800 lbs. (likely more but I stopped counting at 600 lbs.) of tomatoes in 2024. I'm still processing roughly 100 lbs. of them that I have stored in the freezer until I can get to them. I'm currently planning my 2025 garden. We're a few weeks behind you here in Springfield, Illinois. They will be on the roster indefinitely. :) Thanks for all you do , it's helped me become a better gardener.
Thank you for all the information you teach us
My pleasure!
Something I tried last year and will be using again this year is a miniature greenhouse I built. It's only about 4' tall and I used 1x2s and sheet plastic for construction. The plastic filters the sun quite well almost emulating an overcast sky! I can almost set my seedlings in the 'greenhouse' and forget about them.
❤ the Bob Ross chia head 😂
When I grew up, my mom was a full-time nurse and worked three 13-hr shifts a week. We lived across the street from my grandmother, so when she would work on weekdays, we'd go across the street to her house. She didn't have cable, so we watched PBS. Bob Ross, The Galloping Gourmet, Yan Can Cook and The Victory Garden were my cartoons 😅
@TheMillennialGardener love it! My mom was also an rn. We used to watch PBS a lot too
@@TheMillennialGardener I loved all those shows too 😊
@@emmelia-6068 that began my early subconscious indoctrination to gardening and cooking 😆
@@TheMillennialGardener I'm very happy you got into gardening! Your videos are fun and helpful. 😊
Awesome brother. I needed that ❤
You explain things so easy thank you
You're welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful.
Great video 😊
Thank you!
Great timing for me. My vermiculite just came in along with led shop lights. Setting space up this weekend. Ty
Excellent! Starting seeds helps beat the January blues.
I love your videos and am a subscriber. I cannot stop giggling at how small you look next to that vermiculite bag! (I would love a bag that big!) you are right about the price point, but still so humorous to see you look so tiny there!
Thank you, Dale. I'm in Alabama, so having a southern gardener's advice is priceless, and your videos are always so spot on in the types of help I need. I'm getting ready to set up my indoor seed growing station this coming week, and I believe I have everything I need (except one more heat mat, which I'll be ordering today). But I'm curious about the plug in timer you showed that is associated with a phone app - where can I find that? I want one! Having the grow light set on a timer had not even entered my mind, so I'm excited about adding that to the set up!! Thank you again!!!!!
Some plants, tomato especially, are happy to germinate packed together dozens of seeds per inch in narrow rows ~2" apart.
Prick out and transplant into trays as usual. Saves a ton of germination space.
I use a 50/50 mix of coco coir and soil. It's worked out great this past year. The coco is good and light for the roots, retains water but drains well and the soil will help feed.
When you say soil, do you mean dirt from the garden? That could be tricky for fungus gnats and diseases, so you have to be careful. You may want to bake it in the oven to sterilize it.
@@TheMillennialGardener Soil I used for my fabric pot plants outside. It was Fox Farms Ocean Forest.
thank u once again. I need more information on starting onion from seeds! I love those stockings and seeing your wife on your video
Nice sharing brother ❤️❤❤
Thank you!
I sure am thankful for your knowledge
Love your coffee mug! It does the same to me, lol!😂
It was a gift from the wife. She sure knows me well.
I am out of sink with most gardeners, I am cleaning my chicken coop and piling it in one of my compost bins, I know it’s too cold up here now to compost but the coop needs cleaning. Layering it with wood shavings,so in the spring it should take off and go. Getting ready to start onions end of the month or early next month.
I always need something growing. I can't look outside and see nothing. Having things for harvest year round really boosts my spirit. I don't handle the cold well mentally or physically. When you get into the 30's latitude, you really want to get your onions out in your garden by early March.
I am always inspired by your videos, thank you so much! It's cold and rainy here today, but I know in just a few weeks, the early Spring weather will be here, my new raised bed soil will be settled and ready for direct seeds and soon after, the first of the transplants can be set out. Looking forward to an even better garden this year! Happy New year!
Greetings and Happy New Year from Melbourne Au. Thank you for another informative, as well as entertaining video. Great tip on strengthening the young seedlings by mimicking the wind, with a fan....gold! 😊🍀💪😊
Started onions yesterday so this video is well timed
Perfect! I have really fallen in love with growing onions. They’re a lot of fun.
Thank you for all these videos I live in Maine it keeps my hope up for spring.
You're welcome! I know how tough the winters are in the Northeast. Those 4PM sunsets and nights in the teens get rough, and I only had to deal with Pennsylvania winters. Y'all in Maine really love the chill 😄
I have learned SO much from being subscribed to your channel! Thank you for linking the products that you use to each of your videos it makes my life so much easier to simply click the link and go directly to the product! Others just tell where they got their products and I have a hard time finding the exact product they use! I’m in Alabama zone 8 & have been watching your videos for about a year & have learned so much! Please keep them coming!!!
Can you do a video on up potting different plants, I enjoy you videos and great trips. I’m still new to gardening and not sure when to up pot and transplant outside
Been watching your videos and looking forward to spring in Arizona! Thank you!
I appreciate it! You're very welcome.
Thanks!
You’re welcome! I appreciate your support and generosity! Thank you ❤️
Another great video! Many thanks 🙏🏾
Glad you enjoyed it!!
I'm so grateful for your content! I'm a new gardener, with GreenStalks on my apartment balcony, and I've been super nervous about seed-starting. Your content has been empowering, though, and I'm so thankful for you! I feel ready to start seed trays on a heat mat, on a table on the balcony. We'll see how it goes! Thank you!
Tried hot peppers in the 72 flats on heat mats. Some popped right away & other's were coming up a month later. This year I'm going to do the peppers in small plastic container for each type, then transplant seedlings. That way i don't get stuck with a half germinated cell tray. That's the plan anyways.
Good advice thank you God bless you stay safe 😘 🙏 ❤️
I appreciate it! You too!
I always enjoy your videos and what I’ve learned is amazing. Thank you so much!
You are welcome! I’m glad I can help.
Thank you for this fantastic video! The information was so helpful and inspiring-I really appreciate the effort you put into sharing this. Looking forward to more of your content!❤🌱
I'm so happy to hear that! Glad I can help you.
Coucou 👋🏻 👋🏻 👋🏻
Vraiment top merci pour ce partage 😊
À bientôt
I learn so much from you. Super helpful video, thanks! - A fellow Wilmingtonian
Would love your thoughts on this. I like to germinate my seeds in a plastic bag with a moist paper towel. For me it ensures only germinated seeds go to soil. I also feel it allows me to eliminate an extra transplant since these will be container pots and for plants intended to be in-ground I just used a larger starter cell 2"-3" pods
I see the frost cloth blowing in the wind (like mine is/was til I used clothes hangers) and I know you're readying for the Arctic Blast like we are. Starting seeds indoors is what I am doing now to stave off the Seasonal Affective Disorder + Polar Vortexing. BONUS: Had no idea damping off could be prevented w/ damping off!!!! I amazed. Will be purchasing ASAP.
Super guide!!
That was great information. Thank you very much.
You're welcome! I hope it helps you have success in your garden!
Yes i have to get better at this! Thanks for this video! Im in Florida zone 10a so our heat is brutal at times! New to gardening here 😅
Definitely start NOW! It is already getting late for 10A. You need to get the cool crops in now and the tomatoes in by Valentine’s Day-ish because they’ll be toast by Memorial Day😊
Fish amino for an organic option indoors, smells like bread when fully broken down, if you can fish make your own with brown sugar for cheap cheap fertilizer. Its also great to add to compost/worm tea.
I can't use anything like that in my office. It's just unbearable 😂 Jack's 20-20-20 or MiracleGro tomato is just fine. It's cheap, easy and odorless. I know some people are against those fertilizers, but it really doesn't matter when they're confined to seed cells. Any plants you buy from the nurseries are going to use those types of fertilizers, anyway. You can discontinue their use once you actually transplant them into the garden soil.
Thanks for the information provided in the video. I am glad that you shared plants to direct sew and plants to start indoors as transplant--this has always been confusing to me but now I understand.
I'm glad I could help. I tried to be thorough without making the video too too long.
Thank you kindly 🌹
Great video...thank u
Amazing guide! Thanks a lot! ❤
I’ve used seed starter, but I much prefer coco coir. I add some worm castings to coco coir, and I’ve had success with it. I have noticed the dampening off, but I’m learning to manage my watering better.
To be honest, I've *always* had better luck with peat moss than coco coir. It's cheaper, finer, easier to work with, it doesn't have the salt issue that coco coir has, and most plants love the mildly acidic pH. I do stock a lot of small coir bricks for seed starting, and I do use them every year, but I'll be honest - I'll take peat moss 10 times out of 10. That Jiffy mix is just beautiful. I think ti's the salts inherent to coco coir that makes it a little challenging to use, plus the buffering issue.
Thank you so much for all your info. I live in western Ontario on Lake Huron so we are colder and a month or two behind you. Still, your info is applicable just by adjusting the timing. Happy New Year and happy gardening.
My location is usually a little ahead of most. I try to use that to time things so the content is a little ahead of most people. That way, it gives them time to gather supplies, seeds, get a plan together, etc.
Really enjoy and learned a lot from you channel. Thank you !🌺
You are very welcome! I'm so glad the videos are helpful!
His "Breaking Bad" Jack 20-20-20 gave me the big laugh of the day 😂😂😂
WOW I have to save this Anthony A lot of AWESOME information. Thank you so much Brother ❤😊
You’re very welcome!
This may be a dumb question, but here goes. I am just beginning to try my hand at gardening and don't want to spend too much before I see how it goes. That said, if you don't have the funds for a mat and grow light can you put your seedlings in a sunny, south-facing window with similar results? Thank you so much for your videos; they are chock full of information.
Thank you for the link on the Vermiculite! Already in my cart. Great tip on using hot water on hydrophobic soil!
It's great stuff! The only thing I will say is that 100% vermiculite doesn't hold together well as a soil ball. For onions and shallots, it doesn't matter because they're incredibly hardy, but for more sensitive transplants like brassicas, tomatoes, etc., I would blend in a good amount of potting mix to ensure a tight rootball. Vermiculite also works well as a topper to help minimize fungus gnats.
Couple of questions. Are you thinning the cells to one plant? Also watering, how often?
New subscriber here. Thank you. This video is loaded with valuable information. I have a hard time with my lettuce. It seems to always be sour and I don’t know why.
There are a lot of seed starting videos but this was really useful. Will try vermiculite as for the last couple years I have had a ton of trouble with damping off. As a suggestion could you do one on potting up of nightshade? I'm in Chicago so maybe in your climate you don't need to do that but would be interested in your thoughts there. Thanks
Thanks for this vermiculite tip, the big bag of Vigoro vermiculite I purchased from Home Depot last year before they more than doubled the price per bag is fine grade, it's supposed to be medium grade. It's useless for anything other than seed starting, I'm glad I didn't return it. I will sow my bulb onion seeds in it since I'm having trouble getting them to germinate in coco coir or peat moss based mixes even though my chives/scallion seeds germinate in my potting mixes without any issues. I wish a big RUclipsr like you would do an exposé on how the soil amendment companies are ripping us off by claiming products are 1 CU FT, 2 CU FT, etc. worth of product when it is most often nowhere near the amount they claim. I found a decent price on that big bag of 4 CU FT coarse vermiculite you featured in this video last year, but the supposed 4 CU FT bag was obviously more like 2 CU FT, so I returned the 3 bags back to Amazon. I was so frustrated & disappointed. Of course now on top of the bait & switch scams they're running by significantly skimping on the amount of product they're advertising, they're jacking the prices up more & more.
Ugh. Pre-covid, Depot sold the big 2 cubic ft bags of vermiculite for $17.99. It was awesome. They always had them stocked, and the price never changed year to year. I haven't seen them since, and if you order them online, the price has literally doubled! Breaks my heart. These 4 cubic ft bags are a mulch better deal overall. This vermiculite is a bit coarse. A medium may be a little better if you want to use 100% vermiculite. However, my onions are starting to come up as we speak, so it is working.
I don't personally like knocking individual companies. There is a lot of shady business practices out there, and I do make some awareness videos, particularly about the insane rip-off pricing of transplants from big box stores these days. But generally, I try to stay positive. A long time ago, people would leave me comments saying that my videos weren't all that helpful, because even though the info was good, I never told anyone where to get the stuff I use. I've taken those comments to heart, and I try to share all of the things that I use and have personally vetted for quality and value. It takes me a very long time to tag all these items in these videos - we're talking like 2 hours a video. But I do it because I feel like it's helping people find good quality stuff for a decent price. That's how I've tried to handle the situation.
I started my super hot the same time you did. But I'll have to start my cold crops and I'll also start with my tomatoes on the 27th of January. My onions sees are on their way to me now. But we have a very bad wi ter storm about to hit us in Kentucky
That seems really early for tomatoes in Kentucky. I usually start my tomatoes around Feb 7th, and they'll be ready for transplant around March 30. When I tried starting my tomatoes the last week of January, they got so large that many of them were flowering in their little pots by mid to late March. You don't want them producing flowers when they're still in seed trays. That indicates they're rootbound and stressed.
Fantastic video.
Thank you very much!
Thanks for the video! Do cool season crops, like Brussels sprouts and Romaine, germinate well on a heat mat or leave them off? Happy New Year.
Love your videos. I always learn something or at the least see something from a different light. Thank you. If I could make one suggestion, can you provide links to products that are not tied to amazon? Just a thought. Thanks
With the onions I did mine in a cup and put perlite on top they still gonna germinate right
Including a section on when to transplant from small cells to larger cells/small pots would be appreciated.
Nice dear friend ❤
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
Great video. I’m about to start my indoor seeding this week. I’m so looking forward to it. Oh no… No coal for Mr. Dale!! He’s a good boy.
Dale is the best boy, but he's still a little stinker at times 😂 We have to keep Mr. Spoiled a little in check 😀
😅😅😅😅😅😅😅 Anthony I saw your grin and I couldn't help but remember your funny video the other day. 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅 Laughing with you not at you 😊❤😅
You have to have some fun making this videos 😅
@TheMillennialGardener I'm sure Brother Anthony 🙏❤️😊🤣
THANK YOU for another super helpful video. I have a question regarding the grow lights: Would it be harmful to leave them on 24/7 to try to speed up the growth?
You're welcome! Plants don't photosynthesize 24 hours a day, particularly these plants, which mostly come from subtropical regions. Don't run your lights 24 hours a day, there is no need. 16 ON/8 OFF is fine.
Greetings from Maine again! I love watching your channel and learn so much. Ive taken your advice many times. However, this time, I have an important FIG question! I left my 2 figs outside until we had a couple of light frosts, and they dropped their leaves. Brought them into a cool but still sunny room, intending to cut them back and create cuttings. I ended up ill for a time, and they began to leaf out, even creating a couple of baby figs. What do I do? Cut them back anyway and dark/cool store them, or bring them into my grow room and let 'em go? Help! Thanks. 😊
🥳Happy New Year 🎉
Happy New Year 🎈
Great information
Glad it was helpful!
Gracias por la traducción en español.
I have been germinating all my seeds in Vermiculite for many years in bulk then transfer them to podding mix trays otherwise they fall down once 3 inches tall and also they don't make a root ball in vermiculite
The vermiculite doesn't hold together as well as soil. But, onions are extremely hardy once they are 8 weeks old or so, so even if the root ball falls apart, they'll transplant just fine. It may not work well if you're transplanting something that doesn't like root disturbance, so it's best to mix in some peat or coir in those instances.
@@TheMillennialGardener agree 💯
When you said to put them outside for 3 hours in the morning and then take them back inside for 10-14 days I about died laughing when I thought of all the people that have jobs they need to go to
I've found I'm bad at sunlight acclimation: I tend to get over-eager or I forget to bring them in at the right time. What works for me is placing the seed trays outside in shade and gradually moving them into dappled sun with less and less shade every day. If I forget to move them for a day or two it's OK, no sunburn. 💚
Whatever you do to make it work is best. As long as you don’t scorch them. Sticking them under trees that cast shade is another good strategy as long as you remember to move them back in before the shade area shifts.
I’m in zone 9b in central California and still have tomatoes on the vine, we haven’t had any frost yet and am wondering what I can do so save the fruit from frost since it’s taking longer than normal for them to ripen?
Couple points, and I think this affects some lettuce types more than others. I get the fastest germination with the soil temp below 75 F and this is recommended by different seed companies so I don't plant lettuce with anything I'm going to put on a heat mat. In fact it gets warm in the space they're in because of grow lights/small space so yes even LED bulbs will put off enough heat to warm up a small space added with a central heater running in the winter time.
ANY lettuce type will germinate just as fast around 70 F as they will at 75 F and the ones that struggle when the soil temp gets up and over 75 are best kept in the 65 - 73 F range. So because of that I just plant all lettuce together, get them started with a paper towel method, once again because SOME of the types I grow do a lot better that way, and then because the soil temp will climb above 75 F in the small space, I put small ice packs underneath them to keep the soil between 65 - 73 F until I have all the germination I figure I'm going to get, which is typically 100% for the easier types to get growing and 80% with some of the more stubborn ones. I monitor with the Luxbird temp sensors.
With the paper towel method the seeds are in a zip lock bag for 2 - 3 days with a little air in the bag, the time depends on the type, and they're in an ice chest with an ice pack and I'm keeping that in the 60 - 70 F range. The ice chest is partially open letting in indirect light. I pull them out once a day starting at the 24 hour point, and if I have near 50% sprouting I plant. If not, I use cold water to squirt onto the paper towel, press softly to push out the older water, and do this a couple times to where they have fresh, very cool water. Also, I mist the inside of the plastic bag with hydrogen peroxide just to keep anything from starting to grow other than the seeds. Rooting for the easier ones is 24 - 36 hours. Rooting for the stubborn ones is 3 - 4 days but I don't like them in a paper towel for more than 4 days so after that they get planted. There's typically some of the seeds that have started to root.
Once again there are plenty of types of lettuce that will germinate fine around 75F. There's also plenty of types where they germinate pretty easily and no need for paper towels which is a bit of a hassle with tiny lettuce seeds.
But then here's my other issue, peppers, and this will include those hot, tropical peppers will come up faster with a soil temp around 83 F. They're the only thing I plant that wants these warmer soil temps. They'll germinate at lower temps, but I prefer to get them going quickly and I can get them going in as little as 4 days around 83 F. The soil temp can get warmer, like up to 85 F but because germination is uneven and can be spread over about 4 - 5 days. Because of this I don't like putting peppers with anything else not even tomatoes which work better around 77 F.
If you look at different soil temp charts most things will start well around 77 F. However there are cold temp greens that like it better between 70 - 75 F. So, with lettuce on its own and peppers on its own, I can either have a tray in the 76 - 78 F range and in my space that requires a heat mat though it won't be running during the warmer part of the day, or I have a tray in the 70 - 75 F range and since I get faster germination with pak choi in that lower range I just put brassicas in the same tray at the cooler range. I have to use ice packs to keep temps in that range. And these are thin and small ice packs where 8 of them fit under a 1020 tray. With lettuce, since the temps can go below 70 F I use 8 ice packs, all frozen. For the 70 - 75F trays I use 4 frozen ice packs and 4 at room temp and that only drops the temp a smaller amount.
Having said ALL this, you can get germination at a pretty wide temp range, and the only thing I know that gives REAL problems above 75 F are some types of lettuce, which I just so happen grow and I'd have to do a bit of digging to figure out which types since I have been treating them all the same. A happy temp for most things is around 77 F, but some things other than lettuce struggle if the temps get much above that which is why I have that small range of 76 - 78 F for seeds that work well around 77 F.
Sorry that was long.
Question: can I start tomatoes peppers in large 1/2 gal containers or is best to start in cells and transplant up to larger containers
Thank you.😊
You’re welcome!
I love your videos because they are so wonderfully detailed! Do you water your seedlings from the top or the bottom of the tray? Dale looks so cute in his Christmas pj's! :)
Thank you! I usually top water out of ease. Also, some of my trays have drain holes in the side. I always have to carefully look them over to make sure I don’t get them mixed it.
@ I have never grown seedlings in vermiculite. I’m wondering, do you find any difference in the growth of or the final outcome of the seedlings grown in vermiculite compared to potting soil?
Thank you
You're welcome!
I’m still a super beginner. (Last year was my first year. Not that great.) When should I start tomato and cucumber seeds indoors for VA Zone 8b?
I started my seedlings before watching this video. I did not do the warm water rinse now when I water the water goes right through and the soil is dry it out immediately. What can I do to remedy that is?😢
Those of us that leave the house before the sun comes up and barely home by dark ~ are out of luck! That’s why I can’t start seeds because I don’t have time. 😬 Can do all but the hardening off.
have you ever tried mixing worm castings with vermiculite for starts?
No. I've never used worm castings but once, when I found a bag on heavy clearance at the end of the season. The price has always kept me away.
QUESTION: I prefer raised beds, easier on my back. But are there veggies that do better in in ground? Like corn maybe?
I grow almost everything in raised beds. Corn is very difficult for backyard gardeners, because you need a minimum 40’x40’ plot for it to naturally wind pollinate. If you want to grow corn in a raised bed, you will have to hand pollinate: ruclips.net/video/FTnou9SfFm8/видео.htmlsi=kVgOzrCBZ6LpVxL_
I have found that a seedling heating mat and temperature controller will prevent damping off.