Help With Growing Seeds

Thanks.

Do you also sow carnations in August?

 

Anyway I did mention artificial lighting.

So here is what I have got.



so these ones I bought last year.



I bought these one off Amazon, where the light is built into the propagator lid. So wonder once I prick out seedlings, if I can put them as plugs, in the propagator.

 

Hi @GreenFingeredPete do have a link for those with led lids please? I've got full size trays with lights but they look like half trays which are handy

 

Yes, those are very interesting. I would like to know where you sourced the dome lights too please!

 

@CarolineL I just googled it and found them on Amazon, Temu and AliExpress. I've ordered some from AliExpress because I had bought successfully from them before. Yes, this is supposed to be the link... hope it works

https://www.aliexpress.com/p/tesla-...MI4a-X97rWkgMVqDCtBh0EORuJEAQYASABEgK3J_D_BwE

 

Here you go, with several different types.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=seed+grow+lights&crid=XPCJDSE4TYSE&sprefix=Seed+grow+lights,aps,105&ref=nb_sb_ss_mvt-t11-ranker_1_16

If you buy the one for about £17 that are the Bonivee one, which comes as a pack of 5, which works out about £3.50 each which isn’t bad value. I would definitely recommend buying extra, you can get 10 pack without lights, so you can move your plants outside as plugs to harden off, if you don’t want to replant the plants in pots. Then with the spare plant trays you can start another batch in extra the seed trays and put them under lights.

I might start my seeds off on a heat mat to germinate quicker.

Then once they germinate put them on the windowsill under the sun, to grow until they are ready to prick out.

Once ready to prick out I will put them in these seed trays as plugs and grow them under lights to become plugs.

So when they have a good root system and the conditions are right, move outside to harden off.

Once hardened, replant them in pots to grow on.

 

Thanks @CanadianLori ! I'm afraid I don't bother with AliExpress these days, as I've become used to Amazon prime next day delivery! And Temu bugs me with its adverts.
Thanks for the link to the one you bought @GreenFingeredPete - although if the one of AliExpress is the same, there's a huge price difference! How solid are the seed trays and covers?

 

I've often looked at Ali express but never bought anything, the pricing always looks ridiculous and there has to be a catch.
Probably 99p for the article and £10 P&P.

 

The plug trays are quite robust, with thick plastic. See if you can buy extra plug trays for ease, which I mentioned above.

Just out of interest the feature article on GQT was about grow lights this was done by Bunny Guinness, the the 3 panelist’s talked about the subject afterwards so there was about 10 minutes on the subject.

 

I'll let you know the bottom line once they are shipped.

 

My seeds are germinating at a crazy rate! I've got loads of room in my cellar tents. They have heat mats and lights and fans and I can burp/exhaust the tents using an air duct fan.

It's too chilly down there to not have heat. The two 24x48 inch mats are controlled by inkbird thermostats. There is additional space for a couple of 10x20 trays too and I do have size matched heat mats for those as well but I don't bother because more mature plants go in those.

I see lots of stair climbing in my future...

 

I'm still thinking of getting those lights that @GreenFingeredPete and @CanadianLori directed me to, but I have to admit that yesterday I bought something more expensive...

It's got variable light levels with a timer. It is aimed at growers of stuff that is still illegal here ... But it should be very handy for bringing on tomato seedlings. It has the most robust clear top I've ever seen. And that includes expensive Vitapods. It's made by AC Infinity

 

Is there a link to the one you bought, so I can read up.

I think it is again Bunny Guinness that swears on something like that, and says it makes stuff grow a lot quicker?

 

Just out of interest CanadianLori I just looked on Google Maps to see what part of Ontario you are from, also looked on BBC at the Weather and it is cold there.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0BJY27K31?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

@GreenFingeredPete
Yes it's expensive, but I saw a similar one with a friend and was impressed. And I don't have enough windowsills for the seeds I start growing around now!