starting peppers

[LoveSalads]

I think I went somewhat  overboard as I planted 19 peppers in my seeds starter so really 38 seeds. 
Using the seed starting setting on the pre 2019 bounty it has the light on from 8am-230am. Is this many hours necessary ?  I know I want them to be warm and moist but so many hours even before they sprout ?



  

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[lynnee]

Generally the AG settings work, but if you want to change the hours, you might just use sunrise to sunset. Maybe someone here knows what the minimum sunlight hours for seedling development might be?

[swimmom500]

Where did you get the seed starting tray for that old Bounty, where did you get the caps and where did you get the template for labeling the seeds?
I have never seen any of these items for the old style Bounty before or for that matter for any of my seed starters.

[LoveSalads]

Apr 7, 2024 7:02:12 GMT -5 swimmom500 said:

Where did you get the seed starting tray for that old Bounty, where did you get the caps and where did you get the template for labeling the seeds?
I have never seen any of these items for the old style Bounty before or for that matter for any of my seed starters.

caps are 1 inch grow grips I think I bought 100

www.amazon.com/1-GrowGrip-Plant-Holder-25/dp/B00N16QY5U?th=1

Seed starting trays came with the bounty's way back when I think they were on sale 2@$400 with the seed starter trays as a bundle deal. Back in the day(2016-2017)  the deals weren't so great but. I thought that was pretty sweeeeeeeet.  But ya know this Ag thingy is an addiction.   Muahahahahahahaha     

The templates I found online just searching Aero garden seed starter templates. The link is on another computer but we have them here also. Is why I signed up in the first place. I was sick of trying to zoom the templates that come with the seed starters and handwriting the rest.

[LoveSalads]

Apr 6, 2024 17:23:13 GMT -5 lynnee said:

Generally the AG settings work, but if you want to change the hours, you might just use sunrise to sunset. Maybe someone here knows what the minimum sunlight hours for seedling development might be?

I used to never even ponder how long my lights were going to be on but, with power prices now It kinda crosses my mind for a few minutes anyway. I guess having so many gardens running it starts to weigh on you.

[lynnee]

Apr 7, 2024 23:29:57 GMT -5 LoveSalads said:

Apr 6, 2024 17:23:13 GMT -5 lynnee said:

Generally the AG settings work, but if you want to change the hours, you might just use sunrise to sunset. Maybe someone here knows what the minimum sunlight hours for seedling development might be?

I used to never even ponder how long my lights were going to be on but, with power prices now It kinda crosses my mind for a few minutes anyway. I guess having so many gardens running it starts to weigh on you.

Tell me about it! I just put my poor plants through a daylight-savings-time-like shift, making the lights go out at 5pm (not 11pm)--because our electricity costs more per KWH from 5-8pm. (It's the plan we elected.) It is actually saving a little money by moving the AGs off the peak demand period.

Other than that, I just chalk the AG power costs up to "hobby". I don't keep as many gardens going now as I used to, but that's primarily because I'm short of time to tend to more than 8 or 9 max.

[slw]

Apr 7, 2024 23:03:32 GMT -5 LoveSalads said:

caps are 1 inch grow grips I think I bought 100

www.amazon.com/1-GrowGrip-Plant-Holder-25/dp/B00N16QY5U?th=1

Those caps look really neat.  So you just put seeds directly into the sponge thing instead of using a peat grow pod?  I've been thinking about ways to cut off the "baskets" on my seed starters.  I had such a mess of roots that it was hard to get my tomato seedlings out of the seed starter fixed baskets when I wanted to transplant them. 

[LoveSalads]

Apr 8, 2024 14:46:20 GMT -5 slw said:

Apr 7, 2024 23:03:32 GMT -5 LoveSalads said:

caps are 1 inch grow grips I think I bought 100

www.amazon.com/1-GrowGrip-Plant-Holder-25/dp/B00N16QY5U?th=1

Those caps look really neat.  So you just put seeds directly into the sponge thing instead of using a peat grow pod?  I've been thinking about ways to cut off the "baskets" on my seed starters.  I had such a mess of roots that it was hard to get my tomato seedlings out of the seed starter fixed baskets when I wanted to transplant them. 

I still use the peat pods. I use those to block the light.  They are a perfect fit. Those are for growing loose leaf lettuce. You have to sprout them, transplant to the grow grip install on a floating raft full of nutrient water. Hydroponics on a larger scale. I grow in every other hole and use the blank/grow grip for a spacer and light blocker.
 

raftmaster-300x163 


I space out my seedlings so at fingerling size when you transplant elsewhere they are much easier to remove as they are not yet totally tangled up, hopefully. The seed starters are sometimes very difficult to use but ,after 6 years or so I am getting somewhat more proficient with them. I do not kill everything I grow in them. This Is why I plant 2 or 3 or everything. I want to at least get 1 good plant. 

[swimmom500]

I am definitely ordering some of those since I don’t transplant every plant in the seed starter the same day. So I pull a few out and then have blank holes. Sometimes I don’t want to start enough seeds to fill the tray either. These look like a great solution
I have issues getting my plants out of the seed starter tray too. It’s more difficult to work with than an individual plastic pod holder.

[slw]

Last year I bought some Seed Starter Tray Covers from Etsy.  I totally forgot about them so I have not used them.    

I have Seed Starter Trays for 4 models of AG (Harvest, Sprout, Slim Harvest, and Bounty).  Sad to say that I have much better success starting seeds in regular old peat pots or  small trays with potting soil under a grow light.   It is always so hard to get the roots out of the rigid baskets on the seed starters.

[LoveSalads]

Apr 9, 2024 10:25:20 GMT -5 slw said:

Last year I bought some Seed Starter Tray Covers from Etsy.  I totally forgot about them so I have not used them.    

I have Seed Starter Trays for 4 models of AG (Harvest, Sprout, Slim Harvest, and Bounty).  Sad to say that I have much better success starting seeds in regular old peat pots or  small trays with potting soil under a grow light.   It is always so hard to get the roots out of the rigid baskets on the seed starters.

Those look very nice. And yes it's hard to remove those peat pods. I use either the plant itself or a tool like a metal toothpick, It grabs the peat pod very nicely. Then I spin the poor seedling making it dizzy and slowly lift it out.

[LoveSalads]

Day 8 some peppers are a popping. Hopefully many more soon to follow.


20240414_203858 

[LoveSalads]

After 2 weeks I expected all my peppers to be growing. Hmmmmmmm  The sweet peppers are going and the  Pepperoncini. The season is young but I need some Bell Peppers. I might resort to the paper towel method if I do not see action by Tuesday. Some spicey peppers would be nice also.
20240421_090326 Peppers