Tips for better seed starting

Starting seeds for my summer garden in January (Zone 10a)!
Key things to increase success*:
Heat mat (on special right now!): amzn.to/3OrOhcH
1020 Tray with dome and pots: amzn.to/3HzLjit
Extra peat pots: amzn.to/3u5lX8T
Amazon's version of the Jiffy mix: amzn.to/49mexNG
Pop up greenhouse: amzn.to/3ulD2vu
*This channel uses Amazon Affiliate Links

[@prosperousutensil8178]

Sir, that is a dibble, whereas you are the dibbler. Great video.

[@Wild_California]

Ha. Nice.

[@sarahbergman1210]

Simple, easy to understand basics, and genuine encouragement. Appreciate this so much for us just starting or overwhelmed by videos that are also great- but have too much info, details / too long. Thanks so much!

[@Wild_California]

Thanks so much for watching and letting me know you enjoyed it! I know there are tons of garden videos out there but I think I'll keep this series going.

[@user-gl3kh2zv8e]

helpful information, thank you for sharing.

[@Wild_California]

Thanks for watching!

[@sweynforkbeardtraindude]

Bro! This works, keep it going.

[@Wild_California]

Thanks!

[@wowdewow]

Thank you so much! I loved it!

[@Wild_California]

Thanks so much for letting me know! I almost didn’t make this one bc I was not sure anyone wanted to see me playing in the dirt.

[@wowdewow]

@@Wild_California i know its hard, but dont let you down, just keep it. Your videos are very helpful!

[@s.z.6200]

I didn’t know it was ever cold in San Diego.

[@Wild_California]

Cold is a subjective term... but it IS too cold to have tomato starts outside, under the night sky, in Jan/Feb.

[@bebelimeback4245]

First time watching your video, great tips for beginners. I like your no nonsense approach to staring seeds. Curious, because you sow different types of seeds in the pest pots, for the ones that germinate early, is it disruptive to remove from the rest and pot in a larger pot? I was thinking of sowing seeds in the same family i.e peppers, squash etc?

[@Wild_California]

This is an excellent question. Ideally...I would start all like seeds together (i.e. all tomatoes) so they kind of all germinate at the same time and all need the same things. But I am just a small scale backyard gardener and I don't need 50 tomatoes. So one of the challenges here, is managing the different sprouts as they pop up. In this batch you see, my tomatoes and peppers and squash have been sprouting, but I have some other stuff in there which has not yet. The sprouted ones started getting too stretchy because of the issue I mentioned of not having enough light. So I have now moved the whole tray, and heat mat, outside to the pop up greenhouse. So the seeds are still getting heat but there is natural light keeping the sprouts from stretching. To answer your specific question, you can absolutely separate out these peat pots as needed. The pots are very weak (like paper) and I just cut along the top where they are all connected, and then you can deal with different seeds/pots individually as needed. I would recommend you do not repot any of them though until the sprout starts to seem kind of hearty and maybe roots starting to peat pot. The peat pots and seed mix is pretty fragile and it's good to minimize how much your disturb the new seedlings and their roots.

[@bebelimeback4245]

@@Wild_California thank you for your prompt response. Because of your simplified explanation,I will purchase a heat mat,I don't own one. Do I need to get a thermostat also? I am in Toronto so much colder than your zone. I really like your approach in helping others. Continue on your path and thank you much!!

[@Wild_California]

You don't need a thermostat for the heat mat, it seems to be to be always on, about 20W of heat. Indoors it gets my pots up to about 75F. Mine is probably struggling a bit outside, at night. But I put a sheet of plywood under it for insulation. So I am speaking here to my experience in zone 10. You are in a colder zone, your plants will probably need to wait longer to go outside. You have a shorter season, however the daylight hours up north are longer than I get here in SoCal. So I believe (?) shorter season but longer days, we both have comparable integrated seasons. Should all work out, I know people are able to figure out how to grow in almost all latitudes. :) Thanks for watching and for the encouragement. Happy gardening!