ziplock baggies, I start all my cuttings in ziplock bags to keep the humidity up. It really helps keep wilting to a minimum.

Linda

If Square Foot Gardening with a young child, make a 12"x12" template out of cardboard of where to place the seeds and punch holes. The little ones will be able to place the correct number of seeds in the proper places easily. (For example bush beans are 9 per sq ft so holes will be 3 rows of 3 holes.)

Kim

I make mini-greenhouses out of 2 liter bottles. I cut them completely in half, put peat pellets (or the ones we roll from news papers) in the bottom, put the seeds in and press the cut half into the bottom half. No tape required. GREAT recycle project for my kids at school. Then, they get to take the entire greenhouse home with them to plant outside.

These are great. Keep them coming.

Plant labels - metal mini blinds - these are the best! Use pencil & can be erased for quite a few years of use. I'm going on year # 3 or 4 & other than some bending, they seem fine! (I can even cut them long enough to show over a low growing plant).

Seeds starting - a heat mat was a great investment! Also a marvelously sunny south patio door gets seedlings off to a strong start

Seed starting mix - Sunshine all purpose planting mix. Since starting seeds with this, I have had many fewer seedling deaths...

When taking cutting to propagate cut straight across the upper/top part and diagonal on the root end. Plants will only grow in their original orientation.

when I have an aggressive rhizome or root plant (like mint or Jerusalem artichoke) I plant a 5 gallon bucket so that the top 3 inches are above ground. Punch out most of the bottom and then plant my aggressive plant in there. I keep it contained where I want it to stay.

I also take 5 gallon buckets and place them next to my fruit trees. I drill a 1/16 inch hole in the bottom and then two to three times a week, fill the bucket with water. The slow drain keeps my fruit trees watered.

I have found that lantana and gardenia root best in water, as does geraniums. I also use plastic containers from walmart which are cheap to start most cuttings. In the greenhouse I buy the ones with the blue tops to shade the cuttings. I also use rooting hormone with fungicide which cuts down on rot and find that mosquito dunks allowed to soak in water will help with fungus knats on plants, when watered weekly. I have also started alternating tops on my seed domes. For example until they sprout I leave the intact dome on. Once they sprout I switch the dome to one that has vent holes in it. I have had very little dampening off with this method in the greenhouse.
I also use the plastic containers to start seeds in the greenhouse it works great for tiny seeds and when they are up you just pop them out much like the milk jugs.
Lastly, I take all my seed packs after I sow them if commercial and place them in a photo album for easy reference later. I group them by light requirements first, then space requirements for easy reference when planting.

Oasis (wetable floral foam) is a fantastic medium for rooting difficult to establish cuttings. You can use a pencil, knitting needle or other "found" tool to make avenues for your cuttings, depending on their diameter. Submerge the block of foam just as you would when preparing a flower arrangement, keeping it under water until saturated. Sometimes I add a little B12 directly to the water I use to prepare the foam. For hardwood cuttings I use Dip n Grow concentrate before inserting the stems into the material. You can place the block in any waterproof container and cover with a heavily vented plastic bag or humidity dome. Blocks can be cut into whatever size you need, but I like to put several cuttings in an uncut block. Root development is easily detected and there is virtually no mess.

poisondart. how can you tell when there are roots int he foam? I think this is a great idea I would like to try.

Tammy

Tammy,
When you make your planting holes, pierce all the way through the block of foam. In a few weeks you should be able to see roots forming when you pick up the block and look at the bottom.
I found out about this technique a few years ago when I kept failing with Clematis cuttings, but I have found that it also works for hardwood cuttings and is great for mass production of tender plants like Impatiens, Bacopa, Petunias, Lantana and many other plants that I overwinter for spring stock plants.

I place my potted up, soft wood cuttings, in a food storage bag. I gather the ends together and blow the bag up like a balloon. Then I tie the ends with a baggy tie. Exhaling a little CO2 into the bag doesn't hurt either.LOL

I also use the clear cake container's from Shop Rite. The ones that have a hinged lids are the best. I poke holes in the bottom and the top for ventilation. I do my winter sowing in these too. The Bakery Manager at Shop Rite sells these to me at cost.
Mariann

Great ideas.

I just found that the rotisery (sp) chicken containers from foodlion work great with the peat pellets (the ones that grow when wet.) I can fit 25 in there. It has a high dome clear top so that when they sprout they have room. I put all my really inportant seeds in it so I can watch them more closely than the rest.

:-) Come on everyone add some more. i am learning some good tips.

poisondart. I have some of the foam and am going to try that.

Tammy

Hi,I have been lurking on this site & really enjoying the suggestions. Would someone tell me how to "bump" this so it goes to the 1st page? I know there lots of wonderful ideas from others & want them to see this & post. Thanks & blessings, Margaret

You just did and I just did. Each posting "bumps" the thread. These are terrific and I have learned sooo much. Only thing I can add is that if you can't afford heat mats, you can substitute a heating pad. I plug mine into a timer, b/c they do have auto shut off. Most of the time the low setting is fine, though sometimes I do the high setting for a day then turn down, just b/c it heats up the damp soil faster. You need to program the timer to shut off and then come back on sothat it over rides he auto shut off. Just be careful when watering but mine have worked two years now with no prob's.

Gardenmom - Thats an excellent Idea. I never though of using a heating pad... I will be trying this out with my new seeds I am starting tommorrow. Do you normally cover it with something first or is it alright the way it is?

TIP:
- Keep records to allow for better planning
- To maintain dormancy, keep seeds in a cool, dark location with low humidity, like a refrigerator
- Prevent disease by providing air flow and drainage, A fan circulates air if placed near your seedlings
-Cover trays with plastic wrap to keep the moisture level constant, If more water is needed, let it wick up from the bottom.
- Keep seeds warm to encourage germination, Most seeds require temperatures of 65° to 75°F to germinate.(Try the heat pad idea)
- Turn seedlings daily to keep stems strong
-Lightly brushing the seedlings with your hand to encourages the growth of strong stems.
-After true leaves develop, it's time for a little fertilizer.
- Hardening off in a cold frame acclimates the seedlings to conditions outdoors. Use 2 liters or milk jugs with the bottoms cut off over top for "greenhouse" effect.

Tip for seeds:
Cut papertowel rolls and toilet paper rolls in sections and put in a tray. Fill the whole thing with dirt and start seedlings in it. - No need to cut the bottom because there isn't one (like with egg cartons) And the paper is biodegradable. yeah.

BTW - plant one on me - do you use the square foot gardening? I am trying it first time this year and wanted some more tips on how many of what to put in the squares. Where would I find something like that or could you post some examples.

for square foot gardening he has a website with all the spacings on their, pictured. If you can't find it, let me know and I will post it. It may be in the square foot forum, too.

As for the heating pad, I don't cover it, that way if it get dripped on a little, I can just wipe it off, just don't water it enough that the elect. plug gets wet. It comes wth a blue cloth like cover but I figured it would be a mess really fast so did not use. I just put my trays right on them. You just have to prog. to come off and on b/c of the auto shut off, but even with the timers (big lots has these for 4.50) it is much much cheaper tha the propogating mats.

Yeah I guess so there not cheap.

I just read a new article about starting seeds and thought this part was interesting..

Soak Seeds in Water to Pretreat
Another treatment you may hear about is soaking the seed in warm water overnight or until it swells and begins to burst open. To start, have the water hot to the touch (not boiling.) Place the seeds in a small container with the hot water and allow to sit and soak overnight at room temperature. Most seeds will be ready to plant within a day or two. Keep them soaking at room temperature. Change the water every day or it will sour; use tepid water for the change. Do not wait so long that they ferment. Do not let them dry out between soaking and planting.

Have any of you soaked your seeds before planting? I never have but am thinking of trying it.

BTW I planted Dahlia seeds on the 2nd and on the 5th had sprouts... I was amazed. I never thought dahlias would be so quick to germinate. This was my first time doing dahlia seeds.

Plant markers: I used to use old plastic or metal cut up mini blinds but I got a puppy that likes to chew them up and move them around the yard. So, now I use broken clay pots or nice smooth stones with a paint pen I bought at Walmart. She doesn't chew on those. :-)

Paint Pen... Yeah.

I have to go invest. I have been using sharpies and they Do Not Last. I planted some things in the fall and all I have are white labels sticking out of the ground.. No clue what I planted.

Thanks for the Idea. Also the broken pots. I just threw out two wish I hadn't now.

Great tips, everyone! I have soaked my seeds overnight or for as much as a couple nights in a row, then planted them. They sprout very quickly this way. I didn't have any problems at all with that method. I used very warm tap water, but not hot.

Blessings,
Angela

Greenthunbgrow, We do raised bed gardening and use the square foot method...not exactly as Mel does with fancy grids but we do plant according to his grids. On some plants we leave a little extra space so it is easier for my granddaughter to work the soil (she is 4). For example it says to plant 9 beans per squ ft, we plant 4. This way Jordan can work her rake around the plants and not disturb them...she loves gardening and this is one small way to encourage her. Later when the plants are larger, we fill in the spaces and get a second crop.

Check out the square foot gardening site
http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

Go under "Mel's column" then "plant spacing" for information on how many plants per sq foot. As a matter of fact, take some time to check out the entire site. I have his old book which I like very much...I have heard it is better than his new one but I haven't seen the new one.

Also if you use pencil to write on the plant labels it won't fade the way markers do.

Kim

This is my first sq ft garden so any tips will help on that one.

My daughter is 4 and loves gardenign also so this year she will get her own little bed to plant what she whats. She will be helping with the veggie garden though. She wanted to do potatos (which I have never done so today we got our seed potatoes in. She was so excited. Her list in the seed catalog was longer than mine. If she could use the computer I think everyones seeds would be in danger. :-)

I will have to check out that book.

I went and got my paint pens today and redid my writing on my milk jugs. I just put some out on 2/2 and already could barely read them. I didn't realize I could use pencil. I have a ton of those.

Tammy

I love the idea of using pot shards to mark plants. One of my roosters picked up my plastic labels and redistributed them last year resulting in a great deal of confusion.
ptp, is there a particular kind of paint pen I need to buy? Are the ones in the craft department at Walmart durable enough for outdoors?
Thanks, Alana

poisondart I just bought the regular paint pens from wal-mart. They seem to be working fine. I got the kind with the double tip (one thin / one thick) Figure I can use it on other stuff also.

Tammy

I bought the new Square Foot Gardening book and that was what sold me on gardening not having to be a difficult task. I highly recommend the book. Everything I've grown in Mel's mix so far has done TERRIFICLY, and I haven't had to weed at all, either! Don't forget, GW has a SFG forum. They're great people that hang out there and are very helpful.

Blessings,
Angela

Well I use a lot of the above techniques so I can't add much to those :) however I have seen many want lists for Stevia Seed and that I can add a little something on.

Do yourself a favor and don't attempt starting stevia seed. It's a pain in the you know what. Though packages tell you to bury it in 1/4 inch soil, the truth of the matter is it can't be under soil. So even the seed companies don't know what they are talking about. To germinate and get maybe a 1-30% germination rate, the seed MUST be on top of the soil, moist and at 70-80 degrees. It also must be in sunlight as it needs the light to germinate.

Now, here's how to really get it going. Find a start and propagate it from there. Take more starts off your start and keep it going until you have a nice batch of parent plants. Then each late summer, take cuttings to winter over. Winter over your parent plants too, but they do seem to be tender biennials rather than perennials.

You only need about 3 inches of growth to take a start. Clip the small branch at the point you decide, break off all leaves except the top two sets. Dip in rooting hormone and place in a small pot with moist sterile potting soil. Put in a plastic zipper bag, make sure they have lots of light and keep them warm. If the cutting doesn't wilt in the first 24-48 hours, it will most likely grow from there. Keep it in the zipper bag for a while until you see new growth, then repot.

I use jiffy pots so that I don't disturb the new roots. My parent plants just keep on giving and my baby plants are looking beautiful!!

Happy propagating lol :)

Hi,All-I am adding to this as I am sure there are many more who have great ideas & I am enjoying them. I need all the help I can get! Please keep adding anything that works for you! Thanks & Blessings, Margaret

Another little trick that works beautifully on the garden. In the fall, gather all your fallen leaves (maybe even the neighbors too lol) scoop them into the big black trash bags and close them up. Place them in an area that is not highly visible like in the back yard somewhere and forget them until Spring.

The sun breaks down the leaves much faster in the black bags.

When you're ready to start your garden, open the bags and use in your garden soil for added organic matter. Leaf mold is wonderful in the garden and creates some of the most amazing plants.

We actually use this as one layer in our lasagna garden.

I have been using aquarium water to water my houseplants and it is like liguid growth. It is amazing. I figured it was good for them of course, b/c of the ammonia in the water, but this seems 10x better than miracle gro or anything else. I can't wait until my seedlings are big enough to use this on plus the garden flowers and my shrubs. It is great. I have two tanks and mostly use the tank with the gold fish in is right now, but will useit all as I need more. I love th broken pot idea for markers, and plan on hitting up walmart and lowes for their broken pieces for a quarter or something :) Oh, big lots too.

bump

Dirt - Love the idea about the leaves I never thought of that. I am def. trying it this year.

Gardenmom - Thanks for posting that! I do use my pond water for my outside gardens and never thought (duh-blonde moment) to use the aquarium water for my house plants.

I love this and am getting some great ideas....

HELP - I need some more ideas on winter sowing containers. I am out of milk jugs and 2 liters. Any other things people use and have success?

Tammy

Greenthumb grow-I sometimes use just styrofoam cups. Put a whole in the bottom and dirt and plant in them. I then get the underbed storage bags at the Dollar tree for $1. I put my strofoam cups in one of the meat containers-the plastic ones from walmart or a tray or cheap plastic containers from the dollar tree. Be sure to put little holes in the bottom of these also. I then place them all in the storage bag and zip it up. They work wonderful. Sometimes I only get one use out of them and sometimes I use them for 2 years. You can put alot of trays of cups in them. You can then unzip as necessary to keep the right amt. of moisture in them. You can also plant in large gallon plastic bags. Put dirt in the bottom and zip the top shut after planting works great. I've also used pudding cups, yogurt containers, and sometimes just the potting trays from dollar stores with the lids already on them. Just use duct tape to tape them on so wind doesn't blow them off. I also just use pots at times-esp if something I am going to do in that pot for the patio. Just cover with good quality plastic wrap and tape around pot. Add holes as needed for moisture, etc.
No end to things you can use-just let your imagination go!
Melinda

Winter sowing or seeds starting in those throw away baking pans from the Dollar Tree, you get 2 of them and they come with the clear plastic lids. :) Use mini blinds to separate into sections, simply slide them in where you want the seeds separated. :) Got this from another gardener. Hope it's helpful to you all too. :D

I got them at Big Lots, not Dollar Tree, but they may have them too. LOL I have also been using the plastic trays that cakes come in, the plastic containers that vege's or fruts come in. I also save every container from seedlings and plants I have ever bought, so I am starting to use the large ones. I do agree with someone above who said to use your pots. Even if it is not what you are goingto plant in it, by the time you are ready to plant out annuals or whatever, you should be able to transplant what is in the pot. I am going to use my patio pots and m window boxes and just cover with plastic wrap(need to get more :) ) and use tape so it does not blow away. This has becomemynew mission, to find containers.

I also plan on using the aquarium water on m seedlings when I think they are big enough. I can dilute it, too. The goldfish tank water is pretty strong, so it would be diluted for seedlings, where as my big tank is not as strong. I do use the goldfish water straight from the tank on my houseplants, though, and they are beautiful. It is my new "tonic" for sick ol' plants. :) I do like the idea of using the window binds for marking the container. My son's are broken and need replaced so I will keep them and use them. I am also going to use them in the garden to mark my square foot beds. We also use them to work on sight words and letters for my kinderarten age son.

Thanks Everyone. I have now used all my sons leftover spiderman cups from his b-day party. A large under the bed box that is filled with peatpot (it just happened to be clear and not in use soooo... it was game.) I told DH to save his containers from yogart and pretty much everything else.:-( OK. I am officially out of containers I think I have used everything in my house and a couple of my neighbors also (at least the stuff I had the nerve to ask them to save for me) And I still have about 40 things I want to wintersow..

I have been thinking about trying to find a recycling center and see if they could give me some milk jugs (these seem to be my fav. I think I am up to like 40-50 of them) NO I do not drink That much milk. All my neighbers bring them over and my mom has a daycare center so she keeps them for me and they go through about 3-4 gallons a week. But still I can't wait another 2 months to get them wintersowed.

Tammy

This thread is worth printing off, please keep these great ideas coming.. I dont' have any ideas as good as these, but here are a few
Just off the top of my head..

1.) please don't throw away any aluminum, plastic or styrofoam containers from your winter sowing, they can ALL be recycled.
2.) For seeds that are prone to getting weevils, like my hibiscus seeds, I pick the entire seed pods, and put them in the freezer for a week , sometimes longer to kill the little devils so they dont' destroy the seed.
3.) I use a paint pen specifically for plant labels, but what I have found last longest is a pencil on a plant label. I have a sedum trading friend in England ( he wrote the bible on Sedum) that sends all my cuttings to me like that, with labels written on in pencil and they have lasted for years. I also have a hard time with my window blind labels getting moved around, so for some plants, when I plant them, I sink a label into the ground by the roots, THEN add an above ground label for 'double identity'
4.) My brugmansia cuttings root best....I buy $1.00 buckets from the everythings' a dollar store, and put enough water to cover the bottom of the cuttings. I have found an aquarium stone to airate the water to work great, but this year, just changing the water constantly has given me a 98% rooting success rate. I do use my marker to write on each cutting the name, as well as adding a label so I dont' get them mixed up.
5.) Ben and Jerry's icecream containers work great for winter sowing...unfortunately only my son can eat the icecream, but I collect the cups LOL. Also using big plastic organic spinich and greens containers I get at Food City, plastic cups, etc.
6.) An old fashioned idea from my mom that she has done forever, with a 99% success rate, and my grandmother did as well. Most of you probably already know this. In the fall...if she has a rose bush cutting , she will just literally stick it in the ground where she wants it to grow...turn a mason jar over it, and surround it with mulch and leaves. In the spring, it is rooted. Call it magic, but it works for her. I don't 'do' roses, so I havn't tried it. I have traded for multiple rose bush cuttings for her though and she now has a rose garden from them.

I really love the rose idea, thanks for sharing. Isn't it amazing how we each have our own little tricks but don't realize that someone might not think of it. Great thread that deserves a bump up. Nichol

These are not my ideas I heard them from fellow gardeners and thought they were great!
So I am adding them here.

gardenmom2 - I am going to turn one of my square foot beds into a Dr.Seuss Bed. It will still be square foot planted, but Iwant to include things like the blue potatoes, red and yellow and puple carrots, purple broc. purple beans, etc... My 6 year old son really thought that was cool and it is his first interest in the garden so of course I had to pursue it. Now he wants a red potato, not skin. Oh, if only...... LOL

Greenthumbgrow - I have a jack / giant bed where I plant my beans on a tower. Danae thinks its great. I tell her its where jack climbed the bean stalk.

Cant remember where I read this one: I also heard an idea from someone where she had her husband build a tee-pee really sterty and then she grew her cukes and other veggies up it. The kids could play and it and she could harvest the veggies whenever.

I thought that was cool having a duel purpose and all. I am trying to talk DH into building me one :-)

Tammy

My Hubby started saving dog food cans to do a project with and when they didn't work out for him, I drilled holes in them and planted seedlings I had started in ziplock baggies.

I want to make the kids a sunflower house this year. Plant themin a large square or circle area and leave a doorway. I am going to plant around it and leave a trail for them to get in. They are at the age where they love secret hidouts. I am trying to really incorporate some things for the kids to help get them involved. I like the jackin the beanstalk idea, too. Need to find some kind of chicken statue and paint it with gold paint to place beside the beanstalk, or atleast a couple of egg shaped gourds panted gold. Someone was doing a herb/tea garden bed with a ALice in Wonderland theme. She is using lrge teacup planters to plant mint and other things in and planting around it. I thought that was brilliant. I may not do the alice in wonder. part, but I love the teacups part and may try to do something with that. I love all these ideas. Nichol ( I have a hard time coming up with theme gardens, or atleast I used to. LOL )