Two seed-starting questions
 

Two seed-starting questions...

1. How do you put small seeds in the little six-cell packs
(or whatever else you use)? Do you use a gadget for placing
seeds?

I shake the right number of seeds into a little glass
custard cup. Then I wet a pencil (ordinary pencil) and the
wet pencil point will pick up one small seed at a time. I
bought a little plastic gadget, but can't get the hang of
it.

2. How do you keep seeds?

I'm keeping them in their packets, but this isn't really a
terrific system - in the case of succession plantings, I'm
cutting a bit more off the packet each time (and
scotch-taping it together). Some of the packets will be
totally gone before very the end of the season!

At present, I'm keeping the packets in photo-pages in an
album - the pages into which you slip a 4'x6' photo. This
works fairly well. But I'd welcome other ideas.

Pat

Two seed-starting questions
 

Pat Meadows wrote:

Two seed-starting questions...

1. How do you put small seeds in the little six-cell packs
(or whatever else you use)? Do you use a gadget for placing
seeds?

I shake the right number of seeds into a little glass
custard cup. Then I wet a pencil (ordinary pencil) and the
wet pencil point will pick up one small seed at a time. I
bought a little plastic gadget, but can't get the hang of
it.

I just shake a number of seeds out of the packets onto the palm of my
left hand and then put two each into each starting pot. You can always
pinch one off but two gives better odds of good germination. I have one
of those little plastic gadgets too. You just tap it with one finger and
guide the seeds out into the pots. Too clumsy for me so I do the palm
and finger thing.

2. How do you keep seeds?

I'm keeping them in their packets, but this isn't really a
terrific system - in the case of succession plantings, I'm
cutting a bit more off the packet each time (and
scotch-taping it together). Some of the packets will be
totally gone before very the end of the season!

At present, I'm keeping the packets in photo-pages in an
album - the pages into which you slip a 4'x6' photo. This
works fairly well. But I'd welcome other ideas.

Pat

I keep some in their packets and some in paper coin envelopes. You can
get about a zillion coin envelopes for a couple of bucks at an office
supply store. I don't cut the packets down, I scotch tape the opening
shut, that way I have all the data on hand. The coin envelopes can be
written on on both sides. I also ship seeds to friends in coin
envelopes, don't weigh much and ship easily. All seeds are kept in a
plastic one-gallon container that sits on the bottom shelf of our
refrigerator. To keep from pawing through the whole thing to find
specific seeds I use those cheap storage boxes like Gladware. One for
ordinary veggies, one for chiles, one for flowers, etc. Those fit inside
my gallon container and the lid fits on top of that. Seeds stay cool,
dry, and easy to get too. It may be a little anal retentive but it works
for me. HTH

George

Two seed-starting questions
 

On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 13:48:57 -0600, George Shirley
wrote:


I keep some in their packets and some in paper coin envelopes. You can
get about a zillion coin envelopes for a couple of bucks at an office
supply store. I don't cut the packets down, I scotch tape the opening
shut, that way I have all the data on hand. The coin envelopes can be
written on on both sides. I also ship seeds to friends in coin
envelopes, don't weigh much and ship easily. All seeds are kept in a
plastic one-gallon container that sits on the bottom shelf of our
refrigerator. To keep from pawing through the whole thing to find
specific seeds I use those cheap storage boxes like Gladware. One for
ordinary veggies, one for chiles, one for flowers, etc. Those fit inside
my gallon container and the lid fits on top of that. Seeds stay cool,
dry, and easy to get too. It may be a little anal retentive but it works
for me. HTH


The coin envelopes are a really good idea! Thanks.

I plan on putting the seeds in the freezer - after the
spring flurry of activity is over. I'd be getting them out
every day at present. We have enough freezer space.

Pat

Two seed-starting questions
 

Pat Meadows wrote:

On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 13:48:57 -0600, George Shirley
wrote:

I keep some in their packets and some in paper coin envelopes. You can
get about a zillion coin envelopes for a couple of bucks at an office
supply store. I don't cut the packets down, I scotch tape the opening
shut, that way I have all the data on hand. The coin envelopes can be
written on on both sides. I also ship seeds to friends in coin
envelopes, don't weigh much and ship easily. All seeds are kept in a
plastic one-gallon container that sits on the bottom shelf of our
refrigerator. To keep from pawing through the whole thing to find
specific seeds I use those cheap storage boxes like Gladware. One for
ordinary veggies, one for chiles, one for flowers, etc. Those fit inside
my gallon container and the lid fits on top of that. Seeds stay cool,
dry, and easy to get too. It may be a little anal retentive but it works
for me. HTH


The coin envelopes are a really good idea! Thanks.

I plan on putting the seeds in the freezer - after the
spring flurry of activity is over. I'd be getting them out
every day at present. We have enough freezer space.

Pat

That works too, I've frozen pea and bean seeds for several years and
they were still viable.

George

Two seed-starting questions
 

Pat Meadows wrote:

Two seed-starting questions...

1. How do you put small seeds in the little six-cell packs
(or whatever else you use)? Do you use a gadget for placing
seeds?

I shake the right number of seeds into a little glass
custard cup. Then I wet a pencil (ordinary pencil) and the
wet pencil point will pick up one small seed at a time. I
bought a little plastic gadget, but can't get the hang of
it.

2. How do you keep seeds?

I'm keeping them in their packets, but this isn't really a
terrific system - in the case of succession plantings, I'm
cutting a bit more off the packet each time (and
scotch-taping it together). Some of the packets will be
totally gone before very the end of the season!

At present, I'm keeping the packets in photo-pages in an
album - the pages into which you slip a 4'x6' photo. This
works fairly well. But I'd welcome other ideas.

Pat

I use long-handled tweezers to place seeds.

Minteeleaf

Two seed-starting questions
 

1)I use wet tooth picks to place seeds.

2)to store my seeds,I save old glass spice jars and spice racks and
store them in the unfinished part of my basement. the glass jars are
moisture proof, and the seeds stay cool.


Pat Meadows wrote:

Two seed-starting questions...

1. How do you put small seeds in the little six-cell packs
(or whatever else you use)? Do you use a gadget for placing
seeds?

I shake the right number of seeds into a little glass
custard cup. Then I wet a pencil (ordinary pencil) and the
wet pencil point will pick up one small seed at a time. I
bought a little plastic gadget, but can't get the hang of
it.

2. How do you keep seeds?

I'm keeping them in their packets, but this isn't really a
terrific system - in the case of succession plantings, I'm
cutting a bit more off the packet each time (and
scotch-taping it together). Some of the packets will be
totally gone before very the end of the season!

At present, I'm keeping the packets in photo-pages in an
album - the pages into which you slip a 4'x6' photo. This
works fairly well. But I'd welcome other ideas.

Pat

Two seed-starting questions
 

In article ,
says...
Pat Meadows wrote:

Two seed-starting questions...

1. How do you put small seeds in the little six-cell packs
(or whatever else you use)? Do you use a gadget for placing
seeds?


I just shake a number of seeds out of the packets onto the palm of my
left hand and then put two each into each starting pot. You can always
pinch one off but two gives better odds of good germination.


I guess I'm a pessimist :-). I use 3 seeds the 1st year, 4 for last
year's leftovers, and 5 for any older than that. I still wind up with
two or three pots a year (out of 50-75) with no growth. But I plant an
extra pot of each veggie.

I pour a few seeds onto a piece of paper and handle them with tweezers.
There are a few whose shape requires the "wet point" variety, but not
many.


2. How do you keep seeds?

I'm keeping them in their packets, but this isn't really a
terrific system - in the case of succession plantings, I'm
cutting a bit more off the packet each time (and
scotch-taping it together).

I keep some in their packets and some in paper coin envelopes. You can
get about a zillion coin envelopes for a couple of bucks at an office
supply store. I don't cut the packets down, I scotch tape the opening
shut, that way I have all the data on hand.

Same here. If you slit the packet open each time with a knife, there's
no need to keep cutting it down.

--
To announce that there must be no criticism of the president or that we
are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic
and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.
Teddy Roosevelt

Two seed-starting questions
 

On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 10:01:53 -0700, Larry Blanchard
wrote:

In article ,
says...
Pat Meadows wrote:

Two seed-starting questions...

1. How do you put small seeds in the little six-cell packs
(or whatever else you use)? Do you use a gadget for placing
seeds?


I just shake a number of seeds out of the packets onto the palm of my
left hand and then put two each into each starting pot. You can always
pinch one off but two gives better odds of good germination.


I guess I'm a pessimist :-). I use 3 seeds the 1st year, 4 for last
year's leftovers, and 5 for any older than that. I still wind up with
two or three pots a year (out of 50-75) with no growth. But I plant an
extra pot of each veggie.

I pour a few seeds onto a piece of paper and handle them with tweezers.
There are a few whose shape requires the "wet point" variety, but not
many.


2. How do you keep seeds?

I'm keeping them in their packets, but this isn't really a
terrific system - in the case of succession plantings, I'm
cutting a bit more off the packet each time (and
scotch-taping it together).

I keep some in their packets and some in paper coin envelopes. You can
get about a zillion coin envelopes for a couple of bucks at an office
supply store. I don't cut the packets down, I scotch tape the opening
shut, that way I have all the data on hand.

Same here. If you slit the packet open each time with a knife, there's
no need to keep cutting it down.

I fold the top over and secure with a wooden clothes pin.



--
Polar

Two seed-starting questions
 

On Sat, 05 Apr 2003 22:55:15 GMT, Pat Meadows
wrote:

(whoever wrote this)

I also ship seeds to friends in coin
envelopes, don't weigh much and ship easily.

[...]

The sainted Helen Foss of Canada, who has sent many of us seeds at her
own expense, uses tiny plastic "tubs" that she says are from craft
work. They are lightweight; great containers, because you don't have
to use all the seeds at once, and still have a stable, easily-stored,
reusable container.


--
Polar

Two seed-starting questions
 

I store my seeds in their original envelopes in a surplus ammo box. The
thing has a rubber gasket in the lid which keeps moisture out and the
box takes abuse like nothing else I can think of. I made a tray for the
top to hold bags of silica gel (for keeping it dry inside). Some of the
envelopes come with reusable stickum, but if not I use magic tape or
other resealable tape. When I plant out a flat I put the envelopes for
the seeds I used together in a separate envelope and label with the date
planted: that way, if any of the seeds shows poor germination I know
where to find it to get rid of. (It's also info backup if the flat
marker gets lost or unreadable.)