My NEW Favorite Seed Starting Method 🌱🌱🌱

In addition to some slight planting method adjustments, the biggest addition in 2021 are these Epic 6-Cell trays, which last dramatically longer than the cheap plastic flimsy trays sold at many nurseries, but also have some great features to help seedlings develop healthier.

I like them so much, I now offer them on the Epic Gardening store, so grab a few if you're interested!

SPONSOR: Espoma Organic

Espoma Organic has been organic from the start and makes absolutely epic potting mixes, and organic fertilizers. Their organic seed starting mix is perfect for getting your seedlings going this 2021 season:

0:00 - Intro
1:13 - Epic Trays
2:03 - 1020 Tray
2:27 - Seed Starting Mix
4:00 - Romanesco Cauliflower
5:21 - Carmel Spinach
5:59 - Kailaan Broccoli
6:32 - Lucid Gem Lettuce
7:29 - Candy Stripe Cosmos
8:28 - Great Lakes Lettuce
9:14 - Mammoth Melting Snow Pea
10:24 - Watering In
11:56 - Humidity Dome
12:19 - Sprouting
13:09 - 3 Indoor Tips
15:04 - Potting Up
17:07 - Transplanting In
18:36 - Cleaning and Sterilization
19:25 - Old vs. New Trays

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DISCLAIMER

[southernyards]

3 years now battling cancer.
In so grateful to have found you a couple years ago.
Have watched many of your videos.

I was grading the backyard for a Chicken house build when I got my diagnosis 12/20/20.
Enjoyed seeing Matt come to see you for your chicken house.

By God's Grace, I will beat cancer.
Get the chickens and start that garden.

I'm 60. Divorced and have 2.5 acres in near Birmingham Al.
My son is 10.
I'm going to leave him some good things to know how to do that I hope he'll make his Lifestyle.

[aprillightcap]

Kevin, your followers might want to check on something in their area - I live in central Fl, and here in Fl many of the local libraries have seed libraries that provide free seeds for both vegetables and for some flowers as well. The repackage the seed in small quantities more suitable for home gardeners who grow just a few crops. Here you can get up to 5 packs of seeds at each visit and each pack will have maybe 10 large seeds or more of the smaller types of seeds, but enough to grow several plants. This way everyone has a free resource if they want to try gardening. When you pick up the seed packs, you just let the librarian know as they keep up with the seed inventory and replace them when they get low. I get seeds here every Spring and I think it's a great idea.

[Donna_G]

I like those trays. I have grown tomatoes from seed way back when I lived in Ohio and found a pack of seeds stapled inside of one of my mom's subscription magazines. I don't remember the magazine, maybe Good Housekeeping or Better Home and Garden. I planted them in regular old potting soil; I might have also used some dirt from my mom's flower beds. I didn't have grow lights or grow trays. But, there was a window above the kitchen sink with a good size window sill. Most of the seeds sprouted; maybe 60% or so. By the end of May, I was able to plant the tomato plants outdoors. We had a lot of tomatoes that year. My mom made a lot of canned tomatoes.

[bognotes]

That seed storage though. More organized than my life.

[debballon]

There's a moment in your life you realize: "I should have watched this video first before diving into my plant obsession." And that is me, today. huhu Thank you for the video!

[Ladythyme]

I just use a few old dishpans in which I place small bathroom cups with holes poked into the bottoms... and fill with that year’s choice of dirt. Has worked great over the years.

[ishalvarado]

Another way is to pre moisten the seed starting mix with boiling water. The hot water will kill any fungus gnats and their eggs that may be living in the seed mix. After you sow the seeds into the moist seed mix, then you can bottom water. That way you avoid moving the newly sowed seeds around and it'll help avoid a fungal/bacterial outbreak by preventing soil splatter. Happy gardening!

[absurdnerd]

A tip for the grow lights...hang mylar sheets from the back and sides. Mylar is highly reflective. I use snack or chip bags because they are free. I used to have access to the bags from toner cartridges which are significantly larger.

[bryanjames]

I've recycled fruit and veggie trays for seed starting treys. Even use the plastic cover, and that extra humidity seems to help with germination. Got some organic seeds, and started some Romanesco, Texas Bird Peppers, and African Jelly Cucumbers among some other things. I work at a grocery store so I get all the goodies that they want to throw out. Your videos have been a great help the last 2 years. Thank you.

[KRscience]

Tip #1: Dump your entire bag of potting soil into a plastic tote, add some water, stir, and put the lid on. You'll have evenly moistened potting soil the next day.
Tip #2: Use a normal seedling tray (the kind with lots of holes in the bottom). Fill a large plastic tote with 1-2 inches of water and dip your seedling tray into it for 10 to 20 seconds. You'll have much better control of how much water the soil absorbs with this method. Soggy wet soil is the #1 killer of seedlings.

[nathansquires]

The madman stood on the seed starting tray 😮. Also a tray I don't have to use my pinky to pop out and worry that it will break every use... and made in America... truly the best channel around.

[tommymckiddy]

The industry standard 6 cell is a thermoformed polystyrene tray. What you appear to have is an injection molded polypropylene tray. It's a much sturdier design. I work at a factory that actually makes flower pots with both these processes.

[noxfox]

The fan is such a good idea, it's like making a little gym for the seedlings to train and get stronger!

[steelemicrofarms]

So I'm not sure if those trays will go outside or stay indoor but something I've started doing is sanitizing the soil with boiling water to kill nat eggs to avoid that issue. I have an indoor grow room and i used a store bought soil which i didn't sanitize and ended up with nats all over. Loving this containers. Also great video as usual.

[gopatus]

I have been indoor gardening for years to support my aspen tree breeding habit. You have taught me invaluable lessons to experiment with those sexy well-drained trays, shorter flats and pointing my fan at my plants as part of weening/hardening them off...

[doreenwells]

Been watching you for a couple of years now and have learned so much. My garden has gotten bigger and more diversified. Even grew beets and bok choi last year for the first time! Live in northern Utah so long winters but so much fun to have a garden since I’m 73 and still going strong. Thank you for your channel and knowledge.

[christopherbaby]

The Bob Ross of Gardening. Happy Little Seeds. Please make a video for every seed tray you make!

[denisebrady]

Kevin Thank You- you are the first person I have watched (over 7yrs of watching channels) that has said to sterilise your pots etc that you are going to reuse. I learnt that years ago & have done that for years. Well Done mate for bringing it to peoples attention as it is so important. Cheers Denise- Australia

[ColeSpolaric]

I break so many of these rules and still have great success. I only plant 1 seed per cell since i find germination rates are usually very high. I don't use a fan because i live with someone who has a mold allergy (the kind found in soil). The biggest problem I've had is covering seed that needs light to germinate. Even when those do germinate, they don't do well. Figuring that out allowed me to have much success where i previously struggled. I'd much rather see a 10 cell tray in the future. As i saw someone else say, when do you see seeds come in packs of 72, etc.

[markm]

This year I've been using 3oz disposable cups with holes poked in the bottom with a small screwdriver, set in plastic kitchen drawer baskets that fit 12 of those cups without much wiggle room. It makes it easier to deal with potting up or transplanting at a small scale, and spotty germination doesn't leave your tray half full so you're not wasting space on empty cells.