Problems & Solutions with Indoor Seed Starting

PROBLEM: Not enough Water
SOLUTION: Aluminum pans & clear plastic lids. By starting your seed trays in a pan with a clear lid you will retain 5x as much moisture, and still let the light in. This year, I didn't start my seed trays in aluminum pans & the sprouts started dying almost as soon as they came up. Now, every time I water the sprouts I also pour a little water directly into the pan and let the peat pots soak it up. They love it

Now, since there is more moisture the outsides of the peat pots are growing a fuzzy white mold. I looked into this immediately (as I was terrified) and its completely normal. Apparently the pots are made or all kinds of organic materials including some mushrooms and molds. Cool with me.

PROBLEM Not enough Light
SOLUTION Keep the trays directly under fluorescent lights, with the lights about 3-4 inches above the pots. Move the lights up as your seedlings grow. Do this & you should have no problemo with light.

PROBLEM Not enough Nutrients
SOLUTION Amend. A little bit goes a long way. Start seeds in an organic potting soil. The potting soil has nutrients in it, but the seedlings need/use a lot as they grow. Every 3 weeks the trays will be nearly depleted of nutrients, so keep em stocked, but don't over do it. I put a pinch of bat guano & buffalo loam into each cup every couple weeks to keep em happy.

PROBLEM Seed Disturbance
SOLUTION This is tricky and I don't really like it. There are some super fickle.. or diva.. seeds out there. And they don't like to be disturbed. Many flower seeds are divas when started indoors, as are celery seeds. If you water them from the top they get all jostled around & refuse to germinate. You could delicately mist them with a spray bottle and you could dip the trays into a pan of water, soaking the bottoms, rather than watering from top. Another "gentler" option for watering your seeds is saving squirt bottles from the kitchen, like ketchup or mustard and using those to water rather than using a cup.

PROBLEM Spindly (skinny, weak) Sprouts
SOLUTION Turn an oscillating fan on your sprouts. This will simulate the wind & they will grow MUCH stronger. Once it gets warmer outside & the sun is shining bright, you can start setting your sprouts outside everyday. Start with an hour a day, then go to two hours and so on.. or else you'll shock them. Also, you should touch and talk to your plants often.. there is a lot of research out there showing that this strengthens them as well.