Cilantro

[Verna Gross]

I am having a terrible time with Cilantro and parsley. I plant the seeds and they sprout very slowly then don't want to grow. Any thoughts. Everything is in a nice temperature variable greenhouse with plenty of SE sun temps 58-84

[Pat James]

Have you tried starting the seeds in a minimal amount of soil?  By that I mean, i start seeds in my own potting soil that is essentially 1/3 worm castings and 2/3 compost, but early seeds will grow anyway. i use my soil combination because I have it and the plants continue to grow.

For a "pot" I use a 1/3 toilet paper roll so there is not a whole lot of soil here. Now if you think that is not enough to grow a seedling, I have a few hundred tomato plants in that exact position that are now a full foot tall and healthy, Those I am in the process of replanting into large Solo cups. 

I also have a group of parsley plants, basil and cilantro. they are far smaller than those tomatoes but in the same 1/3 toilet paper roll.. I plan to put some of these into 2 inch slotted pots and into my AP system. i have not decided what additional media  I might want to put into the cups when I put them in the rafts. If I were using a filled bed, they would go in just as they are.

[Verna Gross]

I started some in rock wool cubes and others just in the hydroton. I'm going to start some in soil and transplant to the beds next

[Bob Terrell]

And I thought I was being bold starting 25 tomato plants.
 
Pat James said:

Have you tried starting the seeds in a minimal amount of soil?  By that I mean, i start seeds in my own potting soil that is essentially 1/3 worm castings and 2/3 compost, but early seeds will grow anyway. i use my soil combination because I have it and the plants continue to grow.

For a "pot" I use a 1/3 toilet paper roll so there is not a whole lot of soil here. Now if you think that is not enough to grow a seedling, I have a few hundred tomato plants in that exact position that are now a full foot tall and healthy, Those I am in the process of replanting into large Solo cups. 

I also have a group of parsley plants, basil and cilantro. they are far smaller than those tomatoes but in the same 1/3 toilet paper roll.. I plan to put some of these into 2 inch slotted pots and into my AP system. i have not decided what additional media  I might want to put into the cups when I put them in the rafts. If I were using a filled bed, they would go in just as they are.

[Pat James]

Bob, I am going to try to sell most of my tomato plants and maybe some of my pepper plants. I want to see if I can do it in a front yard plant sale....... kinda like a garage sale thing but with plants.

[Bob Terrell]

The thought had crossed my mind to set up a stand and try to sell plant seedlings next year after I build my new green house..  Great idea, I hope you sell 'em all and make $$$$$.
 
Pat James said:

Bob, I am going to try to sell most of my tomato plants and maybe some of my pepper plants. I want to see if I can do it in a front yard plant sale....... kinda like a garage sale thing but with plants.

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi Pat,

I like your business idea! Using AP for seed starting and making some cash from seedling sales.

Pat James said:

Bob, I am going to try to sell most of my tomato plants and maybe some of my pepper plants. I want to see if I can do it in a front yard plant sale....... kinda like a garage sale thing but with plants.

[Pat James]

Harold, my seedlings are all in soil made from 1/3 worm castings and 2/3 compost that I make myself. I have alot of raised beds as well for my growing. Some f the seedlings I have started will be transferred to the AP system for production..

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi Pat,

Thanks for clearing that up. Nevertheless, a happy mistake in perception can sometimes provide sound money making ideas..... don't you think?

Pat James said:

Harold, my seedlings are all in soil made from 1/3 worm castings and 2/3 compost that I make myself. I have alot of raised beds as well for my growing. Some f the seedlings I have started will be transferred to the AP system for production..

[Alex Veidel]

I've actually been thinking about starting a seed starter business for my community. I constructed a seed tray along the back of my grow beds out of some sheet metal roofing. I can put pots and trays on it and run water along it to bottom feed the seedlings to promote downward root growth. I was thinking consumers could pick out seeds from a catalog and I could grow them out for customers. Seems like a decent way to make some side cash. I find there are a lot people that are just getting into gardening, but no one wants to start things from seed. So they use poor quality plants from the store. Oh, just a side note. I'm about 85% sure on this one, but castings and compost are not considered "soil". So that is technically a soil-less media :)

Pat James said:

Harold, my seedlings are all in soil made from 1/3 worm castings and 2/3 compost that I make myself. I have alot of raised beds as well for my growing. Some f the seedlings I have started will be transferred to the AP system for production..

[Pat James]

Oh, just a side note. I'm about 85% sure on this one, but castings and compost are not considered "soil". So that is technically a soil-less media

Yeah, it's soil...sorta. One of the guys on my main gardening blog likes to say "Soil is what you grow in...dirt is what you knock off your boots"

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Sorta-kinda...I'm pretty sure things like compost and castings fall into the category (organic matter)...and organic matter like that only makes up 3% to 5% of most 'decent' plant growing soil...My cilantro has always been started in 100% hydroton and has grown monstrously. 

[Verna Gross]

Mine is starting to show up i guess i planted the seeds to deep im going to be eating squash in a month not bad for Colorado!