Seed startings cells?

Reedo5

Songster
Aug 19, 2017
216
596
176
Finger lakes region, NY
Ok, newbie here seed starting cells do they have to be a certain size for certain plants? Or say a number or seeds per cell? Im looking to start tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, cucumbers inside. An flowers, sunflowers, marigolds, zinnias. Any how toos with this is greatly appreciated here r the 2 styles im buying let me know what i should do!
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I start with pretty small cells and re-pot if needed as plants get bigger. Smaller plants like marigolds can probably go straight from the small cells to outdoors, whereas tomatoes especially I will re-pot once or twice before going outside, as the plants get big pretty quickly.

Some plants (like some squashes) don't like having roots disturbed so need to be direct seeded where they're going to grow or started in larger pots (like your 2") and then transplanted outside before they become rootbound.

Technically you can put in as much seed as you want (depending on germination rates, I might have anywhere from 2 to 5 seeds in a cell), but plan on culling seedlings once they get going so you only have 1 plant left to grow per cell.
 
I start with pretty small cells and re-pot if needed as plants get bigger. Smaller plants like marigolds can probably go straight from the small cells to outdoors, whereas tomatoes especially I will re-pot once or twice before going outside, as the plants get big pretty quickly.

Some plants (like some squashes) don't like having roots disturbed so need to be direct seeded where they're going to grow or started in larger pots (like your 2") and then transplanted outside before they become rootbound.

Technically you can put in as much seed as you want (depending on germination rates, I might have anywhere from 2 to 5 seeds in a cell), but plan on culling seedlings once they get going so you only have 1 plant left to grow per cell.
Alright so, my flowers will probably be ok in those small cells, then those bigger ones do the veggies? An if the get crowed thin them out?
 
Alright so, my flowers will probably be ok in those small cells, then those bigger ones do the veggies? An if the get crowed thin them out?

You can try that to start, and make notes of what seems to work and what doesn't, so you'll know for next year (I'm constantly testing things out). For thinning out, best way to do it is to use a small scissor to clip the seedlings you don't want. You only want to end up with one plant growing per pod, so they're not crowding each other out.
 
You can try that to start, and make notes of what seems to work and what doesn't, so you'll know for next year (I'm constantly testing things out). For thinning out, best way to do it is to use a small scissor to clip the seedlings you don't want. You only want to end up with one plant growing per pod, so they're not crowding each other out.
Will do thank you!
 
I start some of the cold season veggies in the smaller cells like the 72 packs. Tomatoes and peppers, I prefer to use the larger 36 packs for. I'll be direct seeding my peas and beans this year and they got too wild last season while in the starter trays. I prefer the self watering trays because they are easier to use and no worry about if you are over or under watering the seedlings.
 
From my standpoint timing is as important as cell size. Date of last frost and weather plants can tolerate these frosts. Peppers also take longer to germinate then tomatoes and both do better in larger pots as Rosemary said.

If your seed is for this year one seed per cell will do. Older seed, I would do a couple per cell.
 
From my standpoint timing is as important as cell size. Date of last frost and weather plants can tolerate these frosts. Peppers also take longer to germinate then tomatoes and both do better in larger pots as Rosemary said.

If your seed is for this year one seed per cell will do. Older seed, I would do a couple per cell.
Thank you!
 

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