GERMINATE SEEDS FAST part 2

GERMINATION TRAYS





Commercial growers use polystyrene or plastic planting/seed/germination trays. I used the polystyrene ones. They are all the same size in width and length. The cavity sizes are different. The smaller the cavity, not the tray, the more cavities. I used the 200 cavity trays.


Fill the trays with a good quality growing medium. Commercial growers treat the growing medium with Previcur to control damping-off. To do this on a large scale use a cement mixer.


Take a hand held dibbler to firm the growing medium in the cavities. This will also leave  small indentations to hold the seed. Dampen the growing medium.

DIBBLER

 Now place your seed on top of the growing medium. Do not cover the seed. Place the trays in the germination room, on top of each other. Place little spacers between each tray. Use thin little planks as spacers.


Set your thermostat at 26 degrees Celsius. Close the door.


Check the seeds each morning. Once about 60% of the seeds have cracked or opened remove the relevant trays from the germination room. Do not leave them till they start growing stems. This will leave you with a leggy, weak seedling.


Various seeds take longer or shorter to germinate. An average is about 3-4 days.


Germination is now complete.


Your next step is described in part 3.