PSA: I finally stopped using old plastic pots for my seedlings

For years I just reused any old container I had, like yogurt cups with holes poked in the bottom. Last spring, over half my tomato starts got stunted and I lost about 30 plants. My friend in Madison said to try those cheap 1020 trays with the proper cell inserts, so I bought a set for 12 dollars. The difference in root growth after just three weeks is crazy. What's a small change that saved your plant starts?

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3 Comments

gray7926mo ago

My neighbor swears by putting her heat mat on a timer for just 12 hours a night.

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william_carter6mo ago

Switched to heat mats, germination rate doubled.

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zara_kelly276mo ago

That "germination rate doubled" thing is no joke. I had the same thing happen with my pepper seeds last year, they just sat there doing nothing until I got a mat. It's crazy how much of a difference a little bottom heat makes.

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