Seeds in baby food jars. - bonsaiTALK Community

11-Jan-2006	#1
willbillis bonsaiTALK Artisan Join Date: Sep-2005 Location: Salem, Oregon Country: United States USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 4/5 Posts: 100	Seeds in baby food jars. Hello all I am inquiring about starting seeds using large baby food jars. Before I start I wanted to know if any of you have had success using this method. Thanks in advance!!!

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12-Jan-2006	#2
TreeBay Tips:5¢ Advice:Free *MODERATOR GROUP* Join Date: Aug-2001 Location: Silicon Valley Country: USA USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: 4 Posts: 9,745	Bill do you mean germinating them in moist towels in a jar, or planting them in a jar with no drainage? Or inverting the jar to make a mini greenhouse, or.... Regards, Matt __________________ Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today! bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

12-Jan-2006

willbillis

bonsaiTALK Artisan

Join Date: Sep-2005

Location: Salem, Oregon

Country: United States

USDA Zone: 8

AHS Heat Zone: 4/5

Posts: 100

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreeBay

Bill do you mean germinating them in moist towels in a jar, or planting them in a jar with no drainage? Or inverting the jar to make a mini greenhouse, or....

Regards,

Matt

I was going to germinate them using the jar as a mini greenhouse, and put them on a window sill until they sprout and after they get more established move them into a peat pot until spring.

12-Jan-2006	#4
Gnome bonsaiTALK Journeyman Join Date: Apr-2005 Posts: 28	Bill: Still not sure what you intend to plant your seeds in. Why not sow them directly into the peat pots and cover with plastic until they germinate, this will eliminate one step. Perhaps you should reconsider this approach. If you wait until spring you will not have to worry so much about maintaining humidity levels or the lower light levels on your windowsill. You did not specify what species you are working with; I assume that you are aware of the stratification requirements, if any. Norm

12-Jan-2006	#5
Aaron_K bonsaiTALK Master Chief Join Date: Mar-2004 Country: England USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 2-3 Posts: 1,477	Hi Bill, Some seeds need low light levels in order to meet germination requirements, so a glass jar on a window sill is possibly not the right way to go. Also, the lack of airflow and damp conditions could be a haven for fungus to develop (like when you grew beansprouts in jars at school). Depending on the species, the seeds might need an extended period of cold stratification followed by a warm period. Whatever the seeds are, I'd recommend sowing outside in a tray, using a sterile soil medium such as perlite or vermiculite, and also to use a fungicide from the get go. Dampening off disease is probably the biggest killer of newly germinated seedlings and by the time you've noticed it, its usually too late to save them. All the best, Aaron __________________ Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Muriel Strode Vulpes pilum mutat, non mores! "A fox may change its skin but never its character"

12-Jan-2006

willbillis

bonsaiTALK Artisan

Join Date: Sep-2005

Location: Salem, Oregon

Country: United States

USDA Zone: 8

AHS Heat Zone: 4/5

Posts: 100

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_K

Whatever the seeds are, I'd recommend sowing outside in a tray, using a sterile soil medium such as perlite or vermiculite, and also to use a fungicide from the get go. Dampening off disease is probably the biggest killer of newly germinated seedlings and by the time you've noticed it, its usually too late to save them.

All the best,

Aaron

Thanks Aaron what kind of fungicide would you use.

Also I got a tray with peat pots to use instead.

Species include

Zelkova
Siberian Elm

12-Jan-2006	#7
Aaron_K bonsaiTALK Master Chief Join Date: Mar-2004 Country: England USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 2-3 Posts: 1,477	Hi Bill, I use just a general all purpose fungicide made by "Doff" which seems to do the trick. I've not tried Siberian elm, but if its like Chinese elms you shouldn't have any problems germinating them. They do however tend to spoil if the medium is too wet. I've had better success using sharp sand as opposed to using compost. I planted 10 zelkova seeds in the spring. Only 2 germinated, so I was a little disappointed. However the following year the other 8 popped up to my suprise, so don't ditch them if they dont grow intially. I was happy up until the point at which my fat dog decided to eat all but 4 of them. All the best, Aaron __________________ Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Muriel Strode Vulpes pilum mutat, non mores! "A fox may change its skin but never its character"

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