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Chivasso, Torino, Italy

Which is the best temperature of the topsoil to start seeds in pots? I've a thermostat which regulates the heating, now it's set at 84F (29 Celsius)

4/2/2015 3:53:07 AM

Germany

29°C is excellent. Make sure you don´t start the seed in real topsoil but in a seed starting mix which is much closer to sterile. The mix should be damp (but not too wet), and I prefer to have a thin layer (2 or 3 mm) of sand under the seed and on top of the seed before I cover the seed with another 2.5 cm layer of starter mix (the sand should also be moist, but the starter mix on top of the sand could be dry). Keep the pot in a plastic bag, then the moisture in the damp starting mix should be sufficient for the seed to produce a seedling. Otherwise, at 29°C the starter mix could be dry within 2 days and you might need to water again but you don´t know exactly if you really need to water and how much), because you don´t want to dig in the pot while the seed is starting to develop its roots and you don´t want to add too much water because that isn´t good for the seedling either.

4/2/2015 4:34:18 AM

Muddy Waters

great advice pumpking

4/2/2015 6:23:21 AM

Chivasso, Torino, Italy

Thank you very much, I've planted some seeds as a test. I think that in the next days I'll test this new method that I didn't know.
I'll let you know in my diary, I'm also experimenting a neon growlight.

4/2/2015 4:55:55 PM

Going Green

Heating pad under fiber pot and clear plastic cover over the pots has never failed me. 80 degrees is perfect for germination and no light is required for the week of germination. Some people use saran wrap over pots. On pumpkin and squash seeds I plant in #5 pot with promise in a 8 gallon tote and use two 2 lite jugs filled with hot water which I change out morning and night and then recover the tote.

4/7/2015 11:16:03 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

84° F is perfect. Not to wet is the key. The soak should provide the moisture needed to kick the process off.

4/7/2015 1:23:10 PM