Pros and cons: transplanting into vs. starting seed in plots

[thedudefresco]

Hey guys,

Its mid/late May. In a Mediterranean climate, what are the benefits of starting seed in small pots before transplanting to large garden holes as opposed to simply sowing each seed in its garden hole to begin with?

 

[Empty Bowl]

If you plan to start your plants outdoors you can start them in their final pot or in the ground. If you veg them indoors the biggest benefit I guess comes from getting more plants per light

 

[Rider420]

Hey guys,

Its mid/late May. In a Mediterranean climate, what are the benefits of starting seed in small pots before transplanting to large garden holes as opposed to simply sowing each seed in its garden hole to begin with?

Some seeds will not grow so your garden can become very uneven lowering your yield.

FYI If you were planting earlier the other benefit would be lager plants when you start them in your house or a green house before transplanting them outdoors later in the season.

BTW your better off with feminized seeds or female clones to be sure every plant is a female, so your garden does not become uneven due to removing males.

Good luck

 

[MountainBudz]

I have done both and in my experience starting them indoor is a far superior better start than starting outdoor. Honestly, it is not the fact that starting them outdoor is not a good idea, but rather having control of the root mass/zone is where the explosive/fast growth comes into play.

Have you ever started a seed in a large container? The growth is seemingly slow compared to a plant started in a germination or nursery cell of some sort. In my opinion even a solo cup is too large to start with.

I start my plants in a 72 cell tray and leave them till there until the second set of leaves appear, then transplant to solo cups or half gallon containers (depending on how much soil I have on my hands at that moment) and then let them settle in and a new explosion of growth will come in and then they go to their final locations.

There is something about a seedling in a large container ( or straight in the ground in your case) that just can't do what a plant in a small container could do. More oxygen to the roots is one reason. Seedlings are very fragile and people tend to over water in large containers or in the ground and the plant seems to just sit there and not do anything, eventually developing lots of deficiencies/problems. You wont have this problem in a nursery tray or small cup (usually).

Also take into consideration, a small slug or any insect takes one nab at your seedling, its gone. Birds have even stole my seeds while germinating them outdoors, dont know how those little bastards see/find the damn things but they do, I have watched them. Also a large rain drop can even break the seedling into.

Your best bet imo would be start them in nursery trays for 1 1/2 to 2 weeks under a fluro or cfl for 24 hours veg time, then transplant to solo cup or half gallon container for a week or so (until you notice a stretch upward and a stretch of the leaves, branches outwards). Then transplant to your girls home or final destination.

If lighting is not an option you can still start outdoors in a more controlled setting but just don't start them in the ground.

Good luck!

Mbz...