Planting a garden from seeds?

For the past 4 years I have tried this! Every time, the little plant will get about 2-3 inches tall, then die...? What am I doing wrong? Any tips to help them grow into mature plants? Thanks!

Planting a garden from seeds?
Your problem is that the soils contain viruses that attack the newly germinated seedlings.



You need to start seedling, particularly hybrids, in STERILE medium called "starting medium" It is sterile, usually a Canada milled fine peat moss.



Once they pop up, get them out of there and into a STERILE soil. You can sterilize regular top soil in a slow cooker pot by putting a quart of water in bottom and filling with soil. I usually sterilize about a pail of the stuff so I have plenty for repotting the germinated seeds.



Do not leave the germinated plants in the Germinating Medium, that Canada peat has no nutrients and it will not support a plant, it needs sterile topsoil.



Once the plants are about 3 inches high or so, plant them safely into the regular earth. Remember, those Hybrids in particular are subject to the disease ive described above known as "damping out" which is really a virus attack.



I germinate the seeds in Germinating Medium in poly cups on a Hot Plate turned down ( Walmart sells those for $20 ) so the cups only get about 95 F degrees. Tomatoes, for example germinate in about 4 days.
Reply:Without seeing the dead plant setting, it could be a number of things - garden pests being the most likely.

Here in Alaska, we pretty much transplant most everything ( short, intense season). We typically buy plants from greenhouses but this year I will start some inside myself since I have more time at home.

I bought some Jiffy Greenhouse trays with Jiffy pots and clear plastic top to use.
Reply:I suggest you start the plants in a controlled atmosphere. We start all our seedlings in the kitchen..... believe it or not and let them grow for about a month. We then transfer them to the mud porch so they can get "hardened" from the wind and temporary sunlight.



The last step is to plant the baby veggie plants in the garden and watch them grow.

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