Basic Seed Starter Kit $6

[hydrophyte]

Basic Seed Starter Kit $6

I have a couple of threads with descriptions of seeds that I have for growing as riparium, wabi kusa, container pond or bonsai plants. Some of the seeds are large in size with quick germination (e.g. Limnanthes douglassii Meadowfoam) and are suitable for sowing directly in a riparium planter or other container, while others are very small and with slow or poor germination. Since a few people have asked me about the best strategies for growing these other more difficult seeds I have decided to offer a basic seed-starting kit for growing seedlings with potting media in small plastic pots.

The kit includes six 3" plastic pots along with seed starting media and other accessories. I currently have this basic kit at $6. It doesn't weight much, so I can ship it anywhere with $6 Priority postage.

The following lists everything included in this basic kit:

• SIX 3" Square Plastic Pots
• SIX Portions Seed Starter Potting Media
• SIX Plastic Plant Tags
• SIX 4" X 6" Zip Plastic Bags
• Stand-up Foil Pouch
• 1-gallon Zip Plastic Bag

The 3" pots are a good size. They are small enough for starting seeds in small quantities, while they also hold enough media to grow plants up to about 12" tall. The seed starting media resembles regular compost potting soil, but it has small particles so it is better suited for sowing fine seeds. Use the 4" X 6" plastic bags along with moist paper towel for cold moist stratification and/or quick seed sprouting. The stand-up foil pouch is handy for organizing the small plastic bags in your fridge (for cold moist stratification) or warm spot (for seed sprouting). Everything is packed together in the 1-gallon zip bag, which is also handy for organizing loose parts.

I hope to have a few pictures on the way soon, but these items are familiar and easy-to-use.

Here are a few items that you might find to be useful to use along with the seed starting kit:

• Sharpie Permanent Marker
• Paper Towel
• Shallow Plastic Tray
• Hand Mister Spray Bottle with Clean Water
• Seaweed Emulsion or Other Dilute Fertilizer
• Coarse Sandpaper

You can organize and water a group of these pots in a small plastic dish or similar container. You should be able to find paper towel easily enough. I hope to offer some kind of seedling fertilizer along with the kit later on. It's very important to feed sprouted seedlings with a very dilute fertilizer mixture. Seaweed emulsion works well. You might also be able to use regular aquarium ferts mixed at low concentration. After transplanting your small plants out of the 3" pots in a few months you can start to feed them more heavily. Use coarse sandpaper or nail clippers to break the hard coats of certain seeds, such as Canna indica.

Please let me know if you have any questions at all. Consider getting this basic kit along with the interesting semi-aquatic plant seeds that I have been offering. It is handy to have these items all together and ready to use.

Cheers!

hydrophyte