Aerogrow Garden Starter Tray

The large companies that supply bedding plants to retail stores would have you thinking; it is some big secret to get seeds to grow into plants. For years, I bought all my bedding from the store. Then a few years ago, I decided to try growing them myself. You know what? I did it! It was trial and era at first. Yes. I made mistakes, I killed a few plants, but in the end, I got it right.

The number one thing I had a hard time getting right was the light. Some seeds depend on light to germinate. In some cases, the amount of light the seed gets determines the speed of germination. Many seed packets say you can start your plants in a sunny window, but unless you have windows that face the sun 12 - 15 hours a day, it will probably not be enough light.

All plants need light. It can be sunlight or artificial light. It has to be fluorescent light; an incandescent bulb will not work. The light needs to be only a few inches from the emerging seeds. If the light is too far from the plant, the seedling will grow up to get more light instead of growing sturdier. If the light is not close, enough you will end up with a bunch of spindly little strings that cannot hold themselves up.

On the other hand, if the light is too close to young plants the heat off the bulb will cook them. Even though fluorescent bulbs do not get as hot as incandescent bulbs it can still effect there growth.

I really like this video, but there are some things I would like to point out. Watch how she keeps raking her fingers through the plants. I do not recommend doing that. At this stage these plants are very tender. Raking your fingers through them too much, could bruise the leaves and cause them to grow poorly or die.

The roots of the plants are also tender at this stage. You don't have to be aggressive when you firm the dirt around the stem. Lightly press the dirt around the stem.

She also points out to remove the bottom of the peat pots. I recommend removing the entire pot when you plant. Even though these pots are biodegradable they can constrict the root ball. The roots of your plants need to maybe able to spread out as they grow. In some soils it will take the pot too long to break down, to allow the roots to properly spread.

Also, see how her tray is half empty? I would suggest spreading the plants out, over the entire tray. The more room they have, the better. That will allow you more time for them to get bigger before transplanting. When they are all crammed together, the big ones will shade the smaller ones. That will make it harder for them to grow at a similiar rate.

Any young plants whether grown in an Aerogarden, or otherwise will have to be "hardened off". This means they need to be exposed to outdoor conditions gradually. Sun and wind can devastate young plants. It can stunt their growth or cause them to die, if exposed all at one time.

This is a straight forward process. All you have to do is set your plants outside in a semi protected location, for short periods of time. Then increasing exposure over time. By semi protected, I mean out of direct "BLAZING HOT" sun or wind. Just a nice place you might want to sit yourself. At first, leave them out for an hour or two. Then the next day a little longer and the next a little longer. You get the point. In a couple of weeks your plants will be ready to face the outdoors.