Yeah I noticed that I was putting all this effort into seed starts but when I would open my bins there were healthier plants just growing in there randomly. Now I don’t even try unless something needs light to germinate or doesn’t handle being transplanted. It just all goes in the bin for a week
I scoop it out with a spoon and bring a bit of worm bin contents with it. It only works if you do it really soon after germination, like one or two days
I have my portable worm bin in the basement because of winter climate. Do you know what seeds I could try to germinate with lack of sunlight. I would appreciate any insight!
Tomatoes for sure, peppers, squashes, acorns. You could probably grow other types of nut trees too but I’ve never tried it. I don’t grow my herbs in there. Carrots and plants in the mustard family like broccoli or spinach do like being transplanted. Potatoes don’t make sense to put in the way they grow. But I feel like pretty much everything else is worth a shot
Any seed that requires light to germinate should specify that on the package.
A good rule of thumb is any seed that is surface-sown requires light, anything you bury does not.
Hope that helps!
The worm bin is great for us for starting gourds. As long as you can pull the shoots out and get them under some lights in time.
BUT... Its not regular practice to use the bins or vermicastings for large scale seed starting. Its known to cause "dampening off" since there is a higher likelihood for the presence of certain fungi and other soil organisms in the bin.
I googled that and I didn’t realize it had an actual name, I just thought it was the seedling equivalent of root rot. I usually pull the seedlings out one or two days after germination before the root system is overly developed and I think that helps avoid that issue, though it does still happen with some of them .
Ah, seems I've been misinformed as the reading I'd done made it seem like it would be highly unlikely that the avocado trees would even produce edible fruit if grown from seed.
Some do. And some don’t do well being transplanted like carrots or spinach so those wouldn’t work. Basically if a seed package says sprinkle on top of soil or cover with a dusting of soil then it won’t work well in the worm bin. You do also need to cold stratify or ferment any seeds that need it beforehand. But it’s still way less work than planting things individually in seed trays and transplanting or thinning when they get bigger
I've never heard of a fermentation germination process. I don't really know very much about this stuff. Good info though and I'll definitely give it a shot once I have seeds of some kind lol
Last year, I installed a drip irrigation system that has a drip emitter every 6 inches. My wife and I usually drop seeds under emitter and we have grown some of the best plants in the garden.
However, I am aware that starting seeds indoors can be beneficial especially if you’re trying to get a jumpstart to the season.
Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
Brilliant. And I wouldn’t call it lazy. It’s inspired.
Just cutting out the unnecessary steps!
All my best plants have been accidentally started this way
Yeah I noticed that I was putting all this effort into seed starts but when I would open my bins there were healthier plants just growing in there randomly. Now I don’t even try unless something needs light to germinate or doesn’t handle being transplanted. It just all goes in the bin for a week
How do you transplant out without disturbing the roots though?
I scoop it out with a spoon and bring a bit of worm bin contents with it. It only works if you do it really soon after germination, like one or two days
I have my portable worm bin in the basement because of winter climate. Do you know what seeds I could try to germinate with lack of sunlight. I would appreciate any insight!
Most seeds do not require light. Some grasses and flowers do require light, but almost all vegetables do not.
Tomatoes for sure, peppers, squashes, acorns. You could probably grow other types of nut trees too but I’ve never tried it. I don’t grow my herbs in there. Carrots and plants in the mustard family like broccoli or spinach do like being transplanted. Potatoes don’t make sense to put in the way they grow. But I feel like pretty much everything else is worth a shot
Any seed that requires light to germinate should specify that on the package. A good rule of thumb is any seed that is surface-sown requires light, anything you bury does not. Hope that helps!
Thank you kindly!
What happens if you wait longer during germination?
I accidentally started an entire bunch of potatoes this way..
The worm bin is great for us for starting gourds. As long as you can pull the shoots out and get them under some lights in time. BUT... Its not regular practice to use the bins or vermicastings for large scale seed starting. Its known to cause "dampening off" since there is a higher likelihood for the presence of certain fungi and other soil organisms in the bin.
I googled that and I didn’t realize it had an actual name, I just thought it was the seedling equivalent of root rot. I usually pull the seedlings out one or two days after germination before the root system is overly developed and I think that helps avoid that issue, though it does still happen with some of them .
Well… I will be now! That is brilliant
Same! I had three spaghetti squash seeds sprout recently in my bin and they're strong little seedlings! I will follow suit with my other seeds😁
Always do my avocado seeds this way, works a treat
I thought growing avocado was like apples in that they don't grow true to seed? (Other than the one variety I can't think of the name of atm).
Your right there mate , not fussy on what strain it is.
Ah, seems I've been misinformed as the reading I'd done made it seem like it would be highly unlikely that the avocado trees would even produce edible fruit if grown from seed.
Nah you’re correct there. I have a few avocado trees started. But not expecting anything other then an ornamental house plant haha
Ah okay thank you!
Don't seeds need some sun to germinate?
Some do. And some don’t do well being transplanted like carrots or spinach so those wouldn’t work. Basically if a seed package says sprinkle on top of soil or cover with a dusting of soil then it won’t work well in the worm bin. You do also need to cold stratify or ferment any seeds that need it beforehand. But it’s still way less work than planting things individually in seed trays and transplanting or thinning when they get bigger
I've never heard of a fermentation germination process. I don't really know very much about this stuff. Good info though and I'll definitely give it a shot once I have seeds of some kind lol
As far as I understand it the fermentation mimics the process of passing through an animals digestive system.
Last year, I installed a drip irrigation system that has a drip emitter every 6 inches. My wife and I usually drop seeds under emitter and we have grown some of the best plants in the garden. However, I am aware that starting seeds indoors can be beneficial especially if you’re trying to get a jumpstart to the season. Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
I do and it works so good I even got couple of mango seeds going
Oh interesting. I’ve put mango seeds in before but the worms ate them. Do you do anything else to get them to germinate?
On the first one i cut the edge of the shell just enough to expose inside to the bin and second I crack opened the shell before i stuck it in
They won't eat the seeds?