1. sift seed mix 2. use smaller pot 3.bottom watering 4. add fertilizer to seed starting mix 5. take advantage of newer grow light technology Thank You !

I always honor a man who's willing to admit that they were wrong and changed the way they think. A man that's growing to become better and better walking in integrity. Keep up the good work, Brother.

I've noticed that you use different sized pots and seed cells. Maybe a video on how to decide which size for which seed? Appreciate all your videos!

Well first there’s the fact that you can remember 15 years ago and what you did!😂 Good info to have. Thank you!

Informative video, thank you. The 'armchair scientist' in me really wanted to see the difference in each variable, pot size, sifted mix, watering, fertilizer, grow lights. Probably a pain to do all those different pots! Interesting experiments nonetheless.

Great info. I am 100% convinced that fertilizer in the seed start mix of any kind helps to give the seedlings a head start. Fine seed start mixes are great, but the seed leaves pop up with the seed husks on the tips. Once over the soil level, they get dried out, hard to come off. A little more resistance could help the husk to get off of the seed leaves. It would be really interesting to see how each variable compares to method from 15 yo ago as controlled sample, have the other variables introduced one at a time. What makes the biggest difference, the fertilizer in seed start mix? The pot sizes, or the lights?

I like to use bigger containers but I also use a syringe to water a small amount more often until they get established

now I can say I have 15+ years of gardening experience 😎

You should make a video of you viewing some of your old videos and commenting what you would do differently

As for the fertilizer, mixing about 10-15% worm castings in with the seed starting mix has made a huge difference for me.

I learned bottom watering from Greenhouse Frank, who ran the biology greenhouse. When us landscapers got a chance, we'd sneak inside and hang out with him. He always kept a bathtub around and would just plunk all of the pots that needed watering in there!

Would love a video on which seedlings like to stay moist and which ones don't! Then I could plan out my trays better on how much the entire tray needs to be bottom watered. My trays are mixed seedlings because my garden is smaller, so I don't need entire trays of each type of plant.

Thank you for showing me everything I have been doing wrong. I have been so frustrated trying to start seeds ❤. I now feel hope.

Thank you for updating your information as you learn more. I find this so useful.

A year ago you did a vid about adding white sides around your seed starting station. The difference that one change made in my seedlings was astounding! I'll never go back!

Luke I've watched your videos for about 8 years and appreciate all the tips...Thank you so very much 💐

These tips are gold! I’m in my second year of gardening peppers mostly, and my first year starting from seed. I’ve definitely made lot of these ‘mistakes’ and I say it like that because one thing I love about gardening is that you can enjoy it how you want. You don’t have to min/max and you will still see results because life generally finds a way. That being said, I remember last year I bought transplants from a nursery, planted them in 5 gallon buckets, and they struggled a lot in the beginning to establish their root system. Even in summer heat I was only watering some of them once a week which told me the buckets were too big for the size of the plants, soil was staying wet, there wasn’t enough aeration, and soil was getting compacted from top watering. I had a lot of fun in my first year, but there were so many improvements to be made! This year I decided to start from seeds to I could get different pepper varieties and a head start to the short growing season we have in Vancouver. I had pretty good success germinating and just transferred about half of my seedlings from their cell trays to 3.5 inch pots. The advice on bottom watering is fantastic, as well as sifting your mixes. I found the compost I bought has a lot of small pieces of wood and I even found a rock which I’m not too happy about. I’ve also been using grow lights in combination with a south facing window which I feel has made a noticeable difference in seedling growth. Do you have any advice on bottom watering seedlings? Do I just always keep water in the tray or should I let the water be absorbed and even have the soil dry out a bit?

Now I wonder what the seeding in the 4" pot might have looked like is some water soluble fertilizer was added to bottom watering? And proper lighting. I guess what I'm wondering is if the pot size does really matter? Hmmm.

thanks for explaining bottom watering and how it works. others have brought it up but have not explained it well. keep up with the great videos!!!

Just found you and already learned new things and also enjoy how transparent you are.

Thank you for this video I planted my tomato seeds 2 days ago🤦‍♀️and used raised bed soil and didn’t sift it and I am using 4” pots🤷‍♀️ pray for my seedlings 🤣

This is really good information thank you. I was planning on sowing my tomatoes in bigger pots to save time on potting on. I also knew about giving them a liquid feed every so often but wouldn't have thought to add a long acting fertiliser. I've made the decision not to grow other than my perennials this year because we are finally just about ready to put our house up for sale. I'm saving your video for next year though when I hope to be in our new house with our new garden I can run with.

I'm 2.5 minutes in and THANK YOU SO MUCH! wow. I have been doing it all wrong.

Hi Luke! Thank you for these rookie learning videos. I just learned a ton from this video. I watched it this morning and it happens to be the day I'm starting my tomatoes! Boy, did you save me some time! Thank you so much. I'd love to see you do more videos like this, showing us what you used to do and how you've changed over the years. This was just AWESOME! God bless you!

Because lights used for growing seedlings have changed so much, I would like more specificity about which grow lights, how far to keep them from plants, etc. I am still doing best with flourescents (cool & warm) from Big Box stores versus "LED grow lights" from those same stores. Going for the true "grow lights" that cannot be found in most Big Box stores is not in my budget. So, why are my seedlings that are growing under "LED grow lights" not doing as well as those under flourescents? I imagine it has something to do with the space between the plant and the bulb, but I've not hacked that one yet. If the bulb is too close the plant leaves suffer, if they are too far away (6+ inches) the seedlings get leggy. Do you have a video already that parses through the current options and how to use them? Also, launching into soil blocking these past few years. Thanks. Love your info.

Great info I never thought about sifting the seed starting mix. My seedlings are doing great now but they struggled in the beginning and now I know why! Thanks😊

It is my first year trying to start a more bigger food producing garden, and I am starting to get sprouts right away, and they look healthier! What a pro tip on the sifting the mix- I notice there is always this really woody stringy just crunk in the mix, that actually makes it a lot more hydrophobic it seems. But I have been using worm castings. I noticed the ratio on the fertilizer you used in the video is kind of high, and I remember a lady at the garden center I went to telling me that any fertilizer above a certain number like 1 or 3 meant it is probably non-organic, meaning like closer to a synthetic thing. It looks like though, you maybe make your own. I use light, and I have fertilizer, now just to implement the other tips! Thank you.

Thank you for going straight to the point.

Great information! I just bought new grow lights to replace my flourescent shop lights.

The thing I changed this year was to water my seedlings with water from my fish tank. It was such an improvement in my plants' growth.

Great info as always! And speaking of old videos, one of my favorites is still that one video that you did about multi-sowing beets, and your reaction when you stumbled onto that one especially massive beet. 😂

I was putting my seeds in a big seed cell so not too have to move again later. I wa😅do that anymore. Thanks for your video.

Thank you so much for answering many questions I have had and for getting me on the right track ❤

Thanks for sharing! Just starting pepper and tomato seeds for the first time, and I see I'm only a couple hours South near Toledo. I appreciate the fast cut to the information with just the right amount of context. Have a great season!

I watch your vids. Stopped for a while for illness. I am semi back, no garden yet I love it. Not only do your seedlings grow better, the potting mix vid was awesome. But I have watched you grow as well. Thanks for continuing. I know how hard it is to be, producer, camera person, editor etc. I really appreciate the work you have done over the years! Mitch respect uncle Dan

Hang on.. were both plants using the same type of light source? Is so, which spectrum is better?

This is a HUGE help! I love it that you are willing to share these secret pointers. I took notes and taped them up in my grow room. Thanks MI Gardener!

Great reminder to always keep learning and updating your methods. More comparison videos of how you used to do things compared to how you have grown today would be a great series

This is my second year gardening and i always watch your videos as you put them out to learn when and how you are doing things because i wantbto learn all i can to grow a garden that will put food on my table, shelves and freezer i am canning to i live in Michigan zone 5 so i have almost the same growing time i have the best time gardening it's work but it seems to be a different kind of work because i enjoy this it's a stress reliever i just love growing everything i can

I’ve been learning right along with you, glad you are a step ahead though! I share information with friends! Thank you!

I’m growing onions in 200 cell trays this year. As opposed to planting seed like grass in a tray. So far. So good

Can you do an update on the seedling please. Thanks. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us so that we can benefit from what your have learned over the years!

Brilliant. Thank you. Having a massive problem with damping off

Thank you for more great information ❤

I’ve learned from you and a few others on seed starting and a better way to grow my plants. Thank you so much.

Super helpful! I have had a fungus gnat problem the last 2 years. Never before that for 14 years. I was afraid to do the bottom watering, but I will switch to it! I will start sifting soil. You were spot on with the tomatoes. Mine look like the wimpy one and I don’t get tomatoes until the 1st week of April!! You know your stuff!! Thank you!!

I have enjoyed watching your growth in gardening as well as growing into manhood. Keep up the good work and continue to grow.

Started on my growing fruit and veg journey only a week ago and your video was very helpful, thank you

Thanks Luke. I was going to use the larger pots for my seed tomatoes, but not anymore.

Yep, second-year rookie here. I made most of those mistakes. I did learn to use the smaller cell trays this year. I will apply your tips to the next batch of seeds I start. Thank you!

Great Video! I am going to replant my tiny 4 week old tomato seedlings like this and hope they do better.

Thanks for sharing. Would love to know what type of grow lights you prefer.

Thank you for this. Too late for me this year, but will definitely use this information for seed starting next year.👍

Totally agree about bottom watering. So far this year, no fungus gnats. Also, I love chunky vermiculite on top.

I must have watched an old video of you saying no fertilizer for seedlings. I’m glad I keep growing and learning with you, Luke. I’ve got my Trifecta, now pray I can stay well enough get my seeds started!

I’ve been swearing by adding Trifecta to my seed starting mix for at least a decade. It doesn’t flush out with just the spraying of the soil, but it’s there right when they need it! Thanks, Luke! :)

Great video. Did most of what you talked about this year for an early Florida crop. Will be starting to harvest peppers next week and tomatoes the following week and everything is lush and green. By the way, your Migardener large cherry tomatoes are going gangbusters. Hope they taste as good as they look. Hopefully the Florida heat and pests don't screw things up.

Very informative. Thank you, Luke!

I remember some seeds you started growing maybe in 2013-14? (I cant remember when i first started watching your channel) and they looked like the ones in the smaller pots here. I believe you had already changed how you were starting them bc i tried starting seeds that year and was not having much luck haha. And then switched to your method. Your advice here is spot on. I have some different opinions on fertilizer at the start (germinating)as it’s actually pretty hard to control it in smaller pots i have found. But waiting a week or so after germinating and then fertilizing or maybe fertilizing in the next mix you up pot into has worked well for me.

Excellent video! So helpful. Thank you !

Excellent video!

Hi Luke, I just been growing 5 years yes the watering thing makes sense. Last two years such a problem with snapdragons and petunias. Put a few seeds in 3 inch pots. They died. This year I bought 5x5 incerts seem with small seeds to over plant leave them alone. Strong plants up pot them I plant by color. Oh well I try and try again and take notes. Been on your channel a long time.

So good refresher course. Thank you.

Thanks for the tips! No wonder I’m not getting much results with my tomato seedlings. I should’ve sift the seed mix and use a smaller pot.

I am going to go smaller with my next phase of planting based on this video and the other recent video. Thanks for sharing your experience 👊🏻🌻👊🏻

This is so true! Thank you because I will approve the way I do things now.

Thank you! I learned so much from this video, and also, those are the PERFECT glasses for your face

Excellent information! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you so much. I now know where i can improve and make healthier plants.

For tomato seedlings, I started using the double solo cup method and only fill the cup part way with seedling mix. This way, as the plant grows taller, I can add soil to the top to get more root growth along the stem. My LED shop lights have the right lumens and kelvin to produce the needed light at a fraction of the cost of marketed grow lights. But I am also taking my young seedlings out sooner for a little natural sunshine each day when it's warm enough. Don't forget to have a fan with low settings on the plants to mimmick gentle breezes, which also helps prevent dampening off. A little cinnamon sprinkled on the top, a fan, and a covered bottom (bottom cup) keeps the fungus gnats away.

You’re an amazing teacher, Luke! I’m in zone 6b, NE Ohio. I grew up “doing chores” in my parents garden and somewhat learning from them & my Grandma. I’ve loved gardening with flowers 🌸 and planting a few veggies🥒🍅 in the past 9 years…This is the first year that I’ve planted from seed indoors with heating mats and grow lights. Thank you for providing us with your knowledge!

Thank you for this video. It definitely helps

Great info!

My whole mini garden is in my living room 😂. Bottom watering is so the way to go! Fungus knats drive me bits. Thanks for another fun and informative video ❤

From someone who is just starting out - your video is extremely helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. May God abundantly bless and reward you!

Thanks!

Fantastic video! Thank u

When the first real leaves appear and it is time to start fertilizing, do you administer through bottom watering as well? Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Thank so much for this video! I am a newbie to gardening and just started doing my own seed starter trays last year. Yep, I have too big of pots and have been top watering. I also just saw a fungus gnat. I am going to repot the plants again. Lessons learned:)

Thank you for this!

You sir have a new subscriber, from over the pond! 👍🏼

Great comparing, thank you!

All great tips…some of them I follow and see great results! I’ll be saving this video for future reference. Thank you Luke!

I ordered your trifecta for the first time and I’m excited to see the difference in my plants 😊

Omg I am watching this and I think you just fixed my problem! My pepper seedling problem!! Too much water I think bc of the larger pot

Bottom watering.....MIND BLOWN..

I really appreciate this video! Do you have one the talks further about lighting?

Super helpful thank you. I just started some seedlings, intuitively some in very small containers and others not. I use worm castings as the fertilizer, what do you think about that for fertilizer?

I like the wood pallets on cinder blocks good idea

Loving the videos, a little question for anyone who would like to answer, would you still recommend bottom watering if you are using a water soluble fertilizer?

Hahaha, I feel called out 😂 I did all these things. Hi, I am a first time seed starting gardener 👋 I love learning and bettering myself through experience and people like Luke and Brian Lowell and Jess Sowards are the best kind of teachers ❤

Great video thank you.

Thanks Luke, for sharing your time savers..what about the tums tablet in the hole for tomatoes? Or Epsom salt trick? Any theories on those?

QUESTION: What do you use to sift the soil? I was thinking if asking my hubby to build a 2ft x 2ft tiny wire frame.

I found something similar this year, I started most of my tomatoes in soil blocks. I started a few in pots. The ones in the soil blocks did so much better, they are at least 2-3x the size.

You are so very informative!!

This is very helpful, thank you.

Going to try today's tips!! Thanks!

We've always added fertilizer to our seed mixes in the past. Our best results though happened this year, when we a) withheld fertilizer from the seed mix and b) added liquid organic fertilizer only after the first true leaves appeared. We're seeing more robust root growth, more compact vegetative growth, and greater resilience to environmental and/or pathogenic elements.