5 Biggest Mistakes Made When Starting Seeds Indoors

5 Biggest Mistakes Made When Starting Seeds Indoors

Starting seeds indoors can be daunting. There are mistakes that could cost you your seedlings. But if you know the most common mistakes ahead of time, you can be successful with starting seeds indoors.

MENTIONED VIDEO
Prevent & Control Fungus Gnats: https://youtu.be/LtqoAr2hX3Y?si=mh-rppeN7OpId-1G

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Table of Contents
00:32 – When to Start Seeds Indoors
01:36 – To Cold to Start Seeds
03:04 – Lighting for Starting Seeds
05:53 – Don’t Be too Nice to Your Seedlings
07:04 – Should I Water Seedlings from Above or Below?
08:50 – Bonus! Simple Way to Harden Off Your Seedlings

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50 Comments

  1. @raal6163 on May 1, 2024 at 10:14 am

    Do you find that heating pad brand to be safe and reputable?



  2. @torismith997 on May 1, 2024 at 10:14 am

    COMPLETELY DISGUSTED!!! My hubby bought me a darn snazzy greenhouse. Tried starting seeds indoors. Bought trays with lids (to retain moisture) heat mats, grow lights. Planted snapdragons, marigolds and tomatoes from seeds. NO sprouts. Going to try more marigolds, peppers and lettuce this coming weekend. But ALL roads are leading to me buying plants, GRRRRRR!



  3. @roberthutchison8416 on May 1, 2024 at 10:15 am

    Thank you this was so informative. I made many mistakes but i think i can get on track now.



  4. @dmaeceryes905 on May 1, 2024 at 10:19 am

    when I teach about seed starting, I say using a fan is like your plants doing planks



  5. @imaspiritualsoul369 on May 1, 2024 at 10:19 am

    Don’t do that Don’t ever aging joke about arthritis i have it in my neck and shoulders if you have arthritis I’m sorry I went off on you



  6. @coffeegirl6854 on May 1, 2024 at 10:21 am

    Thank you. Most helpful



  7. @nemesis8626 on May 1, 2024 at 10:21 am

    Starting too early is 100% the most common I think and also plants planted later will actually catch up and won’t be as weak because they aren’t being grown under un ideal conditions with not enough light and too short of a photoperiod, of course this is irrelevant if your using growlights but the majority of people don’t and they think starting early will give a head start when infact they are just making troubles down the line and weak leggy early spring growth, this is especially true with tomatos, chilis, cucumbers etc



  8. @dannyderden8545 on May 1, 2024 at 10:23 am

    Mistake number 1: TOO early not TO early. “Too” is an adverb. It can be used to replace words such as “excessively”, “additionally”, “as well” or “also”. “To”, on the other hand, is a versatile preposition that can be used in various situations and contexts. It’s used to indicate a direction, like “toward” and “until”. And I’m an old MATH TEACHER…cmon people let’s know the difference.



  9. @PM-wt3ye on May 1, 2024 at 10:24 am

    Sorry but lumen is WRONG. LUX is the unit youre looking for.
    2000 Lumen for one plant might be overkill, but for a large area its way to low. Not sure some one who doesnt know the difference should get tips regarding light?
    Also, 2000lux is the absolute minimum a tomate or pepper needs. It will grow, but ~4x times more light is way better.



  10. @DavidLee-fy7rd on May 1, 2024 at 10:24 am

    When do you start your seed for fall?



  11. @RuneAbro on May 1, 2024 at 10:26 am

    I almost always watch videos until the end.
    Except, I have this rule, that if someone says something to the effect of "watch until the end", I have to stop the video and never come back..
    Please.. for everyones sake.. just go back to focusing on content and stop soliting subscribers/viewing patterns, opinions ect..



  12. @Stephain on May 1, 2024 at 10:27 am

    What PPFD do you grow your plants under? I bought the Viparspectra XS1500 Pro based on your recommendation and the book that came with it says 150-350 for seedlings and 350-600 for vegetative. If I have the light at 25% it puts my PPFD in the middle of the first range and 50% puts me in the 2nd range. I’m wondering when I should switch them to the higher intensity as ‘vegetative’ is somewhat vague. When they have 2 or 3 sets of true leaves or can I do it when they are younger? I don’t want to stress them with too much light.



  13. @remital6834 on May 1, 2024 at 10:29 am

    I think I’ll just go to Hannafords. lol



  14. @sandracohen8481 on May 1, 2024 at 10:30 am

    Could you advise me on how to water. I have them in those little Pete pods



  15. @melissawatkins7332 on May 1, 2024 at 10:30 am

    I wondered at the top how many I would have done, yep so far, all of em.. 🙂



  16. @christo1212 on May 1, 2024 at 10:30 am

    love the norfolk pine in the background



  17. @JH-tg3dv on May 1, 2024 at 10:30 am

    I live in Az for the 3 day period 😐



  18. @johnmolchin4007 on May 1, 2024 at 10:32 am

    how many hours/day under my grow light?



  19. @roywilson8018 on May 1, 2024 at 10:33 am

    yup did it already



  20. @davidmorley2995 on May 1, 2024 at 10:36 am

    I’m in UK
    How can I buy seed starter tray ,not interested in compost just tray and capillary mat



  21. @AbigailGerlach-zt1sh on May 1, 2024 at 10:38 am

    I know perfectly well that our "last frost" runs around May 21st. I have all my supplies ready, but there is no point starting seeds before about the 3rd week in April. I love Colorado, but nights stay cold well into May.



  22. @joeschneider8025 on May 1, 2024 at 10:38 am

    Try the heating pad raising soil temperature Does wonders



  23. @kovie9162 on May 1, 2024 at 10:42 am

    Never used a heat mat and never had issues with seeds sprouting. It’s almost always above 70F indoors here which is plenty warm for everything, even if some take a bit longer to sprout.

    Also don’t use a grow light as we get decent morning and afternoon sunlight, so long as we move the seedlings from east to west-facing in the early afternoon, and once it’s warm enough during the day put them outside for a few hours, for additional sunlight and hardening them off to outdoor temps, light and wind.

    And the 4-6 weeks before the last front date only works for some plants. Some can go into the ground when it’s consistently over 35 and some not till it’s nearly 60. This year we started the first seeds on March 1st in Zone 7, then progressively with warmer temp plants, and we’re on track to have everything go into the ground at the earliest that it’s safe to do so for each plant, so we should have an early crop.



  24. @sandmansixsixsix on May 1, 2024 at 10:42 am

    I am using a humidity dome and heating mat for my chilli seeds. Planted them 4.5 weeks ago and no sign of germination. Any advice?



  25. @giselaburns4199 on May 1, 2024 at 10:44 am

    Thanks for your help on how you can easily start your seeds . Should you water the trays from the bottom and if you do how much water and how often



  26. @jeffreywright3708 on May 1, 2024 at 10:44 am

    Hi brother my zip code is 83854 in post falls Idaho, Thank you for all you do



  27. @Max-uu2gs on May 1, 2024 at 10:45 am

    Started Feb 15th ❤ my 72 tomato plants are not actually 8 to 10 inches tall 😊 Potted up today! P.S. BUY A 4 BY 8 X 6 FT PLASTIC BABY GREENHOUSE PUT IT IN HOUSE light em up. (MINE) IF FLORIDA ROOM (NJ) LOL.
    3 weeks from now, my babies will be in their outdoor home . (After 1 week of harding. (Outdoor sun) on deck



  28. @melissawatkins7332 on May 1, 2024 at 10:47 am

    spoke too soon, the last thing, taking them in and out, I’ve been doing, for the wind but also to keep them all from being eating by squirrels. 🙂



  29. @rumpoh8039 on May 1, 2024 at 10:47 am

    3 DUTCH TRAYS ON TOP BATH
    LOW LEVEL CONSERVATORY HEATER IN BATH
    PIECE OF GLASS OVER HEATER (LETS YOU WATER)
    YOU COULD GERNMINATE QUEEN AND PRNCE PHILIP BACK TO LIFE WITH IT



  30. @arturomartinez9785 on May 1, 2024 at 10:48 am

    That sits I am going to home depot and buy my tomato plants………



  31. @aaron6841 on May 1, 2024 at 10:48 am

    Don’t water form underneath

    Promotion on self watering seed trays 🤦‍♂️



  32. @BobJones-eq6fc on May 1, 2024 at 10:51 am

    They look dried out



  33. @WvhKerkhof on May 1, 2024 at 10:52 am

    Your first mistake is you dont use cannabis seeds. For the rest you make the roots lazy with your continuous watering system.



  34. @mrbusdriversir on May 1, 2024 at 10:54 am

    When is the right time to add fertilizer to the seedlings?



  35. @lescobrandon1380 on May 1, 2024 at 10:54 am

    That looks like my tool box



  36. @Elisabeth19031978 on May 1, 2024 at 10:56 am

    To early doesn’t seem English to me. 🤔



  37. @ottosworld8708 on May 1, 2024 at 10:56 am

    Ugh, grade school grammar… “#1 starting seeds TO early”…really?!?



  38. @JH-tg3dv on May 1, 2024 at 10:58 am

    🤣Great



  39. @melindalewis8052 on May 1, 2024 at 10:59 am

    Too early



  40. @pearlbrown177 on May 1, 2024 at 10:59 am

    Great video! Do you add fertilizer to self watering tray?



  41. @user-wv6tc9xk9m on May 1, 2024 at 10:59 am

    Great information! I especially appreciate the tip about hardening off seedlings in the 3 day period. Will give this a try. Thank you!



  42. @camus83489 on May 1, 2024 at 11:00 am

    most important part is to have fun 😀



  43. @Emily-xu6fi on May 1, 2024 at 11:00 am

    This was SO helpful and you’re funny as hell



  44. @RedDireWolf93 on May 1, 2024 at 11:07 am

    Never use a fan. It destroys your plants



  45. @llllllllllilillii on May 1, 2024 at 11:08 am

    0:41 "too"



  46. @Liv-lq9jg on May 1, 2024 at 11:08 am

    Are you saying PROSTATE or FROST DATE



  47. @jmh5114 on May 1, 2024 at 11:09 am

    Great video!



  48. @irishcottagerenovation9900 on May 1, 2024 at 11:10 am

    Love your fan idea and your underwater system. Thank you for sharing.



  49. @otrdriver5917 on May 1, 2024 at 11:10 am

    Does chem trail cover count as cloud cover. Because thats everyday here in kentuckistan.



  50. @jillweber7467 on May 1, 2024 at 11:11 am

    The first mistake in the video. Too early, not “to” early