Seed starting and plant propagating setup.

This might be a bit more expensive than most home growers need but I think it's a nice setup.
If someone plans on doing it for a long time to come, I think this is a really good setup anyone could use, and it's mostly a one time investment.
I considered posting to Catie's pepper seed experiment, but figured this might be better in its own thread since it's for pretty much everything from propagating tree kale to sprouting microgreens.

All I know, is that it works great for pretty much all my starting and propagating needs.

For all the hardware (no seeds or seed starting mix) it's about $475.  I personally believe I could easily make that money back if I ever decided to sell extra plants at a garage sale or whatever.  I might try it this year since I have about 100 tomato plants sprouting right now in one 10/20 tray (I plant 1-3 seeds per cell (expensive/exotic seeds are one per cell, common/inexpensive get three), and most of the seeds germinate.  It's easy to pull out the seedlings with a pick and transplant them to another cell of their own but I normally just clip off the smallest and compost them.  I got some cool looking tomato and pepper varieties from Baker Creek that the normal nursery stores around here don't sell.   I probably will not sell anything, but I might be able to get $2-$5 per plant (assuming they grow decently)?  I also have a lean to greenhouse I can up pot the plants into when they outgrow the rack inside the house which is probably about eight weeks or so of growth inside.  The lights are not strong enough to get them much further.

It's not quite the "Rolls Royce" of seed starting, but it's legit.
It's expensive, yes, but I REALLY enjoy starting seeds and growing microgreens.  It is a hobby that I don't mind putting money into.
It's not very permie friendly, but I feel like the pieces I invested in will last at least a decade, maybe my lifetime, other than the lights.  I used to reuse the nursery store six packs that were flimsy and would crack and fall apart and put them in the cheap 10/20 trays from walmart that would end up leaking and get cracks after one year or so.  Those things work great, but it's a hassle using them, and then they eventually become useless and get thrown away.  I'm trying to avoid throwing things away with this setup.



So here's the breakdown.  I bought most of this sporadically over the last couple of years.

1 Costco stainless steel food grade rack.  I paid $79 on sale a couple of years ago.  They cost $149 now.  https://www.costco.com/trinity-6-tier-wire-shelving-rack%2C-48%22-x-18%22-x-72%22-nsf%2C-includes-wheels.product.100412448.html

10 Bootstrap Farmer 10/20 trays no holes.  $61 on Amazon.  Hands down the best trays I've used.  Had them two years now, and they are as rigid and strong as the day I got them.  https://www.amazon.com/1020-Trays-Propagation-Germination-Microgreens/dp/B01BKOG6PM/ref=sr_1_7?crid=Y78XREZI5MCF&keywords=bootstrap+farmer+1020+trays&qid=1643546429&sprefix=bootstrap+farmer+1020+trays%2Caps%2C910&sr=8-7

8 Barrina 4' 20w led lights 6500k. $55 on amazon ($6.87 per light, which is very reasonable).  They come with a bunch of on off switches and cords to configure them any way you could imagine.   For vegetable starts I have four lights over 4 10/20 trays.  For microgreens, and propagating,  I use two lights per rack.
I liked them so much I threw another set up in my two car garage and am incredibly pleased with how well they light the space.
https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Integrated-Fixture-Utility-Electric/dp/B07DNPL2VC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3EGHCE4R6WION&keywords=barrina+lights&qid=1643546614&sprefix=barrina+lights%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE2MEc1V0hFSUU3MzImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAxNzM1MDBKTlZYT0VHMUJQWVgmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDE1Nzc1OFZJM09aUE4yTkw2RyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

120 Modern Grower six cell starting trays.  $130 (I watch a yt channel "Epic Gardening" and he sells these trays.  He literally stands on one of them and it supports his entire body weight.)  These are beyond awesome!!!  Super expensive, but they will last my lifetime, I believe.  They have a big hole in the bottom so you can push the plug out with your finger, and then the sides are slotted so that the roots air prune themselves when they get to the corners.  At a little over a dollar per six cell I think it's worth the investment.  I applaud those who use egg cartons/toilet paper cardboard, etc.   https://shop.epicgardening.com/products/epic-six-trays-6-pack-propagation-trays?gclid=Cj0KCQiAi9mPBhCJARIsAHchl1zpivIcgR6ctVzS-LT33UgldXEdX0NjPe-mVKJcbJ6DpLnFZupRv_AaAm9fEALw_wcB&variant=38041193087172

10 generic microgreens trays off of Amazon.  $24  Cheap plastic trays that have lasted two years now and seem to be holding up fine.  I use them for micorgreens and I have found that propagating sweet potatoes and other things works well in them.
https://www.amazon.com/EBaokuup-10Packs-Sprouter-Drain-Holes/dp/B08S3H9WDJ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=AHPGAOHYBS9P&keywords=microgreens%2Btrays&qid=1643547429&sprefix=microgreens%2Btrays%2Caps%2C740&sr=8-6&th=1

1. Harbor Freight pump sprayer.  $7  1/2 gallon.  Easier than using the finger operated spray bottles.  I top water my seedlings before they sprout with it.  I've had it for three years and it still works like a champ
https://www.harborfreight.com/lawn-garden/gardening-garden-tools/garden-sprayers/05-gallon-multi-purpose-sprayer-56167.html

4 heat mats for 10/20 trays.$46 on Amazon.  Had them a couple of years and they work great.  Keep the trays about 10f warmer than the room they're in.
https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Seedfactor-Waterproof-Germination-Hydroponic/dp/B078J2YMY9/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2UZRYYGF9WOY6&keywords=seedling+heat+mat&qid=1643548045&sprefix=seedling+heat+mat%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-5

So I get a lot of free stuff from the warehouse I work at.  I got two giant bags of pro-mix and have been using that for pretty much everything for the last two years.  Great stuff to seed start in, and to grow microgreens in.  It's expensive, and I believe it's mainly peat moss (not permie friendly) and perlite.  It's almost 50/50 mix I'd guess.  Most commercial seed starting mixes are probably just the same.
If I were to make my own, I'd sift my compost over a 1/2" hardware screen, and then mix that with an equal amount of perlite.  Or, I'm almost certain any potting mix would work fine if it were sifted with 1/2" hardware cloth (to remove the bigger chunks) and maybe mixed with some more perlite to give it a 50/50ish mix.

****  I'd also like to say that I pour a good amount of boiling hot water into my seed starting mix to kill off any possible fungus gnats.  I haven't had any fungus gnats show up in my grow space for two years since using the boiling water.  Great tip I learned from "The Rusted Garden" yt channel.  This year I boiled it on my bbq in a big pot.  Same thing.

I pack my six cell plugs almost full pretty firmly with the mix.  If it isn't packed in tightly, the plug is more likely to fall apart when the seedling is removed.

I then sprinkle my vegetable seeds on top of the mix.  I don't make holes or worry about depth unless the seeds are large.

This year I started wetting down worm castings and making a paste of them.  I then put a dollop? of the paste over the seeds and pack it over them.  It seems to be working.  I used to sprinkle a thin layer of the seed starting mix over seedlings and press it down firmly, sandwiching the seeds making sure they had good contact.  That worked fantastic as well.
For larger seeds, I pack the six cells about 3/4 full, drop the seeds in, then pack them with the seed starting mix so that they're full.  

A bunch of pictures to show results.  

I'm impressed by what you've got going there! (How could a hobby like that not be Permie-friendly?)

My only seed-starting practice has been in little pots in the sun-patch on my living room floor where I overwinter my citrus trees. Everything got leggy and I did not have success transplanting them outside, so I have a lot more to learn.

However, my mother has had great success with winter sowing in milk jugs...I still can't believe it. The various types of plants transitioned well to larger pots and lived the whole season.  

Do you have your own vermiculture set-up to provide your castings, etc? Perhaps earthworms in a bin could eventually turn the used chick bedding into usable soil/amendments?

Rachel Lindsay wrote:I'm impressed by what you've got going there! (How could a hobby like that not be Permie-friendly?)

My only seed-starting practice has been in little pots in the sun-patch on my living room floor where I overwinter my citrus trees. Everything got leggy and I did not have success transplanting them outside, so I have a lot more to learn.

However, my mother has had great success with winter sowing in milk jugs...I still can't believe it. The various types of plants transitioned well to larger pots and lived the whole season.  

Do you have your own vermiculture set-up to provide your castings, etc? Perhaps earthworms in a bin could eventually turn the used chick bedding into usable soil/amendments?

Thanks Rachel, the setup I have is "good (enough)" as far as I'm concerned to share on this site.  That being said, there are way better more sustainable ways to do things, and ideally, that'd be the way we would all do them.  For instance, reusing egg cartons to grow seeds in with a light would be "better" than my way, and the "best" way would be to allow last years plants to go to seed, and let them volunteer up when conditions are right.  Then there's a million variations in between.  
I struggle with direct sowing here so  I start my seeds inside each year.  That being said, I do get volunteer peppers, and tomatoes, and they grow just as big as the plants I started months before, so it's certainly possible here.  

I learned everything on this site, and youtube channels.  I sometimes come up with my own ideas too.  I think the two best sites on yt for learning seed starting and propagating are Charles Dowding's channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CharlesDowding1nodig and Gary Pilarchick's channel https://www.youtube.com/c/GaryPilarchikTheRustedGarden
So much good information from them.  Charles grows leggy plants in his greenhouse, seems to always plant them deep, and handles them roughly.  He has fantastic results.

I've thought about vermiculture, and having my own supply of castings, but I don't.  I do have a form of it, in that I fill my swimming pool with free wood chips, keep a flock of chickens in it, and let rain water sit in the bottom under everything.  It's a haven for worms and other insect life.  Here's a post I made about it if anyone is curious. https://permies.com/t/171277/composting/Simple-wood-chip-compost-sifted#1344964  There's a picture in it showing all the worms going to town.

Thanks again, and good luck with the seedlings.  I do not think I would have good results trying to use a sunny window.  Some on here can do it, but I cheat a little.
:)

I'll post an update on how everything is doing tomorrow.

Josh

Nice setup!  I use a wire rack and LED shop lights right now.  The Bootstrap Farmer trays were on my list of stuff to buy for this year but the metal roofing on our house has already exceeded the estimate by $1500, so hopefully by next year...  I also use a pump sprayer to water my seedlings outside as I can get a much finer mist than with any hose nozzle.  Wondering if you'd tried the 72-cell inserts from Bootstrap Farmer and how they compare to the 6-cell ones you're using now.  I can see the advantages of the 6-cell inserts, especially if you're just growing a few of each variety.

Thanks Michelle, it sounds like you have a similar setup.  I am pleased with the bootstrap farmer trays.  I bought "heavy duty" trays from amazon one year, and they only lasted about a year.  Better than the Jiffy stuff at Wal-Mart, but not nearly as good as bootstrap's.  

I have not tried bootstraps 72 cell trays, mainly because it's a hassle to me.  Like you mention, yes because I don't really grow 72 of one thing.  One annoyance I found (yes I have used cheaper 72 cell trays) is that it's hard to label them.  I found that drawing out a layout on a sheet of paper of what I planted, and then placing a simple number on the tray that correlated to the diagram I drew, it kept pretty good track of what was where.  I don't like sticks because when I'm starting the plants out, the sticks are normally preventing me from getting the seedlings as close to the lights as possible.  What I find really annoying, personally, is having to carry around a tray of 72 plants that I may or may not be transplanting out to the garden at similar times.  That's just me being picky though.  It works fine, and I've done it.  I would GUESS bootstraps celled trays are good quality.

Good luck and it'd be great if you get them and let us know how they work.

Progress so far.  I think nine days since I first posted the pictures.

The sweet potatoes are doing great.  I have no doubt I'll have at least a hundred slips if they keep going the way they are.  The roots might over run the tray (already happening, I can see roots all over the surface of the potting mix) so that might slow them down?  Unless something goes horribly wrong I'll have plenty for personal use.

The tomatoes (and tomatillos) look pretty good.  Not 100% germination, but pretty close.  I only see one empty cell, and I have a few varieties that are a few years old (kept in the freezer).

The peppers look okay.  I counted the open cells and there are thirteen out of seventy two that show no signs of growth.  There are also a few runts that look like they might not be worth planting.  That being said, every day more seedlings break the surface.  I took them off the heat mat a couple of days ago, because I have plenty.

The onions (that I was planting when I took the pictures of the way I plant the seeds, and label) came up pretty good except for one six cell set.  I'm guessing that had more to do with the seeds than the method.  

The tree collards have leafed out a bit on a couple of cuttings.  Nothing much going on though.

I think the Lady Banks rose cuttings are going to fail.

The fig cuttings look exactly the same, and the mulberry are starting to swell at the buds.  Not sure what to expect.

I also started some peas and brassicas outside on another rack (and am experimenting with a few other plants I grew inside a while ago and am seeing how they handle the extreme temp. swings in there.  It is low 30's in the morning, and high 90's in the afternoon. )  The test tomatoes don't look so good, but surprising marigolds seem fine and some other stuff.  Lettuce is in pain and unhappy.  

Took some pictures of the root development from the peas while in the six pack cells just to show how the roots look.

Pictures.

I seldom start 72 seeds of the same variety either but hoping to start selling plants in the future, do will probably invest in a few.  Maybe they can be cut apart without ruining the structural integrity (?)  I will definitely be ordering the 1020 trays as I'm on the third year with some of the cheaper trays and get tired of having to baby them.  

I also agree that labeling is a nightmare and tried a map last year with some success.  I did get one tray turned around and had some varieties mixed up in the garden.  So far this year I'm writing the variety and date on a piece of masking tape and sticking it to the side of each cell pack.  Not permanent, but will keep them labeled while under the lights.

That is a great-looking setup, Josh! I have been kicking around an idea in my head for a new winter greenhouse to try and grow lettuce and other greens year round, and I am seriously considering doing some supplemental lighting to keep things growing in December and January. I was curious how many hours you run your bulbs for - I am guessing that greens in vegetative growth likely need about the same lighting as seedlings, but obviously I still have a lot of research to do. I am hoping that if I can keep the temperatures in a good range, then even a little extra light will go a long way towards boosting production. I am off grid, and the dead of winter is terrible for solar production around here, so I need to economize as much as possible. I want to upgrade my shop batteries, and at some point soon I intend to build out more hydro capacity, but for now I mostly feel like I just need to think about some fun gardening projects to distract from the state of the world.

And I hear you on the challenges of balancing permacultural ideals vs the reality of food production. In a changing climate, I think you are out on the cutting edge, honestly. Going forward I think farming is going to become a lot more technological as the climate becomes increasingly hostile to more traditional methods. Finding a way to make that sustainable by using less fossil fuel energy and disposable plastics, and that works as much within natural systems as possible seems like the only hope we have.

Hola Josh!

This is very inspiring. I want to improve my propagating setup, very precarious at the moment. I think I should invest a bit to improve my chances of success. Now we are having a heat wave here and many of my things are suffering a lot