I don't know if I can restrain myself much longer. I have been trying to hold myself back from purchasing
large volumes of plants that I know will die as soon as the next freeze hits, but it's soooooo hard, especially
with 70 and 80 degree temperatures for weeks at a time.
Luckily it's time to start seeds for transplanting outdoors once those freezing temps are gone forever.
There are many wonderful things that come from propagating your own seeds. For one, you get to choose plants
you are interested in and not just what your local nursery might happen to stock. Two, it's loads of fun; and
three, you can save a LOT of money. Perhaps you haven't really thought that much about seeds, but seeds are
alive. They even carry on respiration
- absorbing oxygen and giving off carbon dioxide. They are living links from our past and carry forward vital
genetic information that directs the growth and development of the next plant generation.
If you have never started plants from seeds, do not be intimidated. The seeds do most of the work and the
rewards are sometimes overwhelming, like where are you going to put all those new plants. Following a few
simple steps will assure your success.
GERMINATING SEEDS
1. Find a good, reliable seed source. One that gives you all the information you need to be successful:
light requirements, moisture requirements, planting depth, pretreatment if necessary, germination
times. The more information, the better.
2. Next you will need to choose a "soil" mix. It is not necessary that seeds have a mix with nutrients
because a seed carries with it all the nourishment it needs to sprout. You want your mix to be free
from weeds and toxic substances. It will need to provide plenty of air space and it is necessary that
it retain moisture.
If you are going to do a large amount of seeding, you may want to mix your own planting medium.
You can experiment with your own recipies using one or more of the following materials:
vermiculite, milled sphagnum moss, peat moss, perlite or compost.
For smaller plantings you may want to puchase a bag of premixed seed starter or purchase some of the
prepackaged mini-greenhouses that come with seeding trays, peat pots, etc.
3. Your container need not be deep. Personally, I like to start my seeds in flats and transfer them to
individual containers after they have developed their first true leaves. It is at this time that your
plants will require nourishment.
4. Sowing your seeds - how deep do you go? Not very. The more shallow you plant your seeds, the faster
they will germinate. Now, if you were planting outside, this could be dangerous; i.e., birds, wind,
rain, etc.; but inside you have much better control and can get a jump on things by planting your seeds
very close to the surface. A lot of seeds don't even need to be covered; just broadcast them on top
of your "soil." Then set your flat in a shallow tub of water and let it pull the water up to the seeds
until it is evenly moist. Cover your flat with a plastic bag to create your own mini-greenhouse. You
will want to place bamboo sticks on the corners to keep the bag from touching the soil.
Be sure and mark on
your flat what you have planted and the date you have planted it and the expected germination date. Some
seeds prefer light and some prefer darkness for germination; check your seed packet information. This is
information a good seed source will supply you. If you are
not sure, go with darkness. But whether your seeds prefer light or dark, warmth is crucial. Most seeds prefer
75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during
germination. Check them daily to make sure they are moist (not wet) and allow fresh air into the "greenhouse."
Okay. So you've sown your seeds and now they have germinated. How exciting! But this is where most people lose their
plants. It's a process called "damping off." Damping off is a disease caused by various fungi that results
in seedling stems that shrivel and collapse at soil level. Sterile seed-starting mixes can help with this; but
you will also want to make sure you keep your soil moist but not wet and provide good air movement. If you had
plastic over your flats to create a "greenhouse" now is the time to remove it. If you
reuse your flats, be sure you clean them well before reuse with bleach and water.
If you need to thin your seedlings before you are ready to transplant them into their own individual
containers, just clip the unwanted plants with scissors rather than pulling plant and all and disturbing the
root systems of all the surrounding seedlings. This will allow for better air circulation around the plants
you plan to transplant later. It is generally time to transplant when your seedlings have developed their
first set of true leaves.
RAISING HEALTHY SEEDLINGS
First and foremost give them regular attention and provide the right amount of light, heat and humidity
to grow healthy seedlings.
light - seedlings need more intense light than full grown plants. And if they don't get enough light or
if the light isn't strong enough, they will get spindly and leggy. 16 hours of light a day is ideal; 14
hours is acceptable. Don't overdo it thinking more is better. Most plants won't thrive in continuous light.
They need their rest too! If you can't get enough light from the sun, you will need to invest in grow lights
or fluorescent lights. Light from incandescent lightbulbs will not stimulate growth as well as grow-lights
or cool-white fluorescent tubes. If you use tubes, keep your lights close to the seedlings - no more than
3 inches away for the first few weeks. After that raise the lights to 4 to 6 inches above the seedlings.
water - seedlings need a steady supply of water. Dry winter air in homes can suck moisture rapidly from
the shallow soil in seedling flats. Bottom watering is always best for delicate seedlings and use tepid water
rather than cold.
temperature - seedlings require less warmth than germinating seeds. Average room temperatures of 60 to
70 degrees during the day and dropping 10 degrees at night will keep most seedlings growing steadily.
circulation - remove any plastic or other covering as soon as the seeds sprout. Lack of air circulation can lead
to the development of damping-off.
fertilizer - if you are growing your seedlings in a soilless mixture they will need small doses of plant
food starting at the time their first true leaves appear. Use a half-strength fertilizer solution once a
week for the first three weeks. After that use a full strength solution every ten to fourteen days.
Johnny's Selected Seeds located at Johnny's Selected Seeds not only
has a great supply of seeds but also has all you need under their accessories category to get you started
producing more plants that you ever imagined you could.
