Giving
Them A Head StartGardeners
in northern climes use a variety of means to cope with the brevity of their
growing season. When the last frost might arrive as late as May or early June,
seed planting must be delayed also. With some quick-growing plants, this isn't
too much of a problem. But many vegetables and ornamentals will benefit greatly
from a little head start. Starting
seeds indoors can be an imperative for certain plants in particular climates.
Even as far south as Washington, D.C., where we reside and where the last frost
usually arrives in early April, getting an early start can make a big difference.
What
follows is a guide to help you shorten the learning process a little. After
you've done it once, it will seem easy and routine. I'll begin by breaking
the whole operating into its basic components. Note:Remember
as we go that seeds and seedlings are two different things - so you'll have
to treat them differently.
What
Seeds Need In Order To GrowSoilThe
first step is to make sure you've got an appropriate growing medium for your
plants. Inappropriate mixes get adobe hard after a few waterings. Your mix
has to stay light and pliable. You may be able to find a good quality potting
soil mix locally. These ingredients are available at most nurseries. Such ingredients
are very light and hold moisture well. They have little nutritional value,
but seeds contain the food they need to germinate. What
will you put your planting mixture in? Cut-off milk cartons, deep-sided disposable
aluminum pans, special seed-starting systems, all will serve. They'll need
at least three inches depth for roots to grow, and small holes for drainage
so those roots won't rot. Many gardeners prefer to make their traditional wooden
flats (14" by 12" by 6" is a good size). Leave about 1/8 inch gap between the
bottom boards so extra water can drain out, and then cover this base with newspapers
or a thin layer of leaves to keep the soil from draining out. Note:Some
gardeners grow seedlings in two indoor growing stages. They start them in one
flat and then transplant them to another roomier flat for a few weeks where
seedling roots will have more elbow room to grow on before final transplanting
into the garden. Temperature
Many
seeds are native to tropical or subtropical regions and are genetically programmed
to grow only in reaction to warm soil temperatures. Generally, seeds germinate
better if their soil (not air) temperature is constantly 70° F or above. Keep
your seed trays in a constantly warm place but check them daily for drying
out. Maintaining
consistently warm temperature both day and night signals the seeds to begin
growing. Probably no other factor will speed up germination time more than
a constant warm temperature. Adding a consistent heat source will help guarantee
you impressive germination success. MoistureSeeds
also need to be kept constantly moist in order to germinate. Two key words
here: constantly and moist. Never let that soil dry out. In other words, you
want the mix moist, but not too wet. Note:The
consistency of a just wrung-out sponge is about right and a good standard to
use for a moisture gauge. Moisten
your soil thoroughly before you sow, mix it well to distribute moisture evenly,
and be sure it doesn't dry out afterwards. One easy aid is to drape a sheet
of plastic wrap on top of newly planted seeds to keep moisture in. Be sure
to check every single day to see if any seeds are starting to sprout. If they
are, immediately remove the cover so they can get some air circulation. Be
sure to water as often as needed from a plastic spray bottle or a watering
can with a very fine, upward-pointing rose so the drops will very lightly fall
on the soil. If you have a plastic cover on the seedling tray, lift it up to
water, then lay it down again. Check often. Your water should be at least room-temperature
warm. Note:Don't
just pour water on top of your un-rooted seeds or they will wash right out
of the soil mix. LightMost
seeds don't need light to germinate. This applies only to germination or sprouting
stage; right away after the seedling appears above the soil, light is a necessity.
Fertilization
Fertilization
is not necessary for seeds as they carry their own food inside their shells
and have enough food energy to germinate on their own. Young seedlings, on
the other hand, will need a weak fertilizer to grow successfully. (More on
this later.)
Sowing
Your SeedsSuppliesIn
addition to containers and soil mix, you'll need to have some clean Popsicle
sticks, strips of stiff plastic, old-fashioned plant labels and a pen with
indelible ink to write the plant name, variety, and date sowed. Don't skip
this step. If you neglect to label your flats, you'll be surprised how quickly
you lose track of which seeds are which and when you planted them. TimingIt
is important not to start seeds indoors too early. This is generally four to
six weeks after planting, when they have at least two sets of true leaves.
In other words, if you're aiming to plant the first week of May, you probably
shouldn't be starting seeds any earlier then mid-March. Sowing your seeds at
the proper time indoors allows them to grow into robust seedlings ready to
plant out in the garden when outdoor weather conditions are right in the spring. Fill
your containers almost to their brims with moistened soil. Tamp it down and
smooth it out. Then begin carefully setting your seeds in. Plant them shallowly
- some seed packets tell you how deep to sow your seeds, so be sure to read
them carefully. To
keep better track of where you've planted, you may want to set all your seeds
on the surface of the flat and then sift extra soil mix on top to cover them.
If
you're using individual containers, you'll want to put only a couple of seeds
(the extras are for insurance) in each container. With flats, you'll want to
space your seeds a half-inch apart if you intend to transplant them to a second,
grow-out flat later, or one to two inches apart if you're going to keep them
in the same flat until garden time. It's
always best to plant more seeds than you think you'll need. They may not all
germinate, and it's best to have many seedlings so you can choose only the
healthiest and thin out the smallest and weakest ones later. If you end up
planting more than one type of plant in a tray or flat, choose ones that have
about the same germination time and transplant date. Note:
Again,
read the packet backs for this information. Don't forget to label each variety
as you sow the seeds.
What
Seedlings Need In Order To GrowLight
The
very first thing you need to do for those sprouted seeds is give them light.
Lots of it. Otherwise, you'll end up with wimpy, leggy, pale weak seedlings
that will never grow into robust usable plants. Some people manage to give
their baby seedlings enough light by putting them in the home windowsill, but
it's not recommended and really doesn't work very well. If you are determined
to try it, be sure to rotate the plants every day or so (they'll grow toward
the window), and try setting up white or tin-foil reflectors around the sides
of your containers to bounce more light onto the plants. Be sure the windowsill
doesn't cool down drastically at night (a common problem). Note:
Plants
that don't have enough light will grow up weak, pale, leggy, with long stems
but few leaves and a dismal future. Moisture
You
kept your seeds constantly moist; but once your seedlings are up and at 'em,
you want to moderate that a bit. Begin watering them slightly less often. Once
seedlings are at least a few inches tall, it's OK to let the top half-inch
or so of soil actually have a chance to dry out between waterings. Check daily
but putting your index finger into the soil - actually using this finger test
to see how moist soil is works best; it's hard to tell from just looking, even
for experienced gardeners. Too
much moisture encourages root rot or " damping off," the infamous fungus that
can fell your seedlings right at ground level. So
water a little less frequently, but more deeply when you do. Again, use the
finger test to see if water has penetrated deep enough. You
can also discourage the damping off fungus by making sure the air around your
plants is circulating well instead of stuffy and stagnant. Temperature
Seedlings
can grow well at air temperatures between 65° and 75° . They don't require
that same incubator environment that seed germination did. Fertilization
Seeds
don't need food while germinating because they contain their own food, just
like an egg. But seedlings will rely on you, just as chicks do on their mother
hen. Start giving them some liquid nutrition. Any good all-purpose fertilizer
such as Rapid Grow™ or Miracle Gro™ will do fine. Of if you prefer an organic
feed, fish emulsion works well (but is a little odiferous). Seedlings are delicate
- begin by applying fertilizer only at a half strength concentration. Feed
seedlings once or twice a week. As they get bigger with several sets of true
leaves, you can up the dose to full strength: according to the manufacturers
directions. Note:Proper
fertilization is crucial or your seedlings will not be healthy. Moderation
works! Thinning
Is CriticalPlease
don't neglect thinning out your seedlings, keeping only the best specimens.
Do this by using a small scissors and snipping off the weaker and excess seedlings
at soil level. Don't just yank them out as that disturbs the roots and soil
of the plants you're planning to keep. Thinning is a critically important step.
It's hard for " first timers" to discard seedlings nurtured so carefully, but
please do learn to do it! Over-crowded seedlings always develop into inferior
plants never likely to succeed in the garden. Their roots become intertwined
and crowded so you can't separate individual. plants; they are much weaker
and more disease prone and without proper room and nutrient uptake they end
up with leggy stems and sad, pale leaves. Save yourself a lot of grief by thinning
and spacing seedlings properly as soon as they have a set of " true leaves".
Indoor
TransplantingAs
I mentioned earlier, many growers transplant their young seedlings to wider
spacing in new growing trays once they have developed their first true " regular"
leaves (the first two leaves that appear are the baby or " seed leaves" ).
There are a number of advantages to this. It allows you to start a lot of seeds,
then thin them out to keep only the best ones. The transplanted seedlings will
have all the room they need to grow and thrive and won't be stunted because
of overcrowding should the weather not be ready when they are big enough to
go outside into garden soil. You'll need one container for seed starting and
baby seedlings, and another deeper one (4-inch pots) with more fertile soil
for the transplanting stage.
Damping
Off FungusAvoiding
The FungiIt
is essential that the soil you use be sterile. One of the great bane's of seed
growing is a fungus commonly known as Damping-off Disease. The spores of this
fungi are ever present in soil and the conditions of indoor gardening seem
particularly advantageous to its propagation. It can wipe out hours of hard
work in a matter of days. To
avoid this scourge you must use a sterile soil or, even better, another sterile
medium. Some gardeners like to use their own soil. This involves sifting out
any larger clumps and stones and then sterilizing it in an oven. This is a
lot of work and the results are probably no better than using a commercially
available starting medium. These usually consist of some combination of vermiculite
and peat moss and are often referred to as "soil-less." When buying a seed-starting
medium, make sure it has been sterilized! This should be clearly indicated
on the packaging. After it has been thoroughly moistened, the medium can be
placed in flats, peat pots, Dixie cups, egg cartons, etc. The size of the container
will depend on what type of plant you're growing, and often experience is the
best gauge. If
the dreaded damping off fungus does strike your starts, you'll know: all your
young seedlings suddenly and mysteriously keel over at the soil line and die.
Throw out the infected seedlings, every one. Then make sure any that didn't
get infected have plenty of ventilation and not too much water. Don't reuse
any infected soil mix, and wash and containers with a weak bleach solution
and let them air dry before using them again. In theory, if you use a sterile
soil mix, you shouldn't have any problem with damping-off. But if it strikes
once takes steps to reduce the chances of getting it again. Give your next
seedlings occasional mistings with solutions of kelp or chamomile tea, both
of which seem to act as good fungal preventatives. And consider laying a quarter-inch
layer of sand or vermiculite on top of your seedling containers to promote
drainage at the base of the plants' stems.
Moving
Your Seedlings To The GardenAcclimating
- Hardening OffSix
to eight weeks after germination, your seedlings will be vigorous and lush.
If nature has cooperated, outdoor weather will be warm, the gardening season
begun, and you'll be ready to transplant your starts to their true and final
home in your outdoor garden. Tender seedlings grown indoors under constant
nursery conditions need to be gradually acclimated to the harsher outdoor environment
so they can withstand exposure to direct sun, winds, and changing temperatures.
This process is called " hardening off." When
weather is warm both day and night, set seedling containers outdoors in a lightly
shaded sheltered spot, gradually increasing time outdoors until seedlings spend
a half day, then a full 24 hours outside. Keeping seedlings well-watered and
protected from winds, make the transition into direct sun. Begin with just
a few hours and increase to a half, then several full days in the sun before
transplanting seedlings to their permanent garden position. Make these transitions
more slowly if you see signs of stress or wilting. Transplanting
OutdoorTo
make the adjustment as mild as possible for your plants, pick a late afternoon
or overcast day. Then make sure they are neither too moist or too dry and carefully
dig the plants from their flats at you plant them. Try not to handle the root
balls as seedlings' fine root hairs are quite fragile. Pick plants up very
gently by their stems, trying to keep soil around roots as intact as possible.
Keep roots covered and don't expose them to the air any more than necessary.
Set each plant in a prepared hole, up to its first true leaves, tamp the dirt
firmly around it, then always water it well to get rid of air pockets and assure
good root-to-earth contact. |