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Starting Seed Indoors
 Gardening can be the most satisfying hobby in the world, resulting
in beauty, food, and a keen sense of satisfaction. Dropping a seed in some dirt and nature performs a miracle. In the beginning,
a gardener can feel overwhelmed by the complexities of gardening manuals, so it’s best to start simply and learn by
trial and error. A few idiot proof tips for starting seeds indoors will boost the beginning gardener’s success rate
and confidence. Of course,
you don’t have to start your seeds indoors. You can wait until the weather is warmer, or purchase seedlings from
our nursery. Still, this aspect of gardening gives you much more versatility in what you can grow and when it will bear
fruit. If you’re new to gardening, don’t let the science scare you away. This is one hobby that allows a lot
of flexibility and room for error. With these few tips, you can proceed with confidence, dig your hands in the dirt, and
experience the miracles of nature.
1. Getting Started.
The simple tools you will need to get started are seed packs, trays, starting pots, starting
mix, watering can, labels, and a marking pen.
Start by making your seed selections early, come to the Grass Pad and wander
through the thousands of new and heirloom vegetable and flower seed packs. Bring your mail order catalogs along for ideas.
Things to ponder, how much area will you be planting? and do you have full sun or shade areas?
2.
Seed Selection
Don’t use old seed. Seeds lose their viability
as they age; the older they become, the less likely to sprout they are. Always look on the back of the pack for the
“sell by date”, planting depth, spacing, sunlight, maturity dates and gardening tips for each variety.
It’s best
to strategize planting times so that the seedlings are just about adequate for transferring outdoors when the temperatures
will support them. Starting seeds too early will require you to “shift up” – or move the seedlings to larger
pots to accommodate root systems and allow for growth.
3. Pick your Pot.
You can start seeds in open trays, in individual plastic packs, or in peat pots.
Individual containers are preferable, because the less you disturb tender roots, the better. However, individual containers
dry out faster than open flats. Some
containers, such as peat pots, transplant right into the garden with the plant during transplanting. Plastic pots must be
removed before transplanting.
4. Use a Professional Seed Starting Mix.
Pro-Mix™ seed-starting mix is recommended
for starting seeds indoors. Avoid potting soils with fertilizers – these are meant for older plants and may do more
harm than good for your purposes.
Pro-Mix™ seed starting mix contains Mycorise Pro™,
beneficial organic fungi found naturally in soil, improving plant survivability after transplanting into garden soil. In
addition Pro-Mix™ contains a wetting agent to help the peat to hold moisture.
5.
Don’t overwater seeds or seedlings.
Before you plant the seeds
in Pro-Mix™ seed starting mix, moisten the mix with water to reach the right
amount of moisture: damp, but not too soggy. That way you can plant the seeds exactly as the instructions say without disturbing
them later with watering. Seeds need to be in contact with moisture in order to germinate, but too much water will kill
your efforts.
To maintain the right level of moisture, cover the pots after planting with a sheet of clear plastic or clear
dome. The covering should not be sealed tight. Watering is only necessary when the soil is visibly dry and the seedlings
are about to wilt.
Using
peat pots in an open tray for watering from the bottom up is recommended. Pouring the water into the tray and waiting for
the peat pots to soak up enough water so the top soil is moistened then drain the extra.
6. Avoid leggy situations and
keep seedlings healthy.
Once the seedling puts its head above
the earth, light is as important as warmth. The ideal temperature depends on what you are growing, but all plants need adequate
light to grow. The new sprouts will grow quickly toward the light, and if it’s not bright enough, the stems will elongate
in an unhealthy way. That
leggy situation is best avoided by providing light. You could get by with placing plants near a south-facing window. Other
options are to build an outdoor cold frame, or rig up a shop-style fluorescent light fixture over the plants, positioned
inches above the leaves of the plants. These last options aren’t easy, but will result in healthier seedlings. If your seedlings become leggier
than they should, you can shift-up, planting the seedling to bury most of the stem as well. Or, start a second batch.
7. Don’t shock the seedlings when transplanting.
“Hardening
off” is the process of acclimating the seedlings to their new turf outdoors without shocking the young plants, which
can either cause a setback, cessation of growth, or death.
When the temperatures outside are mild enough for the plant you are growing, begin the
transfer by putting the seedlings outside for increasing amounts of daylight hours, then bring them back inside at night.
Seedlings begun indoors are accustomed to a sheltered environment, so to begin with they need just a few hours of outdoor
conditions, protected from wind and direct sunlight.
Over the next few weeks, increase their exposure to direct
sunlight, wind, and rain as you gradually decrease watering. If you’re using a cold frame, simply open the frame for
increasing periods of time. This stage of gardening can be time-intensive, requiring attention to temperatures day and night
to prevent frozen plants when the temperatures dip, but will ensure a better transition and a healthier start for your plants.
When the plants have spent an entire day and night outdoors, they are ready to plant in prepared garden beds.
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