Sweet Vitriol

seed starting 101

by Ether

Seed starting is one of those things that a lot of people think is harder than it really is. It does take a little planning but it’s so rewarding in the end, not to mention money saving in the long run!

First- your supplies. You’ll need:

• Seed starting medium. You’ll want a soil-less mix for this, either store-bought or home-made
• Something to plant your seeds in. I like to use peat pots, but I also use old egg cartons, yoghurt cups, and cut-down juice containers
• Warm water in a spray-bottle
• Something to label your seedlings with. I like to use an old juice carton, but you can use popsicle sticks or similar
• Waterproof trays to hold your seedlings
• Seeds!

You’ll either want to work outside, or protect your work area with newspaper as this can get a bit messy.

You’ll want to start off by getting your seed starting mix to the proper consistency. You’ll want to add water to your mix a little bit at a time and mix well. Since seed-starting mixes are soil-less and often peat based, they can take a bit of coaxing to absorb the water.

Don’t drench it- you just want it damp. The mix should clump together when squeezed, but not feel soaked. Once your mix is ready, you can go ahead and fill the cells or pots into which you’ll be planting your seeds. This is a good time to put those little pots and cells into their waterproof trays too, as once they are filled with damp mix they can sometimes get floppy.

Once your little pots are filled, gently tamp the mix down. Don’t press hard, just a light tap to even out the surface and make sure you don’t have huge air pockets. You want the mix to still be light and airy so the little seed roots can get down in there without too much effort.

Next, double check your planting guide or seed packets to determine what you should be starting now, and what needs to wait. I use a combination of Clyde’s Garden Planner and the information of my individual seed packets. Some things I will start a bit earlier too if I want to make sure I can squeeze out a few more succession plantings, but that’s just my personal thing. If this is your first time starting seeds, I’d follow your seed packets and guides.

Now it’s time to actually plant those seeds! Depending on what you’re planting you’ll probably want to put anywhere from one to four seeds per container. With plants that I know germinate well and have a good history of producing strong seedlings I’ll put in just one seed. Most things I plant get about three seeds per cell, and I thin my seedlings later on. Once you’ve seeded your containers- don’t forget to label them! I prefer sticking in actual physical labels to keeping a list elsewhere. I label each row, or if using individual containers I’ll label each container. After your labels are in, give each pot a little sprinkling of mix atop your seeds. Not a thick sprinkling- just 1/4 inch or so. Give your pots a little spritz of warm water.

If your trays came with a greenhouse cover- now is the time to put that on. If they didn’t don’t worry- you can just as easily use plastic wrap to loosely cover the plants until they sprout. You’ll want to pour a small amount of water into the bottom of your trays if you’re using peat-pots, approximately 1/4-1/2 inch deep, and check them regularly as they do dry out faster than plastic containers.

If you have radiators for heat in your home, as I do, you can do what I do to warm your seeds. If not- the top of the ‘fridge is a great place to put them while they germinate. It is possible to purchase seed warming pads, but I personally don’t feel like shelling out for something when I’ve got a working system already. I put down a towel or a few trivets, and set my seed trays atop that on my radiators. It works like a charm for me, and my seeds germinate beautifully.

Once your seedlings have sprouted and their seed leaves are showing, it’s time to pop them under some grow-lights. A shop-light fixture with two fluorescent tubes works beautifully. I prefer using one cool-white and one warm-white tube, though I know plenty of folk who use special plant growing tubes. I tend to use whatever I have leftover from last year, or what I found at the local garage sales from old aquariums. Hanging your light over the plants via a chain allows you to keep the light consistently just a few inches above their heads as they grow. Wire-mesh shelves work in a pinch for holding your grow-light as well.

I’ll check back in once my seedlings really get going, and I’ll go over hardening off your seedlings to plant them out in the garden once we get a bit closer to that time. Hopefully this helped you understand how easy seed-starting can be, and piques your interest if not for this season, perhaps next season to start some of your own seeds.

Posted by Ether on March 19th, 2008 filed in Gardening, Seeds and Starting, Your Questions, Answered