Starting Seeds Indoors

[Guest guest]

I plan on writing an article about doing this for my spring newsletter

... but I haven't gotten that far yet SO here is a good article to

help y'all out for now!

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

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Starting Seeds Indoors

http://www.humeseeds.com/indoor.htm

 

Starting Flower Seeds Indoors

 

Starting seeds is easy, fun and can be very rewarding. All one needs is

a little soil, sand, vermiculite, a container, egg or cottage cheese

carton, a warm, bright spot, and the seed. Then follow-up watering to

keep the seed moist until it germinates.

 

Keep in mind there are many seeds that do not need to be started

indoors. Don't waste your time starting flowers that are so easy to

start by simply broadcasting the seed directly into the garden. Godetia,

nasturtiums, clarkia, alyssum, California poppies, sunflowers,

columbine, and wildflower mixtures head the list of a few of the easiest

ones.

 

How can you determine which ones need to be started indoors? It's

simple, just check the directions on the back of the seed packet. The

directions should tell you everything you need to know about how to

seed, when, where, how deep, germination time, spacing and transplanting

information. Be sure to observe these directions because there are some

seeds like lobelia, coleus, ageratum, etc. that should not be covered at

all. Some seeds need light to germinate.

 

Petunias, lobelia, marigolds, stock, snapdragons, ageratum, dusty

Miller, coleus, etc. are a few of the most popular flowers that can be

seeded indoors in March. Zinnias, asters and other warm weather flowers

can be started indoors in early April.

 

Starting seeds indoors is really easy and fun. Simply sow the seeds in a

flat, tray, pot, egg or cottage cheese carton or any other kind of

container that has drainage. (Be sure to punch drainage holes in the egg

and cottage cheese cartons.) Make sure the containers are clean. Wood,

plastic and clay pots can be brushed and cleansed with a solution of 10%

Chlorox and 90% water, if they are moldy or slimy.

 

Use a good quality planting or starting mix, to start seeds. It is also

all right to use soil from the garden, but there is the possibility of

introducing insects or disease to the seeds and seedling plants. So it

is best to use a commercial potting mix. However, garden soil can be

sterilized, by baking it in the oven at 170 to 180 degrees for two

hours. Mound the soil in the containers so the soil is higher than the

edges. This is done so that air will flow over the soil and help deter

any type of damp- off or other disease.

 

Next, sow the seeds at the proper depth (as outlined on the seed

packet). Moisten with a light spray of water (do not use a strong spray

as it would tend to wash the seeds into a corner of the container. Keep

the seeds continually) moist until they have germinated, then water as

needed.

 

At this point the containers should be put into a place where they will

get bright light, some sunlight if possible. Be sure the spot has good

air circulation. Temperatures should range about 65 to 70 degrees, for

starting seeds, or a little cooler if the seeds tend to get too leggy.

As the seedlings grow, be sure to turn the container occasionally so the

young plants do not grow lopsided toward the light.

 

Once the seedlings are up an inch or two high, they can be transplanted

into individual pots or spaced in the original container, until weather

conditions are suitable for planting them outdoors. Most cannot be

set-out until all danger of frost has passed.

 

Don't make starting seeds difficult, it a very easy, fun process, and

can be very rewarding in establishing new young starter plants that will

flower or produce earlier in the garden.

 

Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors

 

Starting seeds can be a fun, easy, successful means of starting new

garden plants. All you need is a little soil, a pot or tray and a warm

spot to put the seedlings.

 

If you have some seeds left over from last year, they are probably still

OK to use this year. To save time, test them first. Simply take a couple

of wet paper towels, place six or eight seeds on the towels and keep it

moist until the seeds germinate. If half of them germinate, then you

know fifty percent of the seeds are all right and all you need to do is

sow the seeds thicker than you normally would.

 

VEGETABLES - Leaf crops like spinach, lettuce, chard, cabbage,

cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, plus the others can be started indoors

in late February and March. Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins plus the other

warms weather vegetable can be started indoors in late March and April.

 

VEGETABLE ROOT CROPS - Sow the seeds of all root crops directly into the

garden. Wait for the soil to warm-up a little before seeding outdoors.

Late March or early April is usually a good time for seeding root crops

outdoors.

 

Here are a few hints on the best ways to start vegetable seeds indoors:

 

You can start the seeds in just about any kind of container. Trays,

flats, pots, old egg cartons, cut-off milk cartons or even egg shells

are suitable. If the trays or pots are old it would be a good idea to

soak and clean them in a solution of 90 percent water and 10 percent

bleach, before using them.

 

An all-purpose houseplant type potting soil can be used for starting the

seeds. Do not use soil from the garden unless it has been sterilized

first. Otherwise you are apt to introduced weeds, bugs and disease to

the seeding mix. You can sterilize the soil in the oven by baking it for

about two hours at 170 to 180 degrees.

 

Annual and vegetable seed packets can be put in the refrigerator for a

couple of days before being seeded.

 

Before sowing the seeds be sure to fill the container to overflowing

with soil. It is very important to have the soil high in the container

so the air will flow across the soil, thus aiding in the control of

damp-off disease.

 

The next most important step is to barely cover the seed with soil.

There is a tendency to cover the seed with too much soil. Some types and

varieties do not need to be covered at all.

The sowing instructions on the back of the seed packet will specify the

correct spacing, planting depth, time to sow and any other pertinent

information for that particular seed variety.

 

Keep the newly seeded pots or trays in a warm spot where the

temperatures average 65 to 72 degrees day and night. Select a spot where

there is bright light. In fact, the seeds will even germinate faster if

they are kept under fluorescent lights. Space the lights about 12 to 15

inches above the soil.

 

Use hot water to water the seeds the first two or three days, then

switch to warm water each time you water the new seeds. Once the

seedlings have germinated use water that is just a little warmer than

room temperature.

 

After the new seedlings have formed a couple of sets of true leaves they

can be individually potted or spaced so there is room for them to

develop naturally. Do not set the young seedlings outdoors until after

all danger of frost has passed.