| |
CAUTION: FRIED CHICKEN & GARDEN SEEDS DON'T MIX
My wife's been in a better mood recently, compared with a year ago. I decided it must be because I'm not using the dining room table to germinate seeds this year. Best germination occurs at 70-80°F and the dining room table by our south-facing window has always provided a nice warm environment for seed trays.
This year I'm using a south-facing window ledge in the basement and it seems to be working equally well. It's the price I'm paying for household harmony.
Seed packets generally suggest how many weeks in advance seeds should be planted to ensure they're the right stage of development for planting outdoors after the threat of frost is over (usually May 15). In past years, I've started begonia seeds indoors as early as January. I didn't order begonia seeds this year but I planted hybrid Eustoma (Texas Blue Bells) in early February, and impatiens in late February. I have the balance of my seed packets laid out in order of when they need to be planted to be at the right growth stage in mid-May.
Some gardeners use special electric seed mats or heated grow mats to create the ideal temperature for germination. This year's Burpee catalog features an Electra Grow Mat for $49.95 and three sizes of Seedling Heat Mats for $25.95, $39.95 and $73.95. My warm-window method is working for me so I have not, to this point, used grow mats.
A friend makes her own heated surface for starting seeds using heat cables buried in large flat trays of sand. Her cables are in a loop and have built-in thermostats which are preset to 70°F. She explains that care must be taken that cable wires do not touch or cross, which could cause overheating or a short.
My brother, who I think spends more time in his greenhouse these days than anywhere else, emailed me the latest lesson he learned about starting seeds and handling young seedlings. Seems he checked his refrigerator on his way to the greenhouse and grabbed a large piece of leftover fried chicken.
Rather than make a mess eating the chicken in the kitchen, he carried it to the greenhouse to eat as he inspected new growth on his collection of germinating plants. Noticing that a large flat of impatiens on the top shelf had germinated, he reached up to move it to another shelf, forgetting that hands and fingers that have been clutching fried chicken are poor grippers. His large flat of soil and tiny green sprouts crashed onto the floor.
"You wouldn't have believed how stupid I felt," he wrote. "I knew there was some humor there but I couldn't feel any of it."
So, in addition to instructions I've written in the past for successful indoor seed-starting projects, I now add this advice: don't eat fried chicken while you're handling your seed trays.
In case you're new to starting seeds indoors, here are some practices that work for me:
Containers -- Use only new or sterilized containers with bottom drain holes. To sterilize used containers, soak in a 10% bleach solution (1 cup household chlorine bleach/9 cups water) for 15 minutes.
Planting Medium -- Soil should be loose and finely textured, well drained, low in nutrients, and sterile. Plain garden soil will result in poor performance.
Light -- For most plants, window light is not sufficient. I light seedlings 16 hours/day with fluorescent shop lights plugged to a timer. Hang lights from adjustable chains so seedlings can be kept within 4 inches of light tubes.
Temperature -- Most seeds germinate best at 70-80°F and grow best at 65°F. Keep containers covered with a plastic hood or glass until seeds germinate, then move to lights.
Water/Fertilizer -- Water seedlings from below by placing containers in a pan of water. Remove containers when moisture shows on the surface. Once seedlings are up, reduce watering intervals so top of soil has a chance to dry out slightly. Since peat mixtures contain few nutrients, a soluble fertilizer should be mixed with water according to label directions.
Damping Off -- This is a fungus disease that attacks seedlings, causing them to collapse and die. Sterile soil and sterile containers are the best protection; also, avoid over-watering.
Hardening -- Seedlings are too fragile to withstand the shock of moving straight from under lights to outdoor wind and cool air. They should be acclimated gradually in their containers (hardening) by exposing to outdoor conditions in steps building up to all-day exposure.
For more information on starting seeds indoors, pick up the "Starting Garden Seed Indoors" bulletin from your county extension office.
|
|
|
 |
| |
|
 |
| |
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS:
A Delightful Blend of
Gardening Wisdom, Wit
and Whimsy
$10 + $2 for shipping
by Cliff Johnson |
 |
 |
| |
|
