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STARTING SEEDS INDOORS FUN HOBBY FOR GARDENERS
It’s that time of the year again. Time to stop reading product descriptions and ogling photos in seed catalogs and make your final decision on what flower and vegetable seeds to order for late-winter starting indoors or early spring sowing outdoors.
I’ve been starting seeds indoors for nearly 20 years. In my first column on starting seeds indoors I wrote that the hobby can start almost as an accident: “It all begins so innocently – a few tomato seeds planted in pots in a south window. Then, next year, a few more seeds, maybe under a spare fluorescent light. Next thing you know, you're studying plans to construct a 30' x 100' greenhouse.”
I haven’t built a greenhouse but I do have six shop lights hovering over tables in my basement workroom. I’ve learned that it’s a lot less stressful on my marriage to conduct my indoor gardening in “my space” in the basement, rather than utilizing the dining-room table and living-room windows in spaces my wife regards as off limits for gardening activities.
If you are not a veteran seed starter, here are some tips for avoiding mistakes and optimizing your seed-starting results.
Containers -- Use only new or sterilized containers that have drain holes at the bottom. I like to start seeds in plastic 4- or 6-pack containers saved from past-year flower purchases. To sterilize 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. I’ve had success with several mixtures. Most contain sphagnum peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, dolomitic limestone and (very important) a wetting agent.
Timing -- There's a wide range in optimum starting dates for various seeds and the temptation is to start seeds too early. Tuberous begonias can be started in January, marigolds in early April, and melons and squash in late April. The best way to know for sure is to keep a diary from year to year. 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).
Light -- For most plants, window light is not adequate. 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 2-4 inches of light tubes.
Temperature -- Most seeds germinate best at 70-75°F and grow best at 65°F. I geminate seeds in a warm south-facing basement window, then move containers to lights soon as they poke their first green foliage through the soil surface. Cover containers with a plastic hood or glass until seeds germinate.
Water/Fertilizer -- Water seedlings from below by placing containers in a pan of water. The wetting agent in the soil mix will wick up water from below to saturate the entire container. Remove containers when moisture shows on the surface. Since peat-moss soil contains few nutrients, a soluble fertilizer should be mixed with water according to label directions. Don’t apply more fertilizer than is recommended.
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.
In past years I have often ordered too many seeds – too many different types of seeds and too many total seeds. My plan this year is to pick out six or eight “workhorse” annuals and grow more of them, rather than planting a disparate jumble of flowers and vegetables.
A summer garden full of plants you’ve started from seed is satisfying in much the same way as watching your own kids perform in a concert or athletic event, compared with watching someone else’s kids perform.
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