If your seeds are very small, like basil or mustard, you can leave them uncovered. Place two to four seeds on the surface of the seed starting mix, and gently press the seeds down so they’re nestled in nicely. (This will take several minutes, as peat-based seed starting mixes are slow to absorb.) You want the mix to be uniformly damp, like wet sand.įill your seedling pots with this pre-moistened seed starting mix. Dump your seed starting mix into a large tub or bucket, pour in a generous amount of water, and stir it up with your hands or a trowel.Īs the seed starting mix starts to absorb the moisture, add more water as needed. Fill your pots or trays with seed starting mix.Just wash them out and poke a few drainage holes in the bottom with a nail or an awl. Instead of seed starting pots, you can also use recycled newspaper pots, or repurpose household items into seed starting containers, like egg cartons, Dixie cups, and yogurt cups. backġ1 Hardening off is the process in which you gradually acclimate the seedling to its future environment outdoors… getting it acquainted with the breeze, the birds, and the bees. I also like to gently run my hands across the top of my seedling to simulate a breeze this slows down initial growth and strengthens the stem. backġ0 It sounds sexy, but it makes your seedling tall and weak as it channels its energy into straining for sunlight. I have grown healthy vegetables with no fertilizer through a whole season, and could barely keep up with the harvests. No fertilizer is fine, too, especially if you start with good soil. backĩ I like to use home-brewed compost tea or liquid sea kelp. These leaf-life structures are part of the embryo of the seed, and supply food to the seedling until its true leaves begin the process of photosynthesis. backĨ The true leaves are actually the second set of leaves that appear the first leaves that initially unfurl are not leaves at all, but cotyledons. If your makeshift greenhouse is looking a bit too wet inside, remove the cover or plastic wrap for a few hours during the warmest part of the day to allow air circulation. backħ Too much water will make the seeds rot. Some gardening guides suggest placing your tray on top of a refrigerator, but most appliances these days are energy-efficient and do not give off much heat. backĦ I like to put my seed trays next to my heating vent on the floor. Seeds will sometimes sprout in less than ideal temperatures, but the germination period will be longer. A few, such as radish, will germinate at lower temperatures. Most annual vegetables germinate best in temperatures of 75☏ to 90☏. backĥ This creates a greenhouse effect to keep your seeds moist and warm, the key to germination. backĤ The moisture will help the seeds shed their protective coating and eventually sprout. backģ For certain varieties of plants, light will often speed up germination (the process of a plant sprouting from a seed). You do not need anything fancy seeds just need a basic mix of perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss (or coco coir) to germinate and grow into healthy seedlings. If you’re not using homemade seed starting mix, this is a reputable brand that I like. Although peat has a very high water-holding capacity once it’s wet, it actually repels water when it’s dry. backĢ It’s easier to start with pre-moistened mix, as peat-based mixes are harder to wet down uniformly if they dry out in pots. I’ve put countless seed trays and humidity domes to the test over the years, and found these trays and domes to be the thickest and strongest on the market - they don’t bend, flex, or crack as easily as other brands, and can be reused for many seasons. If you have a healthy garden, you can skip washing your pots and simply dump out the dirt from your pots before using again. Avoid using leftover soil from the nursery container you brought home, as it might harbor weed seeds and bad bacteria. Clean pots are key and help keep damping off at bay (an untreatable fungal disease that causes seedlings to suddenly keel over and die at the soil line).ĭiscard or thoroughly wash any pots that previously housed diseased plants. Find out whether you should keep or toss your seed stash.ġ This seems obvious, but laziness gets the best of us. How old is too old? All seeds have a shelf life, but their longevity depends on the quality and condition when you bought or saved them, and how they've been stored since.
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