Garden Success Tip of the Week
If you’re thinking about starting seeds indoors this winter, good for you! Here are a few tips to help make you a bit more successful with your seed starting adventure. First of all, you’ll need the right seed starting supplies:
1.) Use a soil-less potting mix or seed starting mix. This mix is extremely important as it actually helps to hold moisture for the new seedlings yet is airy and allows them to dry properly with less chance of dampening off, or rotting. Some mixes may include a slow release fertilizer to help feed the seedlings very slowly and gently as they grow. Be sure to pre-moisten your potting mix before planting the seeds.
2.) Something to grow your seedlings in – small clay or plastic pots, Jiffy Cubes, peat pots, Cow Pots, or trays with cell packs are wonderful for starting your seeds.
3.) Some type of shop light with regular florescent tubes will be needed to help supplement the much needed sunlight to keep your seedlings from stretching. Remember to keep the lights within 3 inches of the tops of the new seedlings. You may need to keep the lights on 12-14 hours a day, even in sunnier windows.
4.) A misting bottle. This is one of the best ways to water your new seedlings, especially when they’re very young. Misting the soil is not so invasive and is easier to control the water flow.
5.) A small inexpensive fan, and trust me, this fan is one of the key ingredients for starting seeds indoors. Placed away from the seedlings, it provides constant air movement around the plants which helps reduce disease, rotting, and it also helps to promote stockier plants.
And here’s the most important thing to remember. Read the back of the seed packs for additional germinating information (do the seeds need to be covered, spacing, soil temps – generally 70-75 degrees during the day, etc, as well as how long it takes for seed germination and growing time before transplanting outdoors. Count backwards from our frost free date (May 15 or so), and that’s when you should start those seeds indoors. For tomatoes it takes about 6 weeks (peppers 8 weeks), which means starting time would be right around late March. Remember, it’s always better to start your seeds a little late, rather than way too early. Have fun growing your plants from seeds, indoors.
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Tags: seeds, start seeds indoors
