Bay Weekly

Growing from Seed

By Maria Price

      Opening my mailbox this time of year results in armloads of colorful seed catalogs. My head gets dizzy with visions of flowers and vegetables swirling before me as a new growing season looms.

       Starting seeds never ceases to amaze me. From seeds as tiny as dust to the size of a kernel of corn, entire plants emerge and reward us with flowers, fruits and vegetables. If your garden didn’t do so well last season, seeds make an economical way to start over. You can start a lot of plants for pennies compared to buying them potted for dollars.

      Follow some important guidelines to be successful.

      Start with clean or new containers with drainage holes. I like to use four-by-six-inch starter flats and plug trays. If recycling flats or pots, wash them and rinse with a 10 percent bleach solution to kill any disease organisms.

      Some seeds like parsley and sweet peas need to be soaked in water to remove germination inhibitors. Some seeds need a chilling period of about four weeks in the refrigerator.

      Use clean propagation mix or soilless potting media. Evenly moist but not soggy soil is also important. Many seeds germinate at 70 degrees, but some need cool temperatures, like 50 degrees. These will not germinate if it’s too warm. For seeds that want warmth, use a heat mat for germinating; a warm area will also work.

      I write my labels out before sowing seeds because any interruption can lead me to forget what I was sowing.

     For proper planting depth, read the back of each package. Some seeds need light to germinate, which means they should be sprinkled on top of the soil. Larger seeds can be put into a small furrow but not covered. Most seeds need darkness, which means covering them with soil. The proper depth is important, as too deep will rot the seeds. A general rule is two times the width of the seeds to be covered with soil.

      After sowing the seeds, I put the entire starter flat in a plastic zipper bag and put it at the proper temperature. If you’re germinating a lot of seeds, a propagation mat creates very quick and even germination.

      As soon as germination occurs, I remove the bag and move my container to a tray at a sunny window. Water the tray and let the flat take up water. Let the seedlings almost dry out before watering again.

      If your seedlings start stretching, you may need to use a grow light.

      During late February, start only early cool-weather vegetables, flowers or perennials like lettuce, spinach, cabbage-family vegetables, sweet peas and pansies.

      To be continued …

 
Maria Price founded Willow Oak Herb and Flower Farm and is now proprietor of Beaver Creek Cottage Gardens, a small native and medicinal plant farm.