As the winter months melt into spring, tiny paper cups appear on windowsills in homes around the country. Before long, little green shoots will appear in those cups. They may be tomato plants or bean sprouts, but one thing is certain. Some avid gardener is starting a crop from seed.
First-time gardeners find that growing a plant from seed is less expensive than buying a plant from a store, while experienced gardeners may save seeds from year to year so that they can start new plants themselves. In a children’s garden, starting plants from seeds is a good way to teach a science lesson. And some gardeners just like to get a jump on the growing season.
Sowing Seeds Indoors
Start the seed growing process by assembling the materials you will need to grow your seeds into plants. These will include clean containers with drainage, a planting mix such as peat moss or topsoil, a soil heating cable for plants that require constant heat, waterproof labels and seeds. Some seeds require special care, including scoring the seed, cooling it in the freezer or soaking it. Make sure that you do this before sowing the seed. Sow your seed in stages; that way if your seedlings don’t germinate, you can try again. Follow the sowing directions on the packages. You may have to either sow seeds in a trench or punch holes into the soil to sow them. Planting depth is usually two times the diameter of the seed. Small seeds or seeds that need light for germination should not be covered.
Create a Greenhouse for Your Seedlings
Seeds germinate best in a warm, humid environment. A greenhouse is the best environment for germinating seeds and growing seedlings and can eliminate the need for watering seedlings. You can create this type of environment by covering your container with a plastic bag or placing the container under a sheet of glass. A glass “cold frame” can be created by stacking a window over four bales of hay that have been squared off. Germination of the seedlings can take anywhere from a few days to a few months depending on what you are growing. After the seedlings have appeared, remove the greenhouse container and gradually move your plants into the sunlight to let them acclimatize.
Moving Your Seedlings Outdoors
Watering is crucial for plant seed growth. The seedlings have a very underdeveloped root system, so it is important that the soil stay damp but not waterlogged. Nutrients can be added to the water to feed the plant after the first true leaves develop. Thin out the plants by plucking out all but the heartiest of the plants. This will help the remaining plants to grow stronger. As the seedlings outgrow their flats, they can be transplanted to bigger pots.
The last step before transplanting your plants in the garden is to harden them off. To do this, gradually move the plants outdoors to a shady area. Bring them back indoors at night when the temperatures decrease. Gradually, move them from the shade into partial sun and eventually sunlight. At that point, they are ready to transplant.
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