ADVANTAGES
With some long-season veggies like tomatoes or melons, starting from seed (or buying plants) are your only options, since our growing season is too short for them to mature if seeded directly into the garden. Starting your own seeds usually gives you a wider variety of plants to choose from, so you can experiment with heirloom and/or unusual varieties. It also gives you the advantage of knowing where your plants came from, what pests and conditions they've been exposed to, and - especially important for organic growers - what has and hasn't been used for starter and fertilizer.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
The Essentials
- Seeds (obviously!).
- Markers or labels so you know what you planted in each container.
- Containers. You can use pretty much anything that will hold seed starting mixture. We have Jiffy pots, peat pots and reusable seed starting trays/"greenhouses" here in the store, and you can also use home-made newspaper pots, recycled cottage cheese containers, paper cups or even empty cardboard egg cartons to start your seeds. If you're re-using trays or containers from a previous year, wash them thoroughly and then let them soak for a few minutes in a 1:9 bleach and water solution to kill any disease organisms they may harbor.
- Seed starting mixture. There are several options for seed starting mixture, but the important features are that it must be light and drain well. You can buy pre-mixed seed starting medium, or make your own (one recipe here). Keep in mind that if you use a compost-based starting mix, you won't have to worry as much about fertilizing - Dr. Earth's Root Zone Starter Mix has seaweed fertilizer and beneficial bacteria mixed right in. If you prefer to use a soilless mix, we have several kinds of starter fertilizers and foods, including Bonide Plant Starter Food, Dr. Earth Root Zone Starter Fertilizer and Espoma's Bio-Tone Starter Plus. Seedlings in a soilless, nutrient-free medium should be fed when they develop their true leaves, and once a week thereafter.
- A space that's heated but not too hot, and that has lots of natural light. Seeds need heat to germinate (soil temperature should be around 75°-85° F), so keeping the flats or pots on top of the refrigerator or in another warm spot until they germinate can be a big help. After they've sprouted, move them to an area with plenty of light and an air temperature between 60° and 70°F.
The Luxuries
- Heat mats. These little gems keep the soil at an optimal temperature for seed germination and growth, and can help keep seedlings from falling victim to damping off, which is a fungal disease caused by cool, damp, overcrowded conditions.
- Supplemental lights. Kept about 3" above the tops of your seedlings, they encourage sturdy, stocky plants. They also eliminate the need to move your plants around to assure that all seedlings get an equal dose of sunlight. You don't need to spend a lot of money on "grow lights" - a bank of fluorescent shop lights are perfectly adequate for most seed-starting endeavors.
- A fan. A gentle breeze blowing through your seedlings has multiple benefits. First, it keeps air circulating so moisture can't build up and cause damping off. Second, it keeps excess heat from building up. And finally, it (along with sufficient light) can help encourage stocky, sturdy plants.
If You Have Questions
Starting your plants from seed is a fascinating and gratifying experience, but sometimes problems can crop up. If you have questions, please give us a call at 802/442-2851. Penny Ela is our gardening specialist at Whitman's, and many of the staff here are pretty "garden competent". We also have a good selection of books on gardening, so whatever your gardening question, we have you covered!
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