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The Garden Plot for February 23, 2007
3:55 PM - 4:00 PM
[Program Website]
Today's Highlight: "Seed Starting" Part 2
Last week we learned about the fundamentals of seed starting. Now, you’ve got your seeds in hand and you’ve checked how long each requires from germination until transplant size. Next, fill your selected container with moistened peat moss plus perlite, or whatever WELL-DRAINED “soil” mix you have chosen. For very small seeds the top 1/4-inch should be a layer of fine, screened mix.
For medium to large seeds, make furrows in the mix about 1 to 2 inches apart and 1/8 to 1 inch deep. Sow seeds in rows to encourage good light and air movement. Then, if fungus disease does appear, it has less chance of spreading.
A common mistake is to sow seed too heavily. This leads to spindly seedlings! More is not better in this case. Lightly cover seeds with dry perlite or peat mix to maintain moisture in the seed. If seeds require light for germination, do not cover, or use a very light amount of perlite or coarse vermiculite. Do not cover seeds too deeply. A suitable planting depth usually is about twice the diameter of the seed.
Do not cover extremely fine seeds such as those of petunias and lettuce; instead, lightly press them into the “soil” mix, or water them in with a fine-mist spray.
Large seeds (like pumpkins) do best if sown into individual small containers. Sow two or three seeds per unit. You can thin to allow the strongest seedling to grow.
Pregermination is another method of starting seeds. This method involves sprouting the seeds before planting them in pots or in the garden. It reduces the time to germination, because you can maintain optimum temperature and moisture conditions.
To pre-germinate seeds, lay them between folds of paper towels placed on top of a layer of perlite in a pan. Water gently and put in a warm spot. Keep the seeds moist. When roots begin to show, plant the seeds in containers or directly in the garden. Be careful not to break tender roots.
While seeds are germinating, keep the planting mix moist, but not wet. Ideally, seed flats should remain sufficiently moist without additional water. One way to maintain moisture is to slip the whole flat or pot into a clear plastic bag after the initial watering. The plastic should be at least 1 inch above the “soil” mix surface.
That should cover seed starting. Next week we’ll talk about the next late winter garden task: pruning.
Helen Atthowe's new short program of gardening tips
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