There is something so simplistic about starting a plant from its seed. Is it that the gardener is in essence the mother of the plant, nurturing the tiny seed, coddling it with the right temperature and moisture? An extreme feeling of satisfaction is attained by watching something grow from its very beginning form. A gardeners powerful hands wielding nature to perform is a mighty awe inspiring ability.

Starting many of your plants from seeds is also a great way to save money. Consider that most packets of seeds have multiple plants in them and are generally less than a couple of dollars versus buying an established plant for triple that cost. Seeds are also a great way to get exactly what you want in your garden. If the nursery doesn’t have a plant you seek maybe try starting it from seeds yourself. Since it is still too cold to be planting outdoors and the gardening bug has bit– starting seeds inside with the comforts of heaters and artificial lighting will scratch that gardening itch. Now in late February and early March is the time to begin germinating seedlings.

Needs:

• A sunny window or you may consider investing in some florescent bulbs to provide light.
• Containers that are clean and have good drainage. A clever solution is using an egg carton with holes punched in the bottoms.
• Seeds, you’ll get the best results with seeds that are purchased fresh.
• A growing medium which is generally best bought commercially to insure that it is free of weeds.

Sowing Seeds:

Fill pots or flats to within ¼ inch of the top with your potting mixture and level the surface. It is a good idea to water the soil and allow it to drain before sowing the seeds. Make a hole for each seed with your finger or a pencil end. Keep in mind that most seeds need to be planted four times as deep as the seed is wide. If you r seeds are fine, cover them with a fine layer of soil.

At Howard Pines Nursery Peter Avila and Anita Vail are the official seed sowers. According to Peter Avila by mixing sand with miniscule seeds it makes the process much easier. Avila say, “Petunia seeds are tiny and we have an entire greenhouse devoted to petunias which we started every one by seed. By mixing them with sand it is much easier to keep track of the petite seeds.”

Moisture/Humidity:

The germinating medium should be kept evenly moist not soaking wet. Too much moisture and the seeds will rot. A gardener may try using a misting device and covering the seeds with plastic bags to keep the humidity in which also allows the chore of watering to be minimized. At Howard Pines Nursery they use the technique of watering from below and keeping the water in the trays rather than directly on the plants.

Light:

Read the directions on your seed packet to know what that particular seeds light requirements are. Some plants seeds require no light while others thrive from it. However, once seeds have sprouted those plants all need light. You may even choose to supplement the light with some florescent bulbs. According to Avila heat is even more important than light. She says, “Be sure your seeds get plenty of light, however heat is even more crucial than light in many cases. The temperature shouldn’t vacillate too much. We even use heated rubber mats to keep our seedlings happy.”

Seedling Care:

Small pots and flats dry out quickly so be vigilant about checking their dampness. If your seedlings are in a windowsill be sure to turn them often to encourage straight stem growth. According to gardenguides.com, the first two leaves you will see on the plant are not true leaves but food storage cells called cotyledons. Once the first true leaves have developed, it is time to begin fertilizing. Peter Avila suggests moving a germinated seed and says, “Once the seed sprouts we pull them off the heated mat. Because they start to get leggy and you don’t want your seeds to get leggy.”

Hardening Off:

One week before transplanting your seedlings outdoors, start to harden them off. This process will acclimates the tender plants. The idea is to expose the plants gradually to wind, cool temperatures and the harsh sun. Move the plants to a shady outdoor area at first and bring them indoors at night. Each day move them out into the sun for a few more hours than the day before. Continue to keep your plants well watered and monitor them for insects.

Transplanting:

Water the ground outside and the seedlings thoroughly before transplanting them. This will help prevent transplant shock. Aim to transplant on a cloudy day so the strong sun won’t wilt the seedlings. Dig a hole about twice the size of the root ball and set the transplant into the hole so that the root ball will be covered by ¼ inch of soil. Press the soil firmly around the plant leaving a slight indentation where water will become trapped. Water the new plants immediately after transplanting and every day after that for the first week. Howard Pines Nursery started planting their seeds for herbs and perennials back on December 1^st and now they are almost finished transplanting all of those plants.

Now that the process is laid out, what are some seeds that grow well in our area? Peter Avila recommends, “For the novice seed grower I would suggest for annuals, marigolds, nasturtiums, alyssum, cosmos and zinnias all have a very high rate of success. As far as perennials, the Hollyhocks, Asclepias, Catananche, Centranthus Ruber and Delphiniums are all hardy seeds that grow nicely. And lastly the easiest vegetables to start from seeds would be the tomatoes and peppers, these plants are a great place to start.”

So, grab an old egg carton and try sprouting up a delightful concoction of plants from seeds. It will be entertaining to watch them grow, a fun activity for kids to get involved with the gardening process, and it should have very little impact on your pocketbook.

Helpful Info:

According to the University of Missouri’s Extension office the following seeds should be planted at the following times:

Table 2. Guide to sowing common annual flower seeds in the home

Seed Catalogs Sites:

Swallowtailgardenseeds.com

Thompson-Morgan.com

Landrethseeds.com

Americanmeadows.com

Burpee.com

Seedsofchange.com

Also See:

www.gardenguides.com

wwww.humeseeds.com