If you're anxious to get outside in the garden, but the temperatures are still too cold, why not go ahead and start seeds indoors?
by Dondra VaughnUpdated: November 9, 2023
Now is the time when many of us are thinking about our spring gardens. No matter if you want to plant flowers or grow your own food, you need to know how to get started. And the best part is, it’s easy — and it all starts a few seeds, some basics, and a little TLC.
What You Will Need To Start Seeds Indoors:
Seeds — Purchasing fresh seeds will give better results than using older seeds, so pull out the seed catalogs or go online and select the plants you would like to grow this year. An advantage of starting plants from seed is that you will have access to many more choices, including harder-to-find plant varieties and organic seeds. It is also economical. If you are new to starting seeds, you may want to try these easy to grow choices: zinnias, morning glories, sunflowers, nasturtiums, parsley, basil, tomatoes, and squash.
Containers — There are many types of containers suitable for starting seeds, such as trays, flats, egg cartons, cans, eggshells, and plastic containers, but it is important they are well cleaned and have good drainage. If you decide to use a fiber or peat pot, be sure to wet it thoroughly before adding soil so the pot does not draw moisture away from the growing medium.
Soil — It is best to use a commercial seed-starting mix since it is lightweight, sterile, and free of weed seeds. It will provide the loose, fine-textured, well-drained medium necessary for delicate seedling roots to grow. Potting or garden soil is not recommended due to the heavier weight and the potential for weed seeds, insects, and pathogens.
Sunlight — Seedlings normally need plenty of bright indirect sunlight — approximately 12 to 16 hours per day. A south facing window is most preferable, but if this is not possible, you may use artificial light as a supplement or substitute — either grow lights or fluorescent shop lights.
How to Start Seeds:
Always read individual seed packets for specific instructions on how to start seeds. Seeds should typically be started about four to six weeks before you plan to transplant outdoors, making sure the transplant date will be after the last frost. Consult the Farmers’ Almanac Frost Table to estimate the last frost for your region.
Fill containers to within 1/4 inch of the top with seed-starting mixture, and level the surface. Water the soil well, and then allow to completely drain.
Using your finger or a pencil, make an indention in the soil for the seed. The hole should be four times as deep as the seed is wide. Cover the seed with soil.
Temperature and humidity are the two most important factors for seed germination. Keeping the air temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Use a spray mister to water the seeds and new seedlings, or water from below by setting containers on a drip pan filled with water and allow the moisture to soak up through the bottom. Keep soil moist, but not overly wet since seeds will rot if they receive too much water. Cover containers with plastic to hold in humidity (ventilating daily) until the seeds germinate, then remove the covering.
Consult seed packets to determine light requirements for germination. Some seeds need total darkness in order to germinate, but most require plenty of light. Once germinated, all seedlings will need healthy doses of light each day. If using a windowsill as a light source, rotate containers periodically to promote even growth.
Get Ready To Transplant!
Once one or two sets of real leaves develop (the first set of leaves is actually a set of food storage cells called cotyledons), you can transplant each seedling into its own pot. At this point, it is okay to use an all-purpose potting soil. Water the seedling thoroughly an hour or two before transplanting to the new container. Also at this time, you may begin adding a diluted organic liquid fertilizer once a week.
Around ten days before transplanting the seedlings outdoors, begin the process of hardening off to help the tender plants adjust to the upcoming change in environment. When daytime temperatures are at least 45 degrees, place the plants outside in a sheltered area for a few hours, gradually increasing the amount of time they spend outside each day.
Once all danger of frost has passed, transplant the seedlings outdoors. A cloudy day is best for transplanting to avoid wilting of the plants. Water the outdoor soil thoroughly before planting the seedlings to help prevent transplant shock. Dig a hole double the size of the plant’s root ball. Set the seedling inside the hole and fill so that the root ball is covered by 1/4 inch of soil. Water deeply each day for the first week.
When you’re ready to transplant, be sure to consult the Farmers’ Almanac’s Best Days Gardening calendar for the proper Moon phase for this task. Remember, this calendar goes by phases of the Moon, not weather. So you want to be sure conditions are “weather permitting.”
Most seeds will not germinate without sunlight and will perform best with 12 to 16 hours each day. Indoors, place seed containers in a sunny, south-facing window and give the container a quarter turn each day to prevent the seedlings from overreaching toward the light and developing weak, elongated stems.
Like most things in gardening, there are always exceptions to this rule of 2-3 seeds per hole. If you're planting large seeds like cucumbers, melons, or pumpkins, you should only use one seed per hole. However, you can still plant seeds close together and then thin them out once they've established themselves.
Starting garden plants from seeds indoors can be an enjoyable project for any gardener. It's a relatively inexpensive way to grow a wide variety of plants. Many garden favorites are found in a greater variety of colors, sizes and growth habits as seeds, rather than as started plants.
But, starting your seeds too soon is still a problem. How? Seeds sown too early will result in bigger plants which then need to be potted up into bigger containers which quickly take over your seed starting area/house and cost you more money is potting soil, organic fertilizer and pots.
Not every vegetable should be started indoors. There are many varieties that can be planted right into the ground (direct-seed). These are usually the short season vegetables or root crops that don't always transplant well. They include lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots, green beans and others.
If you're storing and sowing seeds inside, they won't go through a cold winter, which some need to signify it's time to wake up and grow. To ensure high germination rates, wake seeds up, and potentially speed up the process, soak seeds before sowing them to soften and loosen that outer protective layer.
Sprinkle a little more soil over the top to cover the seeds and mist until the surface is damp. A good rule of thumb is to plant the seed to the same depth as its thickness. For example, lettuce seeds need only a tiny sprinkling of soil to cover them but a nasturtium should be covered with about 1/4” of soil.
Most seedlings require water every day or every other day. First, check the soil moisture using your finger by checking the soil color near the drainage hole. If the soil feels or appears dry or brittle, irrigate thoroughly until water pours out of the bottom of the tray, then stop.
If only a few plants are needed, it is not necessary to plant all the seeds in a packet. Surplus seed often can be saved for a later planting date. Keeping seed dry and cool or at least at room temperature in a closed container is best.
The natural light from a window is seldom enough for good, strong seedling growth. They will usually stretch and lean towards the light and will not produce sturdy plants. Sowing seeds indoors under fluorescent lights is the easiest way for the home gardener to control growing conditions and grow healthy transplants.
So soilless mix is the way to go when starting seeds. An 8-quart bag of soilless mix will run you between $7 and $12, and that will fill two 10-by-20-inch seed trays. The most common soilless seed starting medium is peat moss.
Most seeds require about a 6-8 week growing period before they're ready to be transplanted, which means the bulk of your indoor seeding should happen in February (early-to-mid February for Alexandria, and mid-to-late February for Lothian).
A little planning makes seed starting more efficient and will help set you up for success. Seeds that are typically started indoors include long season crops, like eggplants, okra, tomatoes, broccoli and kale.
Sowing means planting a seed or putting the seed in the soil. Sow seeds early in the morning so the water has enough time to permeate the soil and get warm throughout the day. You can do it in the evening but make sure the seed flats stay warm overnight.
All seeds need water, oxygen, and proper temperature in order to germinate. Some seeds require proper light also. Some germinate better in full light while others require darkness to germinate. When a seed is exposed to the proper conditions, water and oxygen are taken in through the seed coat.
Most seeds can germinate in darkness or light (one exception is lettuce, which needs light) but once the seeds have sprouted, keep the lights on about 12-16 hours per day.
The closer the temperature is to the optimum, the quicker germination will occur. Most seeds germinate when the soil temperature is between 68° and 86°F. Once germination occurs, the optimum growing temperature for the seedling is about 10°F cooler than the optimum germination temperature.
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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