By Jenny Mandt, Owner, Garden Coaching Solutions
“Never underestimate the power of a planted seed” - Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi states. I love this because from the largest tree to the smallest leafed ground cover, everything starts as a seed. This time of the year can be cold, wet and grey still, but you can bring some green into your house by planting seeds indoors. Flower and vegetable seeds can be planted indoors 4 to 12 weeks before the last frost (usually the middle of March), which means now is a good time to get started! Start looking in seed catalogs or at your favorite garden store to see what will be available and think about what you’d like to grow.
What’s the benefit of growing something from seed? If you want lots of plants, buying a package or two of seeds is a lot less expensive than small plants. There are so many more varieties of seeds than plants at the store, so you have options for different tastes, colors and textures. Try something new. If you have too many seeds, you can always share them with neighbors. You also have total control over how your plants are raised (hopefully organically). Local seed catalogs like Territorial Seed Company carry a wide variety of seeds that grow well in our area.
There are supplies you will need ahead of time to grow your seeds into small plants. You will need a low flat container (egg cartons make good containers) or pots in which to put your organic starter plant mix. This may or may not have vermiculite in it. If they don’t, then you will need to buy small bags of each of these. You will need a spray bottle or turkey baster to keep seeds moist while they germinate. If you do not have a sunny window with at least 8 hours of sunlight coming in (at a minimum), you might want to get a grow light. You will also need a clear plastic bag or wrap to put over the container to hold the moisture in as well. And seeds of course!
Here is a plan to get your seeds planted and growing their first leaves:
1. Fill your container with the Starter mix soil and fill the container within an inch of the rim. Gently pat the soil down evenly
2. You’ll need to look at the seed package to determine how deep to plant the seeds. Some can be planted deeply, and others scattered on the surface of the soil. Typically, though, seeds just pressed into the mixture and then covered with soil. Choose the largest seeds in the package. They have the best chance of germinating
3. Use your spray bottle (4-8 pumps depending on the size of the seeds – larger seeds need more water, smaller need less) to moisten the soil lightly, not waterlogged
4. Add a small amount of vermiculite to the top of the soil to hold in moisture and prevent mold from forming
5. Make sure to label your containers! There is nothing more frustrating that forgetting what you planted, especially when it might be a different variety of the same plant. Place the plastic bag or wrap over the seeds until the first sprouts come up. Poke a few holes in the plastic with a toothpick for ventilation
6. Place your seeds in a warm area to germinate. They sprout best at 65-75 degrees. Remember to remove the plastic once seedlings have come up and hit the inside of the plastic. If they are near a window, the containers will have to be rotated every so often to keep the seedling growing straight. If you use a grow light, raise it up a few inches above the tallest seedling every few days and water as needed. You don’t want to let seedlings dry out.
7. When the seedlings have their second set of leaves on them, move them into bigger pots with potting soil with compost in it. Water them well and keep them out of bright sunlight for a few days to establish roots in the new pots
8. When plants have grown to the proper size according to the package, they will need to be “hardened off”. This means you are getting them ready to go out into the harsher world outside. Don’t fertilize or water as much that last week to ten days before they start to go outside. Set the plants in dappled shade protected from the wind for a few hours each day, gradually increasing their exposure to sun, cold and wind. Always keep the soil moist (they can dry out easily)
9. After this “hardening off” period they are ready to go in the ground. Make sure the soil they are going into is loose, moist soil so that roots can grow and spread. Water the plants after planting and put a thin layer of compost or mulch around the plants to reduce moisture loss and prevent weeds.
A couple of things to remember – expect that you will have a few seeds or young plants that won’t make it so plan on planting a few extra, just in case. Don’t start tomato seed too early. Wait at least six weeks before the last frost to start tomato seeds. You may have to soak, scratch or chill seeds before they are planted, so read the package carefully. What are seeds that you can plant now? If you love vegetables and plan to start a garden you can start broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, eggplant, kale, lettuce, onions, peppers, and spinach seeds growing now! Columbine and sweet pea flower seeds can be planted as well.
If seeds seem like too much hassle to grow but you would like to try growing some leafy greens, here’s a cool idea I read about recently. Buy a few root vegetables from the store –parsnip, beet, turnip, celeriac. Cut the leafy tops or bottoms off and leave about an inch of the vegetable and put those tops/bottoms in a saucer and keep the saucer filled with water in a sunny window to grow leaves. In as little as a week new leaves will start to form. As the leaves mature, you can cut them and add them to salads, soups or stews almost until it’s time to get back into your garden again.
Happy growing!
Have big plans for your garden in 2020 but need a little help or perspective to get started? Contact me and we’ll come up with a simple, easy to follow plan that will get you your dream garden this year!
Jenny@gardencoachingsolutions.com or (206) 915-0585.