Indoors Seedling Planting, Germination, and Care
Mother Nature has her own way of germinating seed. In the field, she provides
warmth from the sun, moisture from the clouds(or your garden hose), and nutrients
in the soil. Mother Nature also has a way of disappointing us from time to
time, by either not bringing one of the essential ingredients, or bringing
too much all at once.
Some seeds are best planted directly into the garden. While others really
need to started indoors to help the seedling get off to a good start. The
length of growing time in your area may be shorter than the time the plant
needs to bear fruit or to flower, making an indoor start a necessity.
Following the steps below will ensure and maximize successful indoors planting
and germination.
Why Start Indoors:
Many flowers and vegetables are started indoors. But, do you know the reasons
and benefits that will help you determine which plants to start indoors?
First, the growing season in many areas is shorter than the time the plant
needs to produce flowers or fruit. Indoor planting allows many gardeners
to grow plants and varieties that are not native to their area.
Extending the harvest is another major reason why gardeners will start their
seedling indoors. Many flowers and vegetables will produce weeks earlier
if planted indoors. Marigolds for example, will benefit by flowering earlier
than if direct sowed and will continue to produce flowers right up to the
first frost.
Everyone wants that first tomato of cucumber of the season. It tastes so
delicious and we can hardly wait. And, there is friendly neighborhood pride
and bragging rights associated with being the first to produce fruit for
the season.
Healthier seedlings make for stronger and better plants. Healthy children
make strong adults. We have been saying this for years and years. The same
applies in the plant world. Give a seedling a healthy start, and it will
pay you dividends all season long. That healthy start comes in the from of
a controlled, indoor environment.
Simply because it's fun. Like any hobby, gardeners really enjoy their sport.
To some it's the challenge of growing difficult to start petunias or
peppers, and putting out a seedling that is better that you can find in any
gardening store. To others, it is a way of extending the hobby into those
late winter and early spring months when most gardeners are chomping at the
bit to get some dirt under their fingernails.
When to Start Indoors:
The general rule of thumb is to start transplants indoors six to eight weeks
before the last frost date for your area. Some plants such as peppers and
petunias require more. Other plants, like the cabbage family and head lettuce,
require less. Some people will do a series of plantings, especially for lettuces
and cabbages, to create succession plantings and to extend the harvest. Ten
heads of lettuce in two weeks is just too much for most families. But, a
couple heads a week is just fine.
The seed packet will give some indication of indoor planting times and
experimentation will also help you to fine tune when to start.
Planting and Germination:
The steps of seed germination when planting indoors are:
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Viable seeds- Good seeds that are not hollow, and are not so old that germination
rates are poor. Some seed can remain viable for years if stored properly.
Others normally last only a season in storage.
-
Soil- A good, seed starting mixture that is light and sterilized.
-
Water- The soil should be moist, but not soaked.
-
Warmth- Here is where growers can add to their success. The ideal seed starting
temperatures vary by type of seed. Most are between 70 to 85 degrees farenheit.
Some seeds, like peas and early season vegetables, will germinate at a lower
soil temperatures, even as low as fifties. Others, like pumpkins and peppers,
need temperatures on the higher end to induce them to sprout. Seeds can be
germinated outside of their ideal range, but the further away from the ideal
range for the particular seed, the lower the germination rate.
Tip: Test your seed for viability in advance, especially if you have
saved seed from last year. Plant a few seeds well before the normal planting
time. Count the number you planted and the number that germinate. The resulting
percentage is your expected germination rate.
Here is our recommended step by step instructions to maximize germination:
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Purchase sterilized seed starting mixture. This is a light weight medium
that has all the nutrients your seed needs at birth. Experienced growers
will often create their own or amend store bought soil. This is part of the
fun of planting for experienced garden hobbiests. If you are a new grower,
stick with the seed starting mix until you gain some experience .
-
Select the right containers. So what's the big deal? If you select a container
that is too small, your seedling can outgrow it's home before you are ready
to transplant. A root bound seedling does not translate into maximum growth.
Large paper mache or peat pots promote more open development of roots, but
separating individual plants later, can result in tearing of roots and increased
transplant shock. Using the individualized seed pots and trays helps to minimize
transplant shock.
-
Fill the containers with the seed starting mix and water thoroughly. Make
sure the soil is wet, but not soaking.
-
Plant the seeds. Another seemingly easy step. But new gardeners have a habit
of planting seeds too deep. We recommend planting seeds a little less than
the recommended depth. You can carefully add soil around the seedlings at
a later point if needed.
-
Provide bottom warmth to the seeds. Some people use a heating mat, while
others put them on top of a warm oven, by the fireplace, or in a sunny window,
skipping the expense of a heating mat or other devices.
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Creating a seed incubator is also popular. Create a wooden or plastic enclosure
large enough to hold the containers you are using. Put a light inside the
enclosure. The heat from the light will raise the temperature and create
a greenhouse effect. It is important to measure the temperature to make sure
it does not get too warm. Temperature will vary depending upon room temperature,
wattage of light bulb and size for the enclosure.
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Now the wait begins! The time required to germinate may be a few days to
a few weeks. Germination time varies widely. It can usually be found on the
seed packet. For seeds with a long germination period, we recommend you plant
in smaller groups over a couple of weeks. This way if the first group does
not germinate, you won't be waiting three weeks to find out and before starting
a new planting.
TIP: Coat the seeds with Captan to protect against mold and fungus
growth. Or buy pre-treated seeds where available. Fungus problems are common
with indoor planting.
Seedling Care and Nurturing:
As your seedling emerges from the soil, most growers breath a big sigh of
relief. Close your eyes and you can almost see the plant grow and flourish
into it's full beauty, producing an enviable profusion of flowers or vegetables.
As you open your eyes, you will immediately begin a new set of worries,
over-nurturing the newborn indoors for a short time while the outdoor weather
catches up with your dreams.
Thin Seedlings as needed- - Plants in your garden do not like to be
crowded. Ditto with your seedlings, who need all the sun and nutrients that
they can get.You may want to leave a few extras for a while as mortality
rate of seedlings can be high.
Let there be light, and plenty of it- - As soon as the newborn seedling
begins to emerge, it seeks light. Your newborn needs as much and as direct
a light source as possible. Placing it by a window with a southern exposure
is the first step. But this alone may not prove to be enough for the seedling
to grow healthy and strong. First, the sun is not up as long in the spring
as it is in the summer. Second, there are many rainy spring days with little
or no direct sun. You should also acquire an artificial Grow Light and place
the seedlings under it on cloudy days and at night.
Let There be Water, in just the right amount- - Provide water to your
seedling every couple of days. Do not soak the soil each night. Overly wet
soil encourages the development of damping off disease. Let the soil dry
out a little on the top, then water thoroughly. Watering from the bottom
is preferred. If you have a seed tray, add water to the bottom of the tray
. The soil will absorb it through the bottom holes in your container...your
container does have holes in the bottom, doesn't it!?!
Feed me, feed me- - The seedling does not need a lot of extra nutrients
in it's first few days of life. Your soil starting mix usually comes with
a balanced formula of nutrients that the seedlings need. After several days,
adding a little liquid fertilizer to the water is helpful, but you do not
need to give it full strength.
If the roots begin to come out the bottom of the pot, it is time to plant
your seedling outdoors, weather permitting. If it is still too cool, keep
the bottom of the tray moist, or put some extra soil in the bottom of the
tray. Or, transplant seedlings to a larger pot. Most plants do not like to
be root bound.
Guard against Leggy Plants- - Seedlings are leggy when their main
stem or stalk grows tall and thin and can hardly support the leaf structure.
It is caused by insufficient sunlight and a sheltered environment. Indoors,
they do not experience the effect of wind, and do not need to develop structure
to defend against it. Most seedlings do not even experience a slight breeze.
When transplanted outdoors, "leggy" plants can be damaged or broken by the
wind.
Tip: Take your hand,or a couple sheets of newspaper and fan the plants
a few times a day. You can even lightly brush the tops of the plants, brushing
back and forth in varying directions. You may notice the plants seem to slow
down for a period. What they are really doing is building a stronger stem
or stalk.
Let there be no Damping Off Disease:
Those of us who have grown seedling indoors for any number of years
know what "Damping Off" disease. This is a white mold that forms in the top
of the soil. Damping Off disease flourishes in cold, wet damp weather along
with little sunshine. It quickly spreads across the soil and wilts the seedling.
Take it's habitat away, and the disease can not survive. Plants on the other
hand, love just the opposite conditions. The more you make conditions ideal
for your plants, the more likely you will avoid Damping Off Disease and other
mold and fungal problems.
If you do experience problems, do not give up hope. Here are some things
you can do to minimize or eliminate disease problems:
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First, get the plant in direct sunlight if at all possible.
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Stop watering until the surface is very dry.
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Water only from the bottom.
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Scrape as much of the mold off the soil as possible.
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Stir the top of the soil without disturbing the roots. It will also speed
drying.
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Add some soil, although this may or may not produce results.
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Increase room air circulation. You can gently blow air on your plant trays
with a small fan.
-
Avoid sowing your seeds in the basement and leaving them there for a couple
of days. While the trays are conveniently out of the way, this is a perfect
breeding ground for Damping Off Disease.
More on Damping Off Disease
More Information:
Buy Flower, Vegetable and Herb Seeds Finest quality
Ferry Morse Seed, America's oldest seed company with their famous "guarantee
to grow".
Heating Mats - for an overall healthy start for your
seedlings.
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