Start Your Garden Plants from Seed

Want to test your gardening prowess this spring? Why not start your flowers from seed in your own home? Here's how:

First, decide what flowers you want in your garden this summer then refer to the list below to see when to get going.

Next, pick your seeds. Hybrids, though a bit more expensive, usually lead to a healthier plant. Seeds should be kept in a cool, dry and dark place. If you have old seeds you'd like to test, see if you can get them to germinate on a damp paper towel. Be sure to read your seed package for any special instructions before you begin, such as soaking seeds overnight.

Now, pick your pot and potting mix. You'll want to sow large seeds by themselves in peat pots or compressed peat pellets, however, it will be better for smaller seeds if you use a container where you can either scatter the seeds or plant them in rows. Wood flats or plastic trays would work well for this. You can also buy seed starting kits if you'd rather. If you plan to use pots that have housed other plants previously, be sure to sterilize the pots first to ward off any possible plant diseases. This can be done by rinsing the container with one part bleach to ten parts water and allowing the container to air dry. For your growing medium, a layered mix might be the most convenient. Layer your pot with sterilized soil mix then put a layer of fine grade vermiculite or sphagnum moss on top. This way, the seeds germinate in the vermiculite then the roots can move down into the fertilized soil. Firm and level (tap, don't smash) your moistened mix to about 3/4 inch from the top of the pot. The finished mix should be about the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.

Now you're ready. Poke large seeds in one at a time, scatter smaller seeds in a wide container or carve little rows for different types of seeds. If you want to plant small seeds one at a time, look for the pelletized form of the seeds when you go shopping. Planting them one at a time will make transplant easier later on. Also, speaking of transplant time, you'll want to label your seeds now so you can remember later what they were. Cover your seeds with dry vermiculite or sphagnum moss, as necessary. The smaller the seed, the less cover you use; no cover at all for very small seeds, like petunia. Using a spray bottle, mist over the tops of all your pots and slide them into a clear plastic bag. No more watering will be necessary until germination, but be sure to watch them closely.

Keep your planted seeds in a location that is about 65 to 75 degrees F and away from direct sunlight. Once germination has occurred, remove plastic bags and relocate plants to a brightly lit area. They will need about 12 to 18 hours of light everyday, so you will want to use both plant lights and bright sunlight. To keep ungerminated areas out of the light in a pot where some seeds have germinated and some have not, cover the ungerminated areas with a strip of cloth. Be sure to keep your seedlings moist, but never soggy.

Once they are large enough to handle, seedlings should be transplanted into separate pots. Since they've been babied by you indoors all their lives, before they move outdoors into the garden, these plants will need to be "hardened off." Put them outdoors for a few hours every day in a cool, shady and protected area like a cold frame or other covering device and gradually expose them to increasing levels of the elements over the course of about two weeks. They shouldn't be exposed to temperatures lower than 45 degrees outside or much wind. Reduce watering but don't allow them to wilt. Once hardening is completed, they are ready to go into the garden.