Starting Seeds Indoors

Source: readynutrition.com

Although the outside temperatures are not quite warm enough, it is a good time to start the garden indoors. By giving the plants a head start, you will be able to harvest sooner. Transplanting a seedling will increase the chance of survival versus planting the seed in the ground.

Seeds need certain conditions to prompt them to germinate. They need water / moisture and some warm temperature. After they sprout they need some light, additional light will spur them into developing quicker.

Here are some recommended steps:

1. Fill containers with moist sterile soil. Add enough soil to permit the roots to grow. Consider the size of the container, there is a trade off of using small container vs. larger containers, using small ones mean that they will need to be transplanted sooner and the plant will be smaller. Some plants will die due to transplanting especially when there small.

2. After planting, keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Too much moisture increases the chance of mold. Adding vermiculite over the top of the soil increases the water retention and works to maintain the temperature. It is a good idea to label the container so you can identify what was planted. Small plants are hard to differentiate.

3. Another method is to cover the containers with plastic wrap to retain moisture and control temperature. Remove the wrap once the seeds begin to sprout so they have air and light.

4. Move the sprouted plants to a place where they will get more light, some suggest plants get up to 16 hours of light. The more light will cause the plant to produce more leaves and not grow long stems with little foliage. Grow lights are useful it providing a good source and they can be controlled.

5. Now the plants should be ready to transplant, get them accustom to outdoor conditions by taking them outside. Obviously, weather permitting. By exposing them to the conditions before transplanting increases the survival rate.

6. When transplanting take into account how much sunlight they will get and space the plants taking into account how much space the growing plant will require. Place some fertilizer in the hole you are putting the plant in, this will give it a close source of food before the roots can spread out. After transplanting, give the soil a deep soaking of water.

These tips should get you off to a good start.

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