Seed Starting Guide
3 Key Needs to start seeds
container to plant in
You can start seeds in almost any type of container, as long as it's at least 2-3" deep and has some drainage holes. You can purchase seed starting pots at the garden center or if you are frugal, you can easily use any small container like an old yogurt cup or egg cartons to plant seeds in.
If growing in peat pots, you may need to check the soil moisture often. These pots tend to dry out faster. Also, if the pots are too saturated often, they can grow mold quicker.
If mold begins to grow in the soil, increase airflow and reduce the frequency of watering.
Seed Starting mix
Seeds depend on the soil that they are given to grow properly. Not all soils sold in the garden center are equal. They often have their own special to do. Choose a seedstarting mix that's made for germinating seeds. Do not use soil from your garden or re-use potting soil from your houseplants. It could pose a risk of disease for your seeds.
Before filling your containers, use a bucket or tub to moisten the planting mix. The goal is to get it moist but not saturated. Then begin to fill the seed starting pots.
Sunlight/lights/heat
Seedlings need a lotof light. If you're growing in a window, choose a south-facing exposure. Rotate the pots regularly to keep plants from leaning into the light. If seedlings don't get enough light, they will grow leggy and have weak stems.
If you're growing under lights, adjust them so they're just a few inches above the tops of the seedlings. Set the lights on a timer timer for 15 hours a day. Remember, seedlings need darkness, too, so they can rest. As the seedlings grow taller, raise the lights.
Adding a heat mat under the pots/trays help keep the soil warmer and greatly helps the germinantion of the seed. Some seeds like peppers need warm soil for successful germination.
Steps to starting seeds
1. Plant before Frost date
When starting seeds indoors, you are basically giving them a head start of growing thats often before the last frost date. Most seed packets will explain when to plant them. Usually, it will say something like, "Plant inside six to eight weeks before last frost." Not all seeds are recommended to start indoors such as beans, corn and carrots. Its best to plant them directly into the garden (Direct Sow) after the last frost date.
2. plant the seeds
Check the seed packet to see how deep you should plant your seeds. Some seeds require light for germination and should be sprinkled on the soil surface like chamomile. Other seeds may need to be buried under 1/8- 1 inch of soil. Before planting, create a little divot in the center of the soil before planting. then gently cover the soil over the seed.
Moisten the newly planted seeds with a mister or slowly with a small watering can. To assist with germination, a humidity dome that fits over the seed-starting tray. This helps keep the seeds moist before they germinate. Once seeds have germinated and you see leaves, remove the cover to allow air to circulate.
3. water the seeds
Keep the soil moist while the seeds germinate. As the seedlings sprout, water the seedlings every other day to keep the plants well watered but without over saturating.
4. Transplant to larger pots
If your plants begin to outgrow their pots before the last frost date arrives, supply the plants with slightly larger pots and transplant to allow the plant to grow without becoming root bound.
5. Begin to prepare plants for planting
It is highly reccomended to prepare your seeds for the great outdoors before planting. If you take your plants from inside directly to the outside without preparing them, they can suffer from shock and quickly die or their growth stunted.
This process of preparing your seeds is called Hardening off. About a week or two before you decide to transplant the seedlings into the garden, place them in a protected spot outdoors (partly shaded, out of the wind) for a few hours, bringing them in at night. If the sun heats up, be sure to check on their water levels as seed starting cells can dry up quickly. Gradually, over the course of 7- 10 days, expose them to more and more sunshine and wind.
Frequent Seed Starting issues
My seedlings are spindly. What can I do?
Tall, spindly seedlings is almost always caused by light, or the lack thereof.
Having overcrowded seedlings can have the same results. Try sowing one 1-2 seeds per cell. Too many seeds causes the seedlings to compete which will make them grow taller than their counterpart. When seedlings do not receive enough direct light they will begin to stretch out reaching for the nearest light source.It's this stretching for the light that causes the seedling to become taller and spindly. When raising seedlings indoors place them directly under a fluorescent light.
Having overcrowded seedlings can have the same results. Try sowing one 1-2 seeds per cell. Too many seeds causes the seedlings to compete which will make them grow taller than their counterpart. When seedlings do not receive enough direct light they will begin to stretch out reaching for the nearest light source.It's this stretching for the light that causes the seedling to become taller and spindly. When raising seedlings indoors place them directly under a fluorescent light.
My seedlings were growing fine until all of a sudden they begin to wilt at the base. What happened?
When the stems of young seedlings become withered and topple over, they have probably been killed by a soil-borne fungus called "damping off." This fungus is difficult to eradicate once it is present in the soil, but you can avoid it by using a sterile, soilless growing medium, and by providing good air circulation. Use new seed starting soil.
Mold is growing on the top of the soil surface. It doesn't appear to be hurting my plants, but should I be concerned?
Mold indicates that the soil is too wet. It will not harm your plants as long as you take action. Withhold water for a few days and try to increase air circulation around the containers by using a small fan. You can also scrape off some of the mold or try transplanting the seedlings into fresh soil.
The leaves on my tomatoes are starting to look purple along the veins and on the underside of the leaves. What's going on?
Purple leaves indicate that the plant is not receiving enough phosphorus. Try adding a fertilizer with extra phosphorus early in the seedlings life.
Help! none of my seeds germinated. What should i do?
There are a number of factors that can affect seed germination. First, check the seed packet to determine if all the requirements for temperature and light were met. If the soil was cold and excessively wet, the seeds may have rotted. Dig up one of the seeds and examine it. If it is swollen and soft, the seed has rotted and you will need to start over. If the soil was too dry, the seeds may not have germinated or may have dried up before their roots could take hold.
If the seeds are old, they may no longer be viable. Try again and be sure to provide consistent moisture. Some seeds need a particular temperature to germinate, keep a heat mat under the seed tray to ensure soil is warm enough for seed germination.