Okay, so you want to start some seeds. First, a few basics. Most people have scattered entire seed packets in an area, getting a fair number of little green seedlings. This process works okay if you don’t mind shelling out $3 a packet each time you do it, and are okay with spotty germination.
With a little planning and some information, you can save money and conserve the seed packet for the entire season, on up to 3-4 years. My method gets you starting seeds indoors because the temperature remains fairly stable and most seeds germinate well in household temperatures.
Let’s start with a few basics first:
1) Seeds need a moist environment to germinate. No-brainer, right? Not too moist though – they can’t be soaking in water, so make sure most of the water is soaked up and not lingering in the tray. Sometimes soil can take a little while to soak up all the water, so wait a few minutes before thinking about dumping out extra water. One way to keep your soil moist and prevent from drying out, which is often the cause of seeds failing to germinate, is to cover the soil. You can use plastic wrap, ziploc or other clear bags, or special covers.
2) The type of soil used to start seeds needs to be light. You can buy a seed starting mix, but this is essentially peat moss, vermiculite and perlite. Actually most soil mixes contain these three items, with other heavier soils making up a small percentage of the mix. Perlite is the little white “rocks” you see in soil bags. It is a sterile mineral that is mined, heated until it “pops” like popcorn, and is toxic to breathe in (so no huffing that freshly opened bag of perlite). Vermiculite is also a mineral, close to mica (remember your geology classes?), and is mined largely outside the US. Peat moss what happens when sphagnum moss is finely shredded. All of these are not really sustainable or eco-friendly. But these are what MANY nurseries use when growing plants. Almost all the veggie starts you buy will have been grown in these mixes. I’ve looked into alternatives, but you definitely pay the price (fired clay pellets, bricks of shredded coconut shells).
3) Once seeds have germinated, the moisture content of the soil needs to go down. Remove any covers you placed over the seeds and allow the soil to dry out a bit. However, keep a close watch to make sure the soil doesn’t completely dry out.
4) Light: Once seedlings have germinated, they need light. You can look into a grow light (see below for pricing) or place the seeds in a VERY bright window, preferrably south facing. If the seedlings get too leggy (tall and spindly), they don’t have enough light and may not do well in the longrun.
Stay tuned for some specifics on the equipment you’ll need. And find out how to make those little blocks of soil.
