March 6, 2011

Seed Starting Techniques

I’m often asked how I start seeds. I took some photos to illustrate the process the other night. So, here is my tried and true seed starting process.

I use small plastic containers with lids. I buy these containers at the dollar store. There are 10 in each package. The package costs $1. The containers are washable, easy to sterilize with hydrogen peroxide and easy to store when not in use. I sit them inside a flat when I am germinating seeds so I can keep all the little containers together and move them easily to check the seeds.

These are luffa seeds on damp paper towels inside the little containers. As you can see they have germianted and are ready to be planted. This method helps prevent waste because you know every single seed you plant is germinated. When you direct sow, you end up with empty spaces where seeds did not germinate leaving you to wonder what happened. Many seeds take weeks, months or even years to germinate. Using this method saves room as well.

Once your seed is germianted, it is time to choose where you will plant the seed. I move them into peat pots filled with my favorite seed starting and growing on mix that I make myself.

This is a peat pot filled with my seed starting and growing on mix which is a combination of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. I add enough perlite and vermiculite so both products are easily visiable to me. For plants, such as cactus that need better drainage, simply add more perlite or vermiculite. The soil is damp, but notice I do not dampen the peat pot at this point.

The next step is to carefully pick up the seed with tweezers making sure not to grab hold of the stem, root or leaves and lay it on top of the soil mixture. If the root is long, as the case is here with this luffa seed, use the tweezers or a pencil to poke a small hole into the soil and lay the root in the hole. Gently press the soil against the root.

Once the seed in place on top of the soil, sprinkle it with vermiculite.

Make sure the entire seed is covered. Do not pour a lot of vermiculite on top of the seed, just put enough so you can no longer see the seed or its root system.

Place the peat pots into a flat filled with water. The peat pots and the vermiculite will soak up the water quickly enough that the seeds roots will not be damaged. It is important to keep the peat pots moist. If they dry out, they will wick the water away from the plants roots and you will end up with a dead plant.

This is what a healthy root system looks like. As you can see the plants roots will grow outside the peat pot. This is what you want to happen. This plant is ready to be potted up into a larger container or moved outdoors into the garden. When planting this peat pot, be sure all parts of the pot are under ground level so moisture is not wicked up above the soil surface where fast evaporation will occur.