Saturday, February 11, 2012

Seed Starting tips.




It is about that time of year again! Gardening time but first you are thinking about starting you garden from seed indoors and then transplanting them into your garden outside. There are something’s you will need to know first like what type of plants can be started from seed, how to start them, and what to do to have them ready to stick in the ground.

            First let’s talk about what should be started or can be started from seed first.  Most plants can be started indoors or in a greenhouse (heated at night), but there are some plants you cannot start from seed indoors and then transplant into your garden they are: any greens like collards, turnips, lettuces and beans are always better to just start in your garden after last frost due to damage of roots these plants are better not to transplant and will do better starting right from your garden.  Now that being said just like some plants should not be started indoors or in a greenhouse there are some plants like tomatoes, and peppers should be started indoors mainly due to the time to get to mature and will help them do better in the ground by jump starting them indoors helps them produce more and faster and resist disease.

            Now there are something’s you will need to get before one starts planting and that is some seed starting tray’s, soil, seed, and maybe even seed heating pads to keep them warm at night. Then you are ready to start mixing your soil and plant some seed in the trays. Try to keep them between 60-70 degrees to get the best results.

            Time to put them in the ground before you do that especially if you have them indoors is to begin to harden them which allows them to get use to the sun and outdoor temps. When doing this do it slow at first bring the plants out and set in the shade and as each day passes for about a two week period continue to give them more and more sun, which allows them to adapt to the sun and outdoors once this is done and the last frost has happened one afternoon after the hot part of the day put them in the ground give some water and watch them grow.

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