She listed several reasons for starting seeds rather than buying plants:
- more varieties available
- allow slow-growing varieties to get a head start
- as a hobby, starting seeds is rewarding and enjoyable
- results in an earlier bloom or harvest time than waiting to plant outside.
Heidi showed garden club members a slide show explaining how to start seeds inside. She advised us to keep our plantings manageable, and consider how much time and space we have to devote to this project.
Equipment needed includes: lights, heat mats, growing trays, and soilless mix.
Seeds that are easy to start inside include coleus, geranium, canna lily, coleus, and bacopa. Start geranium and begonia seeds the first week of March.
Perennial seeds that you can start inside include campenella, echanacea, hollyhocks, hibiscus, delphinium, and dianthus.
Because each type of seed has slightly different preferences, follow the growing directions on the back of the package. If in doubt, go to www.veseys.com and check the growing instructions you will find there.
The soil used in starting seeds is not like outside garden soil. Use soilless mix, which is made of peat, perlite, and vermiculite. New plants can grow their roots through this light mix much more easily than heavy garden soil. It is sterile, carries no diseases or weed seeds, and retains water well.
Small seeds generally should not be covered with soil because they need light to germinate. Large seeds can be buried at a depth about twice their height. Pansey and geranium seed germinates best in the dark. Cover the seeds with soil or cover the container until they germinate.
Many plants don't like their roots disturbed when they are transplanted. For them, it is best to start the seeds in peat pots. When it is time to plant outside, tear up the pot a bit and plant the entire container in the ground.
Peat pellets are a good option for growing geraniums and petunias. Before planting, soak the peat pellets in water. They quickly expand and create a perfect container to start a seed.
If seedlings develop yellow leaves, that is a sign of too much watering. The plant may die. Too much or too little water is a major cause of the death of seedlings.
Microgreens are the leaves of lettuce and other plants that are harvested when very small. They are ready to eat in a few weeks and are delicious and nutritious.
To get good seed germination, the soil temperature should be about 17 to 22 C. Other than cole crops, most types of plants will react to bottom heat by germinating more quickly and reliably. Putting a heat mat under the seed tray will heat the soil. Some seeds will not germinate well without bottom heat. Take away the heat mat as soon as the seeds germinate, or the new seedlings will grow too long and spindly.
When preparing the soil for packing into the seed trays, moisten the soil first. Sow the seeds, pat down the soil gently, and cover with the clear plastic dome. The dome helps retain heat and moisture.
Place the seed trays in a bright location. Too little light will result in tall, leggy plants that may fall over. Seedlings need 10 to 12 hours of light per day. If using artificial lights, keep them 2 to 3 inches from the plant.
When the third set of leaves is showing, it is time to begin fertilizing with a weak solution of 20-20-20 balanced fertilizer. Do not over fertilize, and don't let the fertilizer touch the leaves.
Damping off can be a problem. This is a fungal disease caused by too much humidity and too little air circulation. The stems develop a weak point and fall over. To prevent this, water only from the bottom, make sure there is good ventilation, and don't crowd the plants. Use new containers or sterilize used containers with a weak bleach solution before planting. Always use fresh soil. Use water that is room temperature. Make sure the air temperature and light is right for your plants.
Seeds should be stored someplace cool and dry. Many seeds can be saved from one year to the next. However, petunia, carrot, and geranium seeds lose much of their viability in their second year. If in doubt, test the seeds' viability by germinating some in a wet paper towel.
Things to avoid:
- acid soil with a pH of less than 6.5
- watering from the top
- watering with cold water - use room temperature water
- transplanting or taking cuttings when the soil is too wet or too dry
- over watering
- allowing the soil to dry out
- high humidity
- over crowding
- planting too deep
- don't water in the evening. daytime is better.
Some new offerings at Veseys this year include a combination of bacopa and petunia pelleted together.
Large seeds often grow faster if they are soaked first in water for a few hours. For hard seeds like morning glories, file or nick the seeds with a knife to help the seed coat split open. Banana seeds take up to 3 months to germinate.
Heidi talked about growing artichokes, and said that last year was not a successful year for most people who were growing them. It was too hot and dry. Start them in peat pots because they don't like their roots disturbed. Put them outside in mid-May. They can take some frost.
Heidi invites everyone to visit the trial gardens behind Veseys and across the street to take a look at the plantings of flowers and vegetables this summer. Veseys is located on Highway 25 in York, a few kilometres east of Charlottetown.
