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Re: Help!!! Information on starting seedlings

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html


In a message dated 11/28/1998 9:08:28 PM, you wrote:

<<I have lots of seeds.

* What should I plant them in?  I have heard that one can purchase little

containers for each seedling, but is there another alternative?

There are alway alternatives.

AAAhhhh, Nothing like getting ready for planting.  My first suggestion is to
read the back of each seed package.  Some plants do not transplant well, like
carrots, make sure the package says you can start them indoors.  Most seed
packages have a map that gives you an idea of when to plant outdoors or a
suggestion to start them indoors.   You need to know how long the seeds take
to germinate or  sprout.  More about this in a minute.  A calendar that you
can make notes on is helpful here.  Most seeds need two things to get going,
moisture and heat, some need light too, again read the back of the package.

What kind of budget do you have????  How about space???  Time????  All  you
really have to do is scratch up some soil, drop the seeds in, cover and nature
does the rest.  But what fun is that.

How big is your garden going to be????  A pencil, a tablet of paper and some
good old fashion planning helps here.  Make a plan, then work your plan. Take
a picture of before planting, during the season and after your garden dies
back, helps in planning next year. NOTE: EVERYONE HAS SOME FAILURES!!!!!  Try
again next year,  but no matter how hard you try, cactus, do not grow well in
Maine.  Grow plants that grow well in your area.


* What media should I use?  I have heard that peat moss is suggested.  What

do you folks think?

I lean toward a commercial seed starting "mix" in the brown 6 packs, in a tray
(anything my wifes not baking in) of water,  cellophane over the top of the 6
packs and placed on top of the refrigerator for seed starting. Check once a
week.  Once sprouted, I remove the cellophane, move them into direct, shear
curtain filtered sun light until planting.  My method is not for a huge
garden, but it works for me.  Label the trays too so you don't forget what's
in them, an indelible marker helps, so do the peel off address labels.  I've
also used the white seed starters from Park seed.  They did well too.


* Should I purchase some of those purple fluorescent bulbs and place them

above my seedlings?  If so, how far from the containers?

Does anyone who has actually done something like this have a tried and

proven method?>>

If you can afford all this, I would suggest you patronize a local garden
center (NOT WAL MART ETC) and buy your plants.  The plants have had the best
of care under the best possible growing conditions and you can view them
before purchase.  Most proprietors are degreed horiculturists and they know
what they are doing, and a valuable source of information when there's a
problem.  Time is a problem for me right now, for $50 and one weekend I can
put in a nice garden.

Happy Gardening and keep the list informed on how you are doing.

Ed in SW Illinois


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