CULT: Stupid Question

Like was said before, no question is "stupid" if one needs to know.

Of the people on this list you might get a dozen different opinions.  I do
seed planting the lazy way--following nature's own pattern.  In
October--anytime during the month before the ground starts to freeze--I plant
the seeds in a pot with about an inch of sand over the seed, but the seed
embedded in a quality germinating medium.

Be sure the germinating/potting medium is *not* laced with pre-emergent
herbicides.  Some are.  I use Pfafard B3 (I probably misspelled Pfafard.
There may be no "P" in front).  The pot needs to be large enough to accomodate
the number of seeds--scattered in the center half of the pot.

Then I make sure the whole thing is as wet as I can get it and still have it
"well drained" then bury the pot almost up to its rim.  A few leaves over the
pot won't hurt--actually helps germination.

The seedlings will sprout in the spring after the soil temperature reaches the
right level--generally in March or April, and will grow quite rapidly.  It is
a good idea during the winter, should a stretch of warm, dry weather occur, to
water the pots every couple of days.  You need to leach away some chemicals in
the seed coat that tend to inhibit germination.  Rain will do this if you have
enough.  Large parts of the U.S. or Australia won't have enough natural rain,
so watering the pots is an urgent necessity.

As early as you can handle the babies, line them out in the garden in a row
with the seedlings about six inches apart.  I usually make a zig-zag double
row, but the straight line is easier to handle.

Quality soil that will grow good tomatoes will grow good iris too.

There are lots of other methods.  Chill is required if you live too far south,
but the seeds have to have been leached of those inhibitory chemicals, at
least partly, before chill.  That's the only reason some use refrigerator.

The various methods, "burrito" method and so on can be found in the archives.
Just do a search for seed sprouting or some such phrase and you will learn
more than you ever wanted to know!

Best of luck--and by the way, some seeds won't germinate until the second or
third year, so if your percentage is low, don't throw out the pot.  Put it
back in the seedling bed and let it remain moist all summer.

Neil Mogensen  z 7 western NC mountains

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