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seed starting

This note was sent to the gardens listserv when someone requested
gardening hints and tips, but I thought you might also find it
interesting.
>>>Encoding: 23 TEXT
>>>Date:         Mon, 28 Apr 1997 13:29:12 -0500
>>>Reply-To: Gardens & Gardening <GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU>
>>>Sender: Gardens & Gardening <GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU>
>>>From: Susan Campanini <campanin@NTX1.CSO.UIUC.EDU>
>>>Subject:      Re: Garden Hints & Tips
>>>To: Multiple recipients of list GARDENS <GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU>
>>>
>>>A few small garden hints for starting seeds indoors:
>>>
>>>When wetting soil in plastic six packs or other small pots BEFORE
>>>sowing, use HOT tap water, soaked up through the bottom.  This gives a
>>>head start on germination because of warming the soil.
>>>
>>>Also, after sowing fine seed (such as rock garden plants), sprinkle with
>>>TURKEY GRIT to hold seed in place and, using a fine mister to avoid
>>>disturbing the seed at all, spray top surface with hot tap water (just
>>>the first time, not for later waterings!) to help break down chemicals
>>>in the tiny seed coverings that inhibit germination.
>>>
>>>For leguminous seeds (such as lathyrus, astragalus, oxtropis, lupine,
>>>thermopsis, baptisia, etc.), rub the seed against a fine emery board or
>>>a piece of fine textured emery cloth before sowing.  This breaks the
>>>coating so the warm water can get inside and dissolve the inhibiting
>>>chemicals.
>>>
>>>Susan Campanini
>>>in east central Illinois
>>>zone 5b, min temp -15F?
>>>e-mail: campanin@uiuc.edu
>>>
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