Tips on Starting Plants from Seed

Description: Want to get your garden started early? Try starting your plants from seed indoors.

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(NC)-Many veteran gardeners prefer to grow from seed, for a number of reasons:

• A bigger variety of plants to choose from.
• Much lower costs, so you can fill a larger area of garden on a budget.
• You can start gardening earlier in the spring.
• A greater sense of accomplishment.
• Just plain fun!

Here's a brief "how to" guide to get you started:

Supplies:

Pick up a supply of growing trays and mini-pots at your garden centre. Make sure they're the kind that allow good drainage. Also get some premium quality seed starting mix - important to prevent seedlings being attacked by soil-borne disease or fungus. Another staple for experienced growers is No-Damp, a fungicide used on seedlings to prevent a common fungal plant disease called damping-off.

Planting:

Depending on the type of plant, start seeds 4 to 8 weeks before the last frost if you plan to move them outdoors. If you plan to keep your plants inside, start anytime.

Nearly-fill each compartment of your tray/mini-pots with seed starting soil. Sprinkle a few seeds into each compartment/pot and cover with a little soil. Water well and cover each tray/pot with clear plastic. Store in a warm place.

Once the seedlings have appeared, uncover them and move to a sunny spot, turning trays/pots regularly. Watering them with a solution of Plant-Prod Plant Starter Fertilizer 10-52-10 to encourage root development will also make them much healthier when you move the seedlings outside.

Transfer to larger pots when the seedlings are 7-9 cm (3-4 inches) tall.

Moving seedlings into the garden:

Two weeks before you're ready to transplant, 'harden" your new seedlings by taking them outdoors for a few hours each day.

When there is no longer any risk of frost, take the seedlings out of the pots and plant them into the garden. Use a special transplanting fertilizer such as Wilson Transplanter with Roots to stimulate root growth and reduce transplant shock.

Perennials started from seed will usually re-grow larger the following spring, and spread rapidly if conditions favour their growth. You can also try harvesting seeds from your annual plants and vegetables (except for hybrid varieties) for replanting the following year.

Reprinted with permission from News Canada.

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