starting seeds

it really isn't too hard

you need a clean container that is well drained

i use Styrofoam cups with holes poked in the bottom ( writing the variety and date on the sides with a marker)

viable seeds *** remind me to post a list of the seed places i deal with

a STERILE starting mix either homemade or boughten

some plastic

a marker

a notebook as you do need to keep records of a sort

a warm place and some lights

now

1. fill your container with potting mix....leave a bit of room for later watering
2. WATER thoroughly and let drain................make sure mix is evenly moist
3. read the planting depth and light for that variety (some need light to germinate.........don't cover them with soil)
4. plastic for over the top
5. set in a warm place such as on top of a water heater, plant heating mat...........or over a heat duct, me i just leave them in the studio with the woodstove

some seeds are very tiny, such a carrot.......( those you mix with sand and direct seed anyway)depending on size now
you can poke tiny holes with bamboo skewers or the point of a pencil into the potting soil
check the recommended depth

now i don't cover with soil actually

i sorta water the seed in with tepid water and it fills in the hole a bit

small seeds just sit on the surface

i put a smallish tent of plastic wrap over the little cups which are in waterproof flats to protect the furniture

and i put them under lights............watching excitedly for tiny green things to pop out of the ground

as SOON as they do uncover that cup and put it under lights

i use regular fluorescent tubes one warm white, one cool white........no fancy plant tubes needed....some seeds will gradually need you to cool them off and grow them cool

also do NOT let the babies dry out

cooler growers

cabbage, broccoli, greens, leeks, onions, for example

warmer growers

PEPPERS ( in fact they can take forever to sprout........bottom heat helps)

now that concludes beginners seed starting 101
just remember a lot of things such as beans ( USE the INOCULANT)..... cucumbers, corn, most squashes, root crops:ie: carrots, beets, turnips etc are DIRECT seeded into garden beds

i do sometimes cheat with the pumpkins as well as other squash due to us having a short growing season and start them in gallon milk containers a few weeks before they are due to transplant out.... and i put plastic mulch under them PLUS inject them with BT

oh and DATE to maturity....... for the most part that is roughly an idea how long from TRANSPLANTING in the garden to first harvest

ok?