Seed Starting Tips – #2

Here are a few more tips for growing plants from seed.

How Big is It?  Did you know that in most cases the size of the seed tells how to plant it? In general, very tiny seeds get sprinkled on the surface of the soil and gently patted onto the top of the dirt. Medium size seeds are covered with a very fine layer of soil and larger seeds get poked down into the ground. A good rule of thumb is to cover the seed with soil that is as deep as the seed is thick.

Some Like It Hot  Many seeds germinate better when they are kept warm. In nature it makes sense that warmer soil temperatures are the clue for seeds to sprout…this would prevent things from germinating during those one or two warm days in February when the small seedlings would just get killed by a sudden plunge back to winter. If the seeds wait until the ground is warm, that means they are more likely to grow when it’s truly spring and early summer.

Seed starters who are growing their plants inside can take advantage of this cue to sprout by putting their seed starting trays on warm mats. Be sure to use mats or trays that are intended for this purpose – they keep the soil at the right temperature and are waterproof.

Some Like It Cold  Some seeds need a chilling period to sprout well. If your seed package says that the contents germinate better with a cold period, or that they require “stratification” it’s usually pretty easy to provide. Sow your seeds as early in the winter as possible (In January or February on Cape Cod) using damp seed starting mix.

Cover the pots or flats with plastic, or slip the flat into a plastic garbage bag and put it outside in a shady spot. On the north side of the house often works well. Check inside the covering after about three weeks to make sure the soil is still moist. Bring the flat inside if seeds are sprouting, or after the specified chilling period is over.