Keys to Preparing Your Starting Mix and Seed Cells

The most important thing you can do when starting seeds indoors is to make sure the seed starting mix and seed cells are well prepared before planting the seeds. The video highlights the key aspects to this process fully. Following these steps will get your seeds germinating in no time.

Here are the three keys and a personal tip:

Pre-moisten your starting mix before you use it. Dry starting mix will delay germination and it slows initial water absorption. It will work if you use dry mix but it will take longer to get things rolling.

Thumb-pack your starting cells. Make sure you fill the seed cells and then press the starting mix into the bottom of the cell with your thumb. Refill and you know have a well packed and stable starting base for your seeds to be planted and germinate.

Water from the bottom. Watering from the top only splashes the seeds and seed mix all over the place and it takes a lot more of your time to water that way. It also spreads disease. Just fill the seed flat with water and let the seed cells absorb water from the bottom. Whatever isn't absorb after 20-30 minutes, just dump out.

My tip from experience is NOT to use the seed dome. It only creates a disease filled humid environment that aids in 'damping off' diseases.

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Seed Starting Coleus Indoors: Save Money!

A great way to save money is to start vegetables indoors. If you don't want vegetables then seed starting flowers will also save you a lot of money. Coleus are expensive to buy at nurseries. They make great seeds to start indoors.

You will have to spend about $10 if you need all the supplies in the pictures. If you already have the materials, you might have to spend $3 for seeds and soil. You can easily spend $30, $40 or more on Coleus for your annual beds. Once you buy the seed  trays and cells, you can re-use them for many years.

You might notice my blogs follow what I am doing at the moment for 2013. It is seed starting time here in Maryland. It isn't quite time to start this year's Coleus. They grow well and don't like any cold as in under 60 degrees. I collected my Coleus seeds from last year's plants so I am looking forward to free seed.

Coleus transplants are expensive to buy from nurseries. They do great indoors as seed starts.So why not give it a try? I over seed my cells as you can see and then divide the cell plugs into 2 and put them in cups. I pretty much put in about 7-10 seeds per cell and lightly mix them in to a 1/4 inch. They germinate and grow well indoors.

That is one pack of seeds that made 36 plugs. The total cost... maybe $3. You can end up with 72 clumps of plants or more, depending on how you want to divide them up. Cheap!

Coleus Seeds - Our Tomato & Vegetable Garden Blog

Coleus Seed Start Plugs - My Tomato & Vegetable Garden Blog

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Video: How to Seed Start Tomatoes and Pepper Indoors

You should start your tomatoes and peppers indoors about 6-8 weeks before you have 50 degree nights. Tomato and peppers like the warmth and even if you can protect them from the frost and get them out early... if the night temperatures are too low, the plants will just sit.

The warm nights and soil is what they need to really start growing. If you have more room to hold transplants indoors or sheltered, you can start them 8-10 weeks early but the ground they go in needs to be warm.

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Video: Starting Herbs & Perennials Indoors - Seed Mix & Planting Techniques

Starting Herbs and Perennials Indoors

Seed Mix & Planting Techniques

Starting seeds indoors will save you a lot of money that can be used for other things in the garden. It is easy to do and pretty inexpensive. You can re-use a lot of the materials year after year.

This video covers seed mix preparation, filling your seed cells and some basic planting techniques. Watering, fertilizing, lighting and transplanting will be subjects of future videos. So please check back!

Most seed starting mixes come dry. It is important to pre-moisten your starting mix before you fill your cells. It helps with preparing the cells for planting and seed germination.

It is also important to bottom water your planted vegetable seed cells. Watering from the top can splash out seeds, it is time consuming and it creates an environment for diseases like 'damping off' disease. It kills seedlings.

Most seeds should be planted 6-8 weeks before outdoor planting is viable. However, some seeds take 2-3 to germinate and grow slowly. Herbs like oregano and thyme fit this bill. You can start a lot of seeds 10-12 weeks early so they are ready come spring.

Finally, over-seeding is a technique I use for extremely small seeds. You don't always want to plant 1 seed in cell.




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Video: Coconut Seed Husk Brick for Seed Starting Vegetable Seeds

This video reviews a 'Seed Starting Coconut Husk Brick' by Burpee. It is makes 8 quarts of very absorbent seed starting mix.

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99 Vegetable Garden Tips!

Under Construction for Feb 2013. This page will bring you tips on vegetable gardening as they are found in our Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens Community.



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Build Your First Garden!

Coming Soon Feb 2013. Still Building. Why not book mark us and check back?



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Facts About Starting Seeds Indoors

Facts About Seed Starting Indoors


Seed starting indoors will save you a lot of money and it isn't difficult to do. You need four things for it to be a successful experience.

1. Seed Trays and Flats
2. Sterile Seed Starting Mix
3. Seeds (but of course)
4. And Sunlight

 Here are some pictures to give you a visual on what you will need.

Seed Flats and Trays - Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Garden

These seed flats (the big rectangles) are life-savers for seed starting. They hold the cells and typically there are 72 cells (left of picture) that you fill with the seed starting mix and plant. The flats are absolutely needed for bottom watering.

Never water the seeds your are starting from above. You not only run the risk of splashing the seeds out but you set up an environment for 'damping off disease'. It is the white fuzzy fungus that grows on the stems of your new seedlings. It kills them. End of story. Fill the flat from the bottom and forget it for a week.

A Small Flat & Seed Tray - Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Garden

If you don't need a big set up as many of us don't, you can buy a 6 pack with a tray. The same principles apply. You can see the water in the flat in the picture. I recycle and reuse these year after year.

Seed Starting Mix - Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Garden

See my thumb... gee your... ah I'm old and that was from my childhood. You can buy any seed starting mix that you find at your local stores. It is sterile and typically very very dry. Before you put in the cells, like above, add water to it and let it get saturated. If you don't do that it will have a hard time absorbing water from the bottom... it is that dry. I typically put it in a large container, add water and mash it around with my hand.

My thumb is important. Fill the seed trays with the seed starting mix and then press every cell down with your thumb and refill the tray. If you don't do this your seed starting mix will be too loose. You run the risk of the seeds dropping down to the bottom of the cell and you give the roots less mix to grow in.

Starting Pepper Seeds - Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Garden

I am planting pepper seeds in the pictures. Plant more seeds than you need and thin to 1 or 2 plants depending on what your are planting for large vegetables. You plant a few extra so you have a better chance of getting a germinating seed. You simply thin the extra plants out. I place the seeds on the medium and press them in with a stick. Just follow the seed pack directions for depth.

Water and Light - Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Garden

You need to use an indoor grow light or a windowsill that provides 8 our of sunlight. Make sure the plants get light and you water them from the bottom. Before you know it, you will have hundreds of plants ready to be transplanted and you will save 100's of dollars.

Lupines and Carnations - Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Garden

Heirloom Tomatoes - Google+ Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens

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How to Get Your Blog Link on This Blog

If you have a blog or website and want to have it shown here like the blogs on the left.... please join the google+ community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens and leave your site link here in the comment section.

Thanks
Gary



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Cool Season Vegetable Crops: Facts and Planting

Cool Season Vegetable Crops: Facts and Planting

by Gary Pilarchik

A  Mix of Cool Weather Vegetables: The Rusted Garden

What Makes A  Vegetable a Cool Weather Vegetable?
The cell structures of vegetables differ in that some vegetables have plant cells that will burst if they freeze or get frosted. Cool weather vegetables tend to have the ability to freeze without celldamage. They are designed for the cooler temperatures.

Fully Frozen and Survived: The Rusted Garden

Cool season vegetables prefer the cooler weather. This group of vegetables grows best and tastes their best with 40-50 degree (F) nights and 60-70 degree (F) days. Cool weather vegetables can bebroken into two sub-categories which are Hardy and Semi-Hardy.

Why Can’t I Plant Them When It Is Hot??
Many of the cool weather vegetables try and set seed when it gets warm. Lettuces, for example, don’t mature to full heads and grow quickly to flower and set seeds when the warmth comes. This is aprocess called ‘bolting’. Most lettuces will also become bitter tasting when it is get regularly warm.

Radishes become woody and also ‘bolt’. The cool weather allows vegetables time to mature slowly and it inhibits (slows) the ‘bolting’ process. Kale is a hardy cool weather crop that tastes sweeter when‘cool grown’ but it can be grown through the whole season in many locations.

Hardy Cool Weather Vegetables: This group of vegetables can manage with 40 degree days and can survive a good frost or two. Many vegetables in this group can over-winter in your garden and bring you early spring greens. Vegetables in this group can be planted up to 4 weeks before the average last frost date in your area. You can probably even get away with 6 weeks if you like pushing garden limits.

Semi-Hardy Cool Weather Vegetables: This group of vegetables doesn’t fare as well with frost although they can handle a light frosting with minimal damage. They prefer day time temperatures in the 50’s and nights that don’t fall below 40 degrees, although they can handle the cold 30’s. Vegetables in this group can be planted up to 2 weeks before the average last frost date in your area.

A Cool Weather Tip
In places with warm to hot summers, you actually have two cool weather seasons. I plant in Maryland Zone 7. I can start my cool weather planting March 1st and I can plant them again mid August for a fall cool season. I actually plant at this time to also establish vegetables that I will let over-winter.

Different Types of Cool Weather Vegetables

The exact split, between hardy (H) and semi-hardy (SH), and where to place a vegetable in the sub-categories is debated. It is best used for general planting guidelines and understanding they simply like the cool weather. My guidelines for each vegetable is based on my growing area (Zone 7). I am giving you the general range for first planting of these vegetables. You can plant successive crops every 2 weeks as you wish based on you planting zone.

Some Cool Weather Vegetable Crops: The Rusted Garden

Asparagus (H) (Perennial) It takes about 3 years to establish a viable crop. It is a perennial plant that will start sending up stalks in March when planted the previous year. If you are planting it for the first time to establish it your garden, it is best to use transplants. You can grow them from seed in cell trays. They should be planting in the garden in May.

Arugula (SH) It can be started indoors and planted in the garden 2 weeks before last frost date. You can also plant seeds at the same time.

Beets (SH) It can be planted as seeds 2 weeks before last frost date. I have had success growing transplants.

Bok Choy (Pak Choi) (H) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Broccoli (H) It is best planted as a transplant 4 weeks before last frost date. I would not recommend starting it as seeds in the ground in Zone 7.

Brussels sprouts (SH) It is best planted as a transplant 2 weeks before last frost date. I would not recommend starting it as seeds in the ground in Zone 7.

Cabbage (H) It is best planted as a transplant 4 weeks before last frost date. I would not recommend starting it as seeds in the ground in Zone 7.

Carrots (SH) Carrots should not be grown as transplants. They can be seeded in your garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Cauliflower (H) It is best planted as a transplant 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I would not recommend starting it as seeds in the ground in Zone 7.

Celery (SH) It is best planted as a transplant 2 weeks before last frost date. I would not recommend starting it as seeds in the ground in Zone 7.

Cilantro (SH) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Collard Greens (H) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Fennel (H) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Kale (H) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Kohlrabi (H) It can be started indoors and planted in the garden 2 weeks before last frost date. You can also plant seeds at the same time.

Lettuce (H) It can be started indoors and planted in the garden 4 weeks before last frost date. You can also plant seeds at the same time.

Mustard Greens (H) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Onions (H) If you are using bulbs you can plant them 6 weeks before last frost date. I have not used seeds.

Parsley (H) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Peas (H) They should be planted directly in the ground 4 weeks before last frost date. Peas do not like soggy cold soil.

Potatoes (SH) They should be planted directly in the ground 4 weeks before last frost date.

Radishes (H) They should be planted directly in the ground 4 weeks before last frost date.

Spinach (H) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Chard (SH) It can be planted as seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date. I do recommend growing it indoors and transplanting it into the garden 2-4 weeks before last frost date.

Turnips (H) They should be planted directly in the ground 4 weeks before last frost date

More Cool Weather Vegetable Crops: The Rusted Garden

Please let me know what other cool weather vegetables I missed. I would be glad to add them to the list.



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Fellow G+ Gardners... The Beta Test

I am designing this blog as an adjunct to the G+ Community: Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens.

I will host your blogs if you wish. Just leave the full link here in a comment and I will post it like mine over on the right.

I would be glad to host you original posts. I need them in HTML format. But I would be asking for that in a few weeks.

Please leave any ideas you have for the blog in the comments. I will be looking for some cool HTML to make drop down menus and all that. If you know of a good site... please let me know.

Thanks
Have great 2013 season.




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Video: How to Build an Inexpensive Garden Grow Light Station

How to Build an Inexpensive 
Garden Grow Light Station

This video shows you how to build a mobile grow light station you can put anywhere in your house for under $40. It will cover two seed trays worth of future transplants. You can save 100's of dollars by growing your own transplants. The video shows you how to construct the light station.

I will be making future videos to show you how to set and manage the seed trays of future transplants. This is my first 2013 gardening video. I plan to make videos of all aspects of vegetable gardening. Why not join my channel and groups.

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