Plants From Scratch: Part II

OK, you've gotten your seed catalogs and ordered the seeds. They have arrived and you are itching to begin growing things. Well, there are a few considerations you should think about before sticking those seeds in soil.

Starting seeds indoors is not much different than sowing outdoors. You still need soil, moisture, light, warmth, and nutrients. Don't use garden soil for starting seeds. It's not sterile and you may be bringing pests and disease indoors with it. Consistent seedling emergence requires a light fluffy medium. Use a good professional potting soil like Peters or Pro-Mix.

As with seeds, prices for soiless mix vary wildly, but so does quality. I've found I have better germination success sticking to a name brand of sterile mix rather than buying a cheap generic one. Usually the larger the bag the lower the price per ounce. Many of the big chain stores, discount and hardware, have pretty good deals on name brand potting soil. However, you may have to go to a garden center to get really big bags and this might be the better buy. It will depend on how much of the stuff you're going to use. I go through a couple of bales worth a season, so I buy mine through a garden center. I also like the idea of giving my trade to a local business rather than some multinational conglomerate.

Another essential for starting plants indoors is a container (http://www.parkseed.com). Anything that holds potting soil in and lets water out will do. Some materials work better than others. If you're recycling containers, other than homemade newspaper pots, you must be able to sterilize them. This leaves out egg cartons and any cardboard that's not waxed or plastic coated.

I prefer plastic 6-cell nursery packs. They're reusable, inexpensive from my local nursery or seed catalog, and I can scrub them with a 10% bleach solution for sterilization. Avoid clay pots. Without constant vigilance they'll dry out, and dry seeds don't germinate. I do use recycled containers and my favorites are soda bottles. Cut 2-3 inches off the top and bottom, retaining the cap. Poke a hole in the bottom, fill with potting soil, plant your seeds, and place the capped top over it. Now you have a mini greenhouse. Whatever you choose for pots, make sure you have a drainage hole about the size of a dried pea in the bottom.

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