The Madman’s Seed Starting Don’ts

The madman says the Ides of March are fast approaching. Trees are beginning to bud. Crocuses are up. Bees are out. Migrators are returning. And even the bears are out. Time to get going on seeds.

In a mere two months, we will hit the last frost date. As you know, it will then be safe to put out transplants. But, if you don’t start seeds at the right time, you won’t have healthy plants to set out. If you plan to start seeds, the madman has a few Don’ts for you. (You realize these are based on experience.) We call them Seed Starting Don’ts.

Seed Starting Don’t #1

Don’t plant your seeds too early. Bet you are thinking that ship has already sailed. Technically, for a few varieties, it has. But you can always play catch-up with those. Remember, some seeds are started 10 weeks before last frost, some 8 weeks before, some 6 weeks and others 4 weeks. And then, there are those you sow outside 2 weeks before the last frost. And a whole bunch do best when directly sown after last frost and beyond. How do you know what’s what? That brings the madman to his next of his Seed Starting Don’ts.

Seed Starting Don’t #2

Don’t forget to read the seed packet. Here, you’ll find a wealth of information such as when to sow, how to sow and where to sow. The same information is also in the seed catalogs, but the madman prefers the seed packet. For example, some lettuce varieties germinate best in light and lobelia seeds like to be pressed into the soil. But tougher seeds like peas, beans and nasturtiums like the darkness of being buried. Most of these also come with a suggestion of soaking or nicking the seed coat before planting. You get this information from the seed packet.

Seed Starting Don’t #3

Don’t use the wrong soil. At one time, the madman thought it was okay to go dig up some garden soil to use for seed starting. Sometimes he would even cook it in the oven to sterilize it. Do you know how bad that smells? Just don’t do it.

Instead, visit your local garden center and get sterilized potting medium for best results. You will have fewer problems with this. Lately, the madman has been mixing his starting soil with coir. Coir is a self-sustaining resource made from coconut husks. Like peat moss, it lightens the soil and helps retain moisture. Unlike peat it is a renewal resource, and the madman wants to garden responsibly. The use of coir brings us to the next of his Seed Starting Don’ts.

Seed Starting Don’t #4

Don’t mess up on water. Not too much, not too little. Your seedlings are sensitive. A very wet soil can block the flow of oxygen through the plant and cause root rot. On the other hand, dry soil impedes nutrient and water uptake, causing plants to shrivel and die. How do you know what’s right? Difficult question. If the surface of the growing medium is dry to the touch, it is time to water. The madman checks his seedlings at least once a day. Remember he’s a madman – therefore, he has seedlings all over the place. The seedlings in our damp basement live at a uniform temperature under artificial light. They aren’t prone to drying out.  A daily check is good enough for these seedlings.

On the other hand, plants in the two greenhouses are subjected to direct sunlight and large swings in temperature. These require a little more TLC and more frequent visits because the sun can really dry them out. Which leads us to Seed Starting Don’t number five.

Seed Starting Don’t #5

Don’t scrimp on lighting for your plants. Even newly sprouted seedlings need their light. A sunny window is not enough. For a long time, the madman has used 4’ florescent tubes in shop light fixtures. He places these lights 2” above the seedlings to prevent plants from reaching for light. Obviously as the plants grow, the lights have to be adjusted.

He has slowly been switching out the florescent bulbs with LED grow lights. LEDs use less energy and provide a better spectrum of light for the growing plants. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes and reduce the need to maintain the 2” distance between plant and light. Very soon, the madman will move all his seedlings to the greenhouses where light isn’t an issue.

Seed Starting Don’t #6

Don’t forget to feed your seedlings. The three basic needs of every plant are light, water and food. Tucked inside each seed are enough nutrients (food) to give the plant a good start. But once the true leaves appear, the plant will need more energy. You supply the nutrients for that energy with fertilizer. The madman prefers a water-soluble fertilizer he applies while watering his seedlings. A weekly dose meets his and his plants’ needs. As he adds the weekly fertilizer, the madman likes to check the progress of each variety. And that takes us to the next of the Seed Starting Don’ts.

Seed Starting Don’t #7

Don’t forget to label your plants. Believe it or not, labeling is a tricky business. The madman says your memory is not nearly as good as you think it is. Freshly sprouted seeds all look alike. And, you will never remember that you planted your Cherry tomatoes to the right of your Roma tomatoes which are to the right of the Indigo Rose. If you label them, you will.

The madman has never had a discussion with another gardener who doesn’t mention the break down of a labeling system. Labels get dislodged, worn out, faded or moved by squirrels. And, then, there was the master gardener who dropped an entire tray of peppers. Guess what happened to his labels?

The madman’s go-to labels for his seedlings are 4”x5/8” white plastic labels marked with a #2 lead pencil. Permanent markers fade in the sun and cleaning them is a pain. You see, the madman uses his labels year after year.

I don’t like to use white labels in my flower beds. Here, I’m more likely to rely on pre-cut wooden labels or tongue depressors which are big and sturdy. I do use the madman’s #2 pencils for labeling. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly fool proof because deer knock them over and squirrels move them. Good thing I garden for fun. And that brings us to the last of his Seed Starting Don’ts.

Seed Starting Don’t #8

Unless you do this for a living, don’t make it a chore. Gardening is personal so plant what you like, eat what you can and take the time to enjoy the wildlife that visits your garden.

Our spring flowers are showing up. Time to grab some hot cocoa and see what’s out there.