Growing a Garden: Starting from Seed

Seed Choice and Timing

Taking time to research what vegetables you want to grow is essential to a successful garden. It provides you information like planting time, harvest time, and, sometimes, even feeding schedules.

It's best to understand the length of your growing season before purchasing seeds. First, be sure to check the information on the plants you aim to germinate. There are often planting windows where the producer provides a set number of weeks to seed before the last frost. You may also find information about how long the plant takes to produce table ready food. Take this information and ensure your season is long enough to grow and develop a worthwhile crop of the fruits and vegetables you chose. Some plants will simply not produce in certain climates, and it's best to know which ones work for you before you buy your seeds. 

Every plant is different, and, as such, growing time varies. You will find that a typical growing period from seed to ready-to-plant seedling is three to six weeks. This period is necessary to grow a hearty plant ready for outdoors.

Also, see if the plants you plan on growing from seed prefer outdoor germination or "direct sow." Some simply have trouble starting inside and have better chances in the ground. For these, you will need to follow the plant-specific instructions for seeding and germination. Typically, you can seed cold-hardy plants in late winter or early spring, while heat-loving plants are in mid-to-late spring. Some plants even prefer fall planting for a spring crop. Again, check the length of your growing season to guarantee enough time for a proper harvest.

Seed Saving at Home

Perhaps you have been collecting seeds from grocery store vegetables or maybe last year's garden. Amazing! Seed saving is an ancient practice and a great way to develop local heirloom varieties. When planting seeds not produced by an official distributor, there are a few things to consider. First, seeds from grocery store vegetables and fruits may not provide what you're expecting. Remember, grocery food ships from around the world, so some of the varieties may not succeed in your climate. You may even find that some hybridized seeds won't produce a seedling. 

Can I Plant Old Seeds?

What about those seeds tucked away in the desk drawer you forgot? Old seeds run the risk of failing to germinate. There are ways to store your seeds for more extended periods, but if this is your first season, your best bet may be to start with seeds purchased from a reputable source.

How To Choose What To Plant At Home

So, let's assume you want to grow a tomato plant this summer. You know that this heat-loving vegetable doesn't handle frost well and you plan on starting the seeds indoors. The problem is you live in a colder climate, but you know what to do. You go with a quick maturing tomato, like the Scotia variety, which develop in 60-days and place an order for your seeds. But what's next?

Container and Soil

You can start your seeds in purchased planting trays or containers you find around the house. These containers can be old margarine tubs, yogurt cups, or plastic storage containers and are great things to reuse as a means to reduce your waste output. Whatever you plant in has enough room for at least 2-3" of root growth. Also, check and make sure there are drainage holes at the bottom, even if you have to poke them yourself!

If you're reusing an old container, be sure first to clean it with soapy water. This initial cleaning helps wash away potentially harmful microorganisms that could hurt the susceptible seedlings. 

You also need to consider what plants you will be producing in these pots. Lettuce, cucumbers, melons, and sunflowers have sensitive roots and require special care in transplanting. Speaking from experience, growing in trays for these types of plants is not impossible. As the plants mature, you may need to observe them to ensure they don't become rootbound.

What Is the Best Soil Mix to Start Seedlings? 

To begin, you're going to want fresh soil to start your seeds. A sterile soil mix ensures that there are no soil-borne diseases to attack your tender seedlings. For this, you have a few options. One is to buy your soil in bags from your local garden supply.

How To Sterilize Soil For Seeds and Plants

For the do-it-yourselfers who want to try to do it at home, there are various soil sterilization techniques you can try. The sterilization methods below will ensure your soil is free from pests, diseases, and weed seeds.

How To Sterilize Soil With a Pressure Cooker

Steaming your soil is one of the best and most popular ways to sterilize potting soil and can be done with a pressure cooker. Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of the pressure cooker. Then place a shallow pan into the pressure cooker with no more than 4 inches of soil. Cover the pan with tin foil and close the lid with the steam valve open. This allows the steam to escape. Depending on your model, cook at 10 pounds of pressure or on the custom cooking setting for 15 to 30 minutes.

How To Sterilize Soil With an Oven

To sterilize soil in an oven, place the soil onto a baking sheet or pan no more than 4 inches deep and cover with tinfoil. Then bake for 30 minutes at 200 °F (93 °C). After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and let sit until cool with the aluminum foil on. Do not bake at temperatures higher than 200 °F as it could produce toxins.

How To Sterilize Soil With a Microwave

Sterilizing soil in the microwave is an easy and quick process, but may take longer depending on the amount of soil you need to sterilize. Using a microwave-safe container with vents, place moist soil in the container and place it in the microwave for 90 seconds. Remove the soil from the microwave and let cool. You can repeat this process for the remaining soil you wish to sterilize.

How to Make Soilless Growing Mix At Home

If you're looking to use a soilless growing mix, you can purchase from your local garden supply or make it yourself. To do so, combine two gallons of peat moss with two gallons of perlite or vermiculite and mix thoroughly. After the plant's "true" leaves begin to emerge, you can start feeding them a diluted amount of liquid-soluble fertilizer every week or so. Some fertilizer options to consider are compost teas, worm teas from your vermicompost, or store-bought liquid-fertilizer. 

Please note that the peat moss mentioned above is a non-renewable resource. As an alternative, consider using coir, the outer husk of the coconut. It has become a popular renewable alternative.

Once you have your growing medium ready, be sure that it is moist and not heavily saturated when getting ready to start your seeds.

Prepare For Your Crop

As you are waiting for your seeds' arrival, you're on the hunt for some containers to grow your Scotia tomatoes. You find several old food-grade plastic containers and poke holes in the bottom for drainage. You choose to fill them with a soilless medium and make sure there is enough room in the vessel for root growth. 

Get Germinating

With your seeds in their trays, you can set up a corner of a relatively unused room for germination. With no windows that can provide the necessary light, you plan on using a fluorescent tube light. After placing your tomatoes, you lower the light-fixture until it is inches from the surface. Placing your hand between the bulb and the seeds, you can feel the heat against your skin. You decide to raise your light another inch and feel confident that the temperature won't hurt your developing seedlings.

At this point, your seeds are well on their way towards becoming seedlings and eventually hearty plants to produce for your home. What's next? In my next article, I will be looking at the seedling stage and how to monitor the success of your developing plants. After that, we will finish up the series with a final article on the care of mature plants.