BoomerGirl Diary

After months spent indoors, by early March I always have an urgency to plant or die. So, with a gardener’s optimism I germinate a plethora of seeds indoors.

At the time when they’re ready to be moved outdoors to harden off, or as I call it, “go to middle school,” I get a call to travel on assignment and my poor seedlings die of neglect. This careless method of sowing seeds began when my son was a year old, after I got a call from “Martha’s people” to film at many breathtaking California flower nurseries with Martha Stewart. I hung up the phone, instantly weaned the baby off breast milk, and waved goodbye to the innocent cosmos sprouts and the possibility of ever winning “mother of the year award.”

What a shame. I’m certain I was a finalist...

Seeds are tender and needy, so if you’re going to grow them, be prepared to be a doting mother for at least a month or two. You may have to take off your diva crown and actually be involved and responsible for something other than yourself for a few weeks. I know. What a ghastly thought!

Scarification:

Many seeds with hard outer shells will have a better chance of sprouting if you nick them around a bit with a knife, file or sandpaper. You don’t want to go too crazy on the seed so I suggest gently rubbing against a piece of sandpaper or a nail file for beginners.

Soaking:

You could soak hard seeds instead of nicking them. Put seeds in a bowl with three or four times the seed volume of hot water and let them soak overnight. This is especially good for peas, corn and beans. Don’t leave any longer than overnight or they’ll become waterlogged.

Containers:

I’ve found that peat containers work best for impatient and second-rate seed starters like myself. As I’ve said before, I need all the help I can get. (And that’s in all areas of my life.) So I always buy the containers made of peat moss with thirty separate compartments that you can later just tear off each section and plant the peat pot straight into your soil. (Burpee seed, Down to Earth peat pellets or Jiffy peat pots are so easy!) You’ll want to moisten the peat pots before you add the growing medium so run the pots under cool water first or soak them in your sink for a minute to absorb some moisture.

Growing medium:

Vermiculite and sifted sphagnum are two of the most common sterile soil substitutes for germinating seeds. Soil substitutes protect seeds from damping off. You’ll want to mix the growing medium into a bowl with water to dampen it. Let it sit in a strainer to drain and then use it to fill your peat pots. (If the medium is too dry, germination will not occur and it it’s too wet, the seeds could rot. Is this stressful or what? And you thought gardening was relaxing . . .) Fill each pot with the mixture to1/4 inch of the top. Gardener’s Supply Company sells a germinating mix with added trace elements at gardeners.co.

Sowing

With a pencil, poke a few tiny holes into each seed pot and place 3 seeds. They should be buried to a depth four times their own diameter. I always plant three seeds so I have a good success rate! Place your tray in a dark, warm area of your home and check on it each day or two to see if there are sprouts.

Watering

This is what makes you a winner or a loser! Newly planted seeds should be watered liberally but very, very gently with a fine spray. You should only have to water once or twice before you see the seeds germinate. Some seed starting kits have a tray for water at the bottom, which also works wells. I like to add a heating mat under the tray to stimulate root growth and speed up the germination time.

Light

Once germinated, (usually about a week), when you see some sweet little sprouts popping up, all seedlings need to be in the spotlight. How diva-esque! This will make them strong and healthy plants. Place your tray in a south facing window. Remember to rotate the container each day. You could invest in a fluorescent light, which I highly recommend if you’re going to grow many seeds each year. Light is necessary for photosynthesis; plants converting water and carbon dioxide into its food. If the light isn’t strong enough or too far from the tray, the seedlings will grow tall and spindly. (You can turn the frown upside down, by hanging a fluorescent light 4-6 inches above seedlings.)

Next, remove the plastic cover and water often, preferably from below. If watering from above, gently water in between the seedling rows. Once you see the real true leaf called the cotyledon, it’s time to partay! Bring a nice bottle of liquid organic fertilizer, dilute it with water and feed once a week.

Hardening off and transplanting

Once the seedlings have developed 4 true leaves, it’s time to thin them. You want to leave about an inch between each seedling. Gently pull out the weaker looking and over crowded seedlings.

Once frost in your area waves it’s chilly goodbye, you can begin placing your seed tray outside for a few hours a day, in light shade. Bring in the tray at night. After three days, leave them in the sun for a half a day and then a full day of sun, a few days after. Once this week of hardening off is done and you’ve worked your soil with organic matter and water, you can place your plants in the ground.

Gently water every day for a week and keep a close eye on your seedlings, watching for slugs, cold temperatures, or dehydration. After two weeks outdoors, you can begin to have a life again. Have faith that your babies will grow strong, make friends, have ipods and cell phones, trade away healthy lunches and learn to talk back.

See ya next month, and bring your friends!

Visit Annie at dirtdiva.com