Title: SEED STARTING
1 - SEED STARTING
- Presented by
- Marianne Pelletier, CMG
2Double Coconut
3Rain Forest Orchids
4Why Should I Start Seeds Myself
- You can save money
- For a 2 packet of seeds there is a possible of
getting 10-1000 plants - Swapping with fellow gardeners
- Saving your own seeds
- You have control.
- You know that you wont be bringing something
unwanted home - You get more variety
- The enjoyment of seeing your seedlings emerge
from the soil
5Before You Start
- Determine how much to grow
- What you want to grow
- Varieties should be selected by
- Size
- Color
- Growth Habit
- What zone you are in
- Determine if you want
- Heirlooms
- These are old, open-pollinated cultivars
- Hybrids
- This is a cross between two different plant
varieties to get the attributes of each variety - If you see F1 it means it is a hybrid
6Acquiring Storing Seeds
- Acquiring
- Buy from a reputable seed company/catalog
- Storing
- Keep any left over seed in the packet it come in
- Store in a tightly closed jar or container
- Store at a low humidity at around 40 degrees such
as the refrigerator - Use silica gel, powdered milk or cornstarch to
keep the relative humidity below 40.
7Wilson County Planting Guide
8Seed Starting Supplies
- Label/Marker
- Spray Bottle
- Soil-Less Mix
- Flat/Cell trays/pots
- Seeds
- Warm Spot in Your House
- Optional Equipment
- Artificial Lights
- Heating Mats
- Cold Frame/Greenhouse
9Grow Lights
10Flower Seeds The Divas of the Seed World
11How to Help the Seed to Germinate
- Scarification
- Stratification
- Soaking
- Light
- Dark
12Scarification Tools Needed Small Sharp
Paring Knife Sandpaper
- What is it?
- To remember what scarification means just think
of the word scar, which is what you are doing
to the seed - Happens naturally when a bird swallows the seed
and then passes it through the digestive system - Not all seeds need scarification. The following
website is a good reference www.chestnut-sw.com
13How To
- Nick the seed with the paring knife or scratch
the surface of the seed with the sandpaper - All seeds dont need this method and you may kill
them. Refer to www.chestnut-sw.com for a list of
flowers and vegetables and how to treat them
14Flowers That Need Scarification
- Hollyhock
- Angels Trumpet
- Moon Flower
- False Indigos
- Canna
- Morning Glories
15What is Stratification?
- Stratification is when a gardener purposely
chills the seeds. - Certain seeds have a way of protecting themselves
from germinating too early or too late. - How
- The only things you will need for this method is
a Ziploc bag a marker, and your seeds. - Make sure to label the bag with what type of seed
and the date that it is to be removed from the
refrigerator - Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator.
- Make sure it the bag is sealed or the seeds will
dry out and will not germinate
16Flowers That Need Stratification
- Snapdragon 4-6 wk
- Columbine 2-8 wk
- Blackberry Lily 4-6 wk
- Clematis 3 months
- Larkspur 6 wk
- Cardinal Flwr 10 days
- Salvia 1 wk
- Coneflowers 3-6 wk
- Lavender 4 wks
- Peonies 2 months
- Jacobs Ladder 2 mth
- Pansies 4 wks
17Light
- Mainly the smaller seeds need light to germinate
- Do not plant seeds deep
- Place seeds on surface of soil and mist with
spray bottle - Cover with plastic and place in sunny spot
- Check seeds daily
- Once white roots or leaves are seen remove the
plastic
18Flowers That Need Light
- Hollyhock
- Snapdragons
- Wax Begonia
- Foxglove
- Babys Breath
- Impatiens
- Petunia
- Salvia
- Columbines
- Butterfly Weed
- Celosias
- Coneflowers
- Coral Bells
- Forget-me-not
- Balloon Flower
- Pincushion Flower
19Dark
- Seeds wont germinate while exposed to light
- How
- Bury the seeds 3x their width and water in
- Cover flat with newspaper and a sheet of black
plastic - Check seeds daily
- Once you see white roots or leaves remove the
coverings
20Flowers That Need The Dark
- Pot Marigold
- Delphinium
- Phlox
- Pansy
- Bachelors Button
- Sweet Pea
- Verbena
- Statice
21Soaking
- Seeds that require soaking usually have a tough
seed coat - You can also soak seeds to check on germination
rate - How
- Place the seeds you want to soak in a small bowl
- Let the seeds soak for the appropriate time
- If seeds need to be soaked for more than 12 hrs.
change water every 12 hrs. - When done soaking pour off water. Coffee filters
work great for this - Plant immediately
22Flowers That Need Soaking
- Canna After scarifying, soak for 48 hours
- Daylilies Freeze 2 weeks, soak for 5 days
- Bells of Ireland Soak for 24 hours
- Hibiscus Soak 48 hours
- Sweet Peas After stratifying, soak 48 hours
23Vegetable Seeds
24Vegetables Not to Start Indoors
- Bush Pole Beans
- Carrots
- Corn
- Garlic
- Peas
- Radishes
25Vegetables to Start Indoors
- Beets Start 5 weeks before last frost
- Broccoli Start 6-8 weeks before last frost
- Cabbage Start 4-6 weeks before last frost
- Cauliflower Start 4-6 weeks before last frost
- Cucumbers Start 3 weeks before last frost
- Eggplant Start 4-6 weeks before last frost
- Peppers Start 8 weeks before last frost
- Tomatoes Start 6-7 weeks before last frost
26Seedlings Have Germinated Now What??
27Seeds Germinated Now What?
- When sprouts appear move the seedlings into
bright light - They need 14-16 hrs of natural or fluorescent
light to keep from becoming leggy - Keep away from drafty windowsills
- Once the true leaves appear, water with a
half-strength solution of fertilizer - You can use a water-soluble, all purpose plant
food - Gradually increase strength over time
- Seedlings should be thinned to at least 1 apart
or transplanted into individual pots
28Damping Off
- Soil borne disease that attacks the seedlings as
they germinate causing them to collapse - Stem turns brown, but leaves stay green
- Prevalent in warm, moist, muggy conditions or
when seedlings are sown too thickly. - To prevent
- Use only clean pots and seed trays
- Use a soil-less mix that is moist but not over
wet
29Transplanting to Garden
- Plants will need one to two weeks hardening off
- This is to acclimate the plants to the outdoors
- Start by setting them out for a few hours at a
time in a protected, semi shady location - Outdoor temperatures should be 45 degrees or
warmer - Gradually increase the time and exposure to
direct sunlight - Transplant seedlings to the garden in the late
afternoon or on a cloudy day and water
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