READER'S ROCK LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 2 ISSUE 4 NOVEMBER 2014 Vol. 1 Issue 9 March 2014 | Page 45
mixture of nutrients to succeed.
Covering your containers with plastic
wrap or plastic lids will help keep soil
and seeds moist.
* Setting the environment
In order to germinate, most seeds need
a steady temperature of about 78 F.
You can create localized warmth for
seeds through use of electric heaters
or heat mats placed under containers.
You can also try placing containers
atop warm appliances, such as a
refrigerator, as long as they will also
receive ample light in the location.
Once seedlings push through the soil,
you can move them to a windowsill
where they'll get more natural light.
* Caring for seedlings
(BPT) - While cooler temperatures
slowly fade, gardeners across the
country eagerly await the arrival of
spring - and the chance to get outdoors
and grow something. If gardening is
your passion, you don't have to wait
until the weather is perfect to get
started. In fact, working ahead by
wider variety of plants. The pros at
Porch.com offer these tips for starting
seedlings to get your garden growing:
* Selecting seeds
Some seeds can be planted and started
indoors, while others need to go
directly in the ground outdoors. As
It's important to provide seedlings
with constant moisture, but don't let
the soil get soggy. If you used plastic
wrap or covers, remove them from
containers once seeds have sprouted.
When leaves appear, begin fertilizing
with a liquid fertilizer. Pay close
attention to the dosage amounts
recommended on the fertilizer
packaging; seedlings are fragile.
Check on seedlings daily until you're
Sowing the seeds of spring: How to start your garden indoors
growing your own seedlings is a great
way to ensure your garden is
successful throughout the warmer
months.
"Planting seedlings indoors before
transplanting them into the ground is a
great use of time and money," says
Darin Brockelbank, owner of MetroGreenscape, landscape design and
outdoor specialists, and members of
the Porch.com home improvement
network. More than 1.5 million
professionals participate in the
network, offering services for more
than 90 million projects. "Growing
seedlings is something homeowners
can easily do on their own and save
their money to hire professionals for
larger projects."
Starting your own seedlings offers
many advantages, including the ability
to get a jump-start on spring planting.
Growing your own plants from seed is
less expensive than buying small
plants and provides access to a much
you're choosing seeds for your garden,
read the packets thoroughly to ensure
the seeds you're buying are
appropriate for indoor planting. Be
aware that many vegetable seeds need
to be planted directly in the ground.
Most packages will also include
information on what time of year to
plant, so follow the guidelines for best
results. In general, start seeds about
six weeks before the last frost date.
Check the Farmer's Almanac Frost
Date Calculator to find out when that
is in your area.
* Choosing containers
Seed starter kits are available f or easy
planting, but any container will do as
long as it is about 2 to 3 inches deep
and has drainage holes. Egg cartons
and paper cups are inexpensive and
easy options; be sure to poke drainage
holes in the bottoms. Fill your
containers with a good soil mix never use regular soil from your yard.
Seeds need just the right texture and
ready to plant them outdoors.
"If your plants begin to bud before
you transplant them to the outdoors,
wait to move them until they are fully
bloomed,"-Brockelbank says. "If you
transplant them while they are buds
and cool weather hits, they could get
frost bite and die. When it's time to
transplant the seeds, make sure the
soil is no cooler than 60 degrees."
Of course, not everyone with the urge
to grow a garden has the time to invest
or the green thumb to achieve it. If
you find yourself lacking the
resources to plant and care for
seedlings, Porch.com has plenty of
professionals who can help you get and keep - your garden growing.
“The hardest part of planting seeds
indoors is caring for them before they
are transplanted,"-Brockelbank says.
"Once they are transplanted, the plants
should be very low maintenance."