Here at Long Creek Farm, we are being treated to a "false spring", which has been such a nice break from the cold, wet, and cloudy weather we have been having for so long! So, although it feels like spring, we still have about two more months of winter, which means it's about time to get some seedlings started. We started a little early this year, our last frost is sometime in April, but hopefully that means we will get an early harvest on some crops.
Why Grow Your Own Transplants
Why would you want to take the time to grow your own transplants when you can just head down to the garden store after your last frost and have all the work already done? Well, there are a few reasons, one of the biggest is that you save money. A single tomato transplant at the garden store can cost as much as a packet of 100 or more seeds.
You also have many more varieties to choose from when doing it from seed. Garden stores usually only sell a couple varieties of the most popular vegetables and herbs. Raising your own transplants also gives you something green and growing to look at while everything is brown or white outside.
The reason you can't just plant the seeds of some plants right in the garden after the danger of frost has past is because they take a bit longer than others start producing. So, if you waited until after the last frost and then planted seeds, depending on where you live, the weather might either be too hot or too cold for the plant to produce as much as it would otherwise.
Which plants should I start indoors?
The most common plants to start indoors are tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, as well as some herbs. However, most plants can be given a head start indoors, with the exception of root crops, which should never be transplanted as it could damage their roots. The back of the seed packet will usually say if you should start the seeds indoors or not, but below is a list of some common garden plants and whether or not they should be started indoors, and if so, when.
8-10 weeks before your last frost
Eggplant
Peppers
6-8 weeks before your last frost
Tomatoes
Thyme
Mint
Cosmos
Zinnias
Marigolds
Oregano
Cilantro
Basil
2 weeks before your last frost
Cucumbers
Melons
Chard
Dill
1 week before your last frost
Squash (all kinds)
Okra
Cold weather plants that can be started indoors (1-2 weeks before planting outside)
Lettuce
Kale
Cabbage
Spinach
Never
Radishes
Carrots
Beets
Corn
Beans
You can find the average date of last frost for your area at www.ncdc.noaa.gov.
However, because the dates are averages, which means there is still a 50% chance of frost after the given date (I have no idea why they do that), it's best to wait two weeks after the given date to plant frost sensitive crops. That means you would count your last frost date for when to start things indoors, as two weeks after your areas given last frost date.
Getting started
Here are the things you will need to grow your own transplants:
Potting soil (not compost or garden soil)
Trays for starting small or slow growing seeds
4" pots for transplanting (square ones give you a better use of space)
Seeds
Grow lights or full spectrum shop lights
Tables or plastic shelving
Heat mats (warms the soil, which helps the seeds sprout faster)
Plastic to cover the trays (helps keep the soil moist until the seeds sprout)
Something to water the seeds with
Spoon to transplant the seedlings that you start in trays
Container to set 4" pots in for watering (once the seedlings are transplanted)
Plant markers (large popsicle sticks and a sharpie work well)
Seed starting can be as fancy or as plain as you like, from a greenhouse with commercially made seed starting equipment to yogurt containers on a windowsill, as long as a few needs are met, the results will be similar.
Here is what we are using this year:
Plastic trays from a rolling drawer, potting soil from Costco, some 4" round pots from last year, some empty yogurt containers, clip on grow lights, plastic shelving, heat mats, opened up produce bags as plastic to cover the seed trays, same drawers for watering, a goat bottle for watering, and plastic plant markers that came with the pots we ordered last year.
We really like using a goat bottle for watering as the stream of water is very gentle on the baby plants. For bigger plants (or faster watering) we take the top off, as shown in the photos. We have tried using a spray bottle, but they tend to break after a short time.
The reason that some seeds are started in trays in that it lets you create ideal conditions for germination for lots of seeds in a small area. Once the seeds have sprouted and no longer need the extra heat, plastic covering etc. you can transplant them into bigger pots. Seeds that shouldn't be started in trays and then transplanted include squash, cucumbers, okra, and melons.
Not only do these plants sprout just fine on their own, but they also grow so fast that by the time you transplant them their roots are already hitting the bottom of the tray, and probably getting tangled with the other seedlings roots. So, it would be hard not to disturb their roots when transplanting, which these plants don't like.
Where to Start Seeds
Ideally you would start seeds in a greenhouse, but since most of us don’t have one, in front of a south facing window is the next best place. You will still need grow lights, it's just the more natural light the better. If you don’t have a south facing window, then an east or west facing one would be the next choice. You don’t absolutely have to do it by a window, but that would be best. You also need to do it in a room that will stay above 60 degrees F.
Planting Your Seeds
For seeds that are started in trays, first make sure your potting soil is moist, as it is very difficult to water dry soil. If the soil is dry, mix it with water until it is moist but not soaking, a good test is to pour a little water on it, if the water soaks in right away, it's good, if it beads up first, the soil is still too dry. Then fill your trays up so there is about 2" of soil in them and make little furrows down the length (or width, doesn't matter) that are about as deep as the seed packet says to plant the seeds.
I used a sharpie to make the furrows. Now, put your seeds in the furrows, about an inch apart, and only one type of seed per furrow and label the rows or trays as you do each type of seed. Then cover them up with dirt, water lightly, drape the plastic over (or put the lids on if you are using commercially made seed trays) and put them on top of the heat mat under the grow lights.
When the seeds sprout
As soon as you notice one of the seeds in a tray starting to sprout take the plastic off and water lightly when the surface of the soil dries out. When most of the seeds have their first pair of true leaves you can take them off the heat mat and start transplanting them into 4” pots. For tiny seedlings such as those of mint and thyme, you can wait until they are big enough to handle easily.
Make sure the pots never dry out, for the first few days after transplanting water them from the top, being careful not to wash the seedlings away. Once they have had a chance to grow their roots a bit, you can start watering them from the bottom, which saves time and ensures that they are thoroughly watered.
To do this put the pots in a container and fill it up about 2" with water, let them sit in the water until the surface of the soil is wet, you may need to add more water depending on the size of your container and how dry the soil got. You will know when your seedlings need to be watered when the top inch or so of the soil feels dry. The pots will also feel much lighter.
Tips For Tomatoes
Tomatoes are unusual among plants in that they actually like being transplanted and having their stems buried. So, when you transplant your tomatoes from the trays, pinch off their seed leaves and make the hole deep enough so that when you put the seedling in the whole stem is covered, and just the pair of true leaves is above the soil.
If you have bigger containers than 4" pots you can even transplant them a second time when they start to get rootbound, again, pinching off the lowest pairs of leaves and burying the stem up to the remaining leaves, if the pot is deep enough.
Hopefully this blog will help you to grow your own delicious produce this year, if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments we would love to hear them!
Commentaires