It's time to get serious about starting seeds. At the basic level, starting seeds indoors requires seeds, a container and a growing medium. Add water and a little warmth, and most seeds will germinate. A few need a bit more — light, periods of cold and maybe a little scrape on the hard seed covering — but it's a simple process.
You can use a milk carton filled with soil on a windowsill or create an elaborate system of lights, shelves, heating mats and watering systems.
The most important element is the viability of your seed. Some seeds, properly stored, will last for several years but others have a limited shelf life. Corn, for instance, under good conditions, only has a shelf life of about two years, while tomatoes and squash are generally good for about four years.
So do you need new seed? If you aren't sure, try a germination test. Take 10 seeds and place them in a damp paper towel. Put the towel in a plastic bag and place the bag in a warm area. Check in a few days and daily thereafter for sprouting.
When the seeds start to sprout, keep checking for about a week. Then do the math: Divide the number of seeds that germinated by the number you started with (i.e., if you planted 10 and 7 sprouted, divide 7 by 10; 0.7 or 70 percent).
Remember that even fresh seeds don't have a 100 percent germination rate. Using fresh seed, lettuce should produce about an 80 percent germination rate while peppers are closer to 55 percent.
Why do you need to know this? Well, if you do a germination test on corn, which has a 75 percent germination rate and only get 30 percent, you would have to plant more than twice as many old seeds (22.5 instead of 10) to get the same number of plants as you would with a fresh pack of seeds.
Once you have good seed, moisture and warmth are essential. Seeds need constantly moist but not wet soil. Not enough and your seeds don't sprout, too much and you rot the seeds.
Temperature will vary with the type of seed you are growing, although most prefer a temperature in the 75 to 85 degree range. In general, early crops such as peas, cauliflower and cabbage will tolerate much cooler temperatures (40 degrees); warm-weather crops, watermelon, squash and peppers need at least 60 degrees. The top of the refrigerator was my heat source for many years but I've moved on to a heating mat. Designed to deliver constant gentle heat to the soil, seedling mats are water-resistant and are positioned under the seedling pots.
A good reference chart for both viability and ideal temperatures for common vegetables can be found at: http://www.seedman.com/veggerm.htm#tabi.
The starting medium — what you put in the pot — is another consideration. While generations of gardeners have started seeds in common gardening soil, it does carry some risks.
Garden soil is full of organisms, good and bad. So that wonderful soil from your healthy garden bed can carry mold spores, soil-borne diseases or even garden pests that can attack your seedlings, stunting growth or even killing the plants off.
Garden soil can be heavy, and compacting making it difficult for the seeds to break through. Potting soil is better — it's lighter and drains well but will hold some moisture. Seed-starting mix is even better. This mix is light with fine texture. It holds the seeds but allows them to grow easily through the medium.
What about light? You need light when the plants have sprouted and you should plan for it. However, most seeds are indifferent to light, and others prefer the dark. A few — those that are scattered on the surface of the soil — are the ones that need light to germinate.
Plants that need this light include petunias, lettuce and coleus. If your seed needs light to sprout, the package directions should clearly state that.
When your seeds sprout, you will need to provide ample light. Your light system can be a bright windowsill, a sunroom, a few shop lights or a custom arrangement of full spectrum light. The different bulb options are fodder for another discussion in a future column.
Area garden events
Gardening to Feed Your Family: This workshop is geared toward individuals who have a garden and are interested in learning how to better plan their harvest for a continuous supply of fresh produce during the growing season, plus stock up on garden preserves for the winter month. Taught by Penn State Master Gardeners, the class runs 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at the Lehigh County Extension Office (4184 Dorney Park Road, South Whitehall Township). The workshop costs $25. To register, call 610-391-9840 or see http://extension.psu.edu/lehigh/events.
Backyard Chickens: A basic overview on how to care for chickens, it includes a discussion of breeds, and the specifics of raising poultry for production of eggs or meat. Chickens will be brought in for a demonstration of handling techniques and to showcase breeds. The class will be held 6-9 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Lehigh County Extension Office (4184 Dorney Park Road, South Whitehall Township). The workshop costs $25. To register call 610-391-9840 or see http://bit.ly/1yOT3TB.
This Week in the Garden
•Pot up paperwhites for indoor display; chill pots of garden daffodils, tulips and other spring bulbs. They can be brought indoors in late winter for an early taste of spring.
•Sow seeds that need a cold period for germination, poppies, for example.
•Check germination rate of stored seeds; replace those that perform badly with fresh seed.
•Take cuttings of African violets and geraniums.
•Order catalogs or mark online sites for January browsing.
•Get seeds for plants that will be started soon: pansies, snapdragons, some hardy perennials, onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other cool season crops.
•Use discarded Christmas trees as winter shelter for birds or cut boughs and use to cover tender perennials for added winter protection.
•After blooming, cut back flower stalks on amaryllis. Allow the greens to continue growing. Discard spent paperwhites.
•Protect plants from damage when removing holiday lighting.
•Mark the edges of beds and locations of plants to avoid unintentional damage when installing/removing holiday decorations, deicing products, piles of snow or ill-aimed snow plows.
•Use a humidifier, humidity tray or other means to increase the humidity around your indoor plants.
•Circulate air around plants to discourage fungal and pest problems.
•Check for heaved plants on days when there is no snow cover. Push them back into the soil.
•Clear storm damage as it occurs. Photograph damage for insurance claims and file promptly.
•Increase mulch depth to three or four inches over sensitive plants after the ground freezes.
•Provide and check deer, rabbit and groundhog protection for vulnerable plants. Reapply taste or scent deterrents.
•Clean bird feeders, feed birds regularly and provide fresh water. Clean up spilled seed and empty hulls.
•Tools, equipment, and supplies
•Send spring equipment for servicing or purchase replacements. Schedule repairs and purchase replacements for fall tools before storing for the season.
•Use plant- and pet-safe deicing material. Store it in an easily accessible area near where you need it.
•Replenish, organize and inventory potting supplies.
•Store garden chemicals safely indoors. Check effective dates and discard outdated ones. Watch for local chemical collections and take your old ones there.
•Replace worn or broken tools. Clean, sharpen and oil hand tools.
•Clear sidewalks and driveways.