Starting seeds indoors gives you control over the temperature, humidity and light your plants are exposed to. Some gardeners maintain sun rooms for plants year-round; others start their seeds indoors and later plant them in the garden. Starting seeds indoors lengthens the growing season. Young acorn squash plants may be transplanted into the garden in early spring, after any chance of frost has passed. Start the seeds six weeks before the last frost is anticipated in your area.
Use a hand shovel and fill the seed cells with potting soil. Pack the cells full of potting soil, and spray the soil with water from a spray bottle. Don't be shy about using the water. Get the soil wet, not just damp. Seed cells are about 1-inch cubed. Use potting soil from a garden supply center. Basic potting soil will work, as will potting soil specifically formulated for container vegetables. Potting soil is formulated with plant food and perlite to help with drainage.
Push one seed, with the point side down, into the wet soil in one cell. Do this for each cell, one seed to a cell.
Place the cells inside the tabletop greenhouse. The bottom tray of the greenhouse should not have drainage holes. The top of the greenhouse should be clear plastic. Place the tabletop greenhouse in a sunny window, preferably on the south side of your house.
Check the soil for moisture every day. Lift the cover briefly once in the morning and once in the evening and touch the soil to make sure it is moist. If it feels dry or only slightly damp, spray with water. You will notice condensation forming on the inside of the tabletop greenhouse cover. This condensation is good; lack of condensation indicates the environment is too dry or too hot.
Look for sprouts in seven to 10 days. Continue to monitor your sprouts' progress once or twice per day. Remove the lid of the tabletop greenhouse three weeks after you first planted the seeds, and continue to spray them with water once a day. Transplant the seedlings six weeks after you first planted them. Transplant them into larger pots or outdoors.
Things You Will Need
- Potting soil
- Hand shovel
- Seed cells
- Tabletop greenhouse
- Spray bottle
- Keep the room temperature between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Purchase a full-spectrum grow lamp if there is not much sunlight available.
- Do not use seeds from a store-bought acorn squash because they are often hybrids. Seeds from hybrid varieties will not generate fruit.
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