Start Your Own Seeds in Containers

You can start transplants either indoors in containers or in a cold frame. Start them under controlled conditions to get a jump on the growing season. For gardeners in areas with short growing seasons, this is standard practice. Also, plants that originated in the tropics, such as tomatoes or peppers, require a long, warm growing season to ripen fruit. Start them as transplants.
Starting seeds in containers requires seeds, a growing medium, and containers. Quell that stingy urge to use garden soil in containers. As discussed in Chapter 1, it compacts and carries disease organisms to which seedlings may succumb. A bag of seed-starting medium is not a bad investment, or mix your ow.
The next consideration is the container. The only requirements for transplant containers is that they must be at least 21/2 inches deep to allow for young, spreading roots, and they must have drainage holes. Those nicely matching plastic models at the garden center are a landfill nightmare. If you must buy them, use them carefully, wash thoroughly, and re-use them.

Do you need some suggestions to get started looking for free containers? Piece together wooden flats from scrap lumber, but make sure they are not painted or coated with a toxic preservative. Don't use old painted wood or treated lumber as it may contain toxins that could leach into the container soil. Cut milk cartons lengthwise and slice a few holes
in the bottom for drainage. Large, wax-coated cereal boxes and styrofoarn take-out containers are made to order. For a built-in greenhouse effect save plastic boxes from delis or bakeries. Poke holes in the bottom, fill, plant, and put the lid on. Wash out used margarine or yogurt cups and plastic trays from snack foods. Save toilet paper rolls, cut in half, arrange on a tray, and fill. Learn to find food-safe containers.

If you start seeds indoors, scrounge up trays to place beneath the draining containers. A shallow box lined with plastic wrap, plastic container lids, or cookie trays will work in a pinch.

Temperature is critical to how many seeds germinate and develop. Room temperature, 65° to 70°F works well to germinate most plants. Heating mats or tape underneath the seed containers encourage roots to grow downward. Once plants sprout, however, remove the bottom heat as cooler temperatures produce sturdier plants.

Sow the seed as for direct seeding. Don't worry about spacing. As soon as the seedlings show two to four leaves, carefully lift by the leaves and transplant into individual containers. Never pick up tiny seedlings by the stem because they will crush easily.