Seeds

Spring Planting by Wayne Bowman, Master Gardener.

“In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.” ~ Mark Twain

Aside from the effects of Brother Clement’s weather, it’s never too early to plan this year’s garden. In our part of the country, we’re somewhere around six to eight weeks from the average date of the last frost. Note, I said AVERAGE! Last frost dates jump around like a cat on a hot stove. Last frosts have occured as early as mid February or as late as April, both extremely rare, but they do happen. Best guess is to expect a frost 50% of the time after a published average date, so be careful planting tender crops such as tomatoes, beans, etc. Be prepared to cover some crops with frost cloth, etc., even if you use the following planting guide:

https://dallas-tx.tamu.edu/files/2010/06/Vegetable-Planting-Guide.pdf

The same chart I just referenced also makes note of the optimum soil tempreature for planting. If you wish, you could buy a soil thermometer, but (secret hint!) a probe type meat thermometer works well, too.

I’ve made a few quick trips through the Big Box and Ranch stores, and they’ve replenished their displays with seed marked for this coming season. Seed potatoes and onions are awaiting your purchase, too. They’ll be going into the ground shortly. Don’t try to use those potatoes sprouting in your pantry, though. Most have been treated with a chemical that retards growth.

Seeds left over from last year? Are you wondering if they’re still useable? It is easy enough to see if they’re still viable. Place a number of seeds between two pieces of damp toweling. Check every few days to see if anything is sprouting while keeping the toweling damp. A week to ten days later count the sprouting seeds and use this as a guide as to the percentage of good seed you have. Of course, most seed is rather cheap.

Ordering seeds? Time is short, although on-line ordering speeds shipment greatly. One caution should be to make sure the seed you are ordering is for something that will grow well in our climate. While our season is plenty long, some won’t do well in the heat of summer. If you are wondering, ask your local Master Gardener Vegetable Specialist. If they don’t know about a specific variety, they’ll know where to find the information.

Remember that garden plan I told you to make last fall? Now’s the time to drag it out and see what and where you wish to plant. Check your tools and sharpen your blades. In a few weeks, you’ll be wanting to test the motors on your mower, tiller and anything mechanical you might use, to see that they’re in top operating condition. New air filters and spark plugs do wonders sometimes. The busy season is just around the corner.

“Indoors or out, no one relaxes in March, that month of wind and taxes, the wind will presently disappear, the taxes last us all the year.” ~Ogden Nash

Starting Seeds Indoors by Pam DeCeasar.

If you would like to get a head start on your landscape and/or vegetable garden the time is nearing to begin your plants from seeds indoors. The amount of time needed for germinations differs from plant to plant but a good rule of thumb is 4 to 8 weeks. Check the seed packet for the amount of time needed for the particular plant or plants you are starting from seed.

Starting with a good quality, loose planting medium is the first step to success, and these are readily available at nurseries. You can mix your own but unless you will be needed a very large quantity, purchasing it premixed is probably your best bet.

There is a wide variety of seed starter containers that can be purchased and any of them will work fine. But, you can also use most any wood, metal or plastic container so long as it is clean and at least 2 or 3 inches tall. Other items to consider would be egg cartons or foam cups. Just be sure that whatever you use that there is drainage holes in the bottom.

Fill the container with soil. I like to dampen the soil before sowing seeds because it is very loose making it difficult to manage the seeds, especially very small ones, but that’s not necessary. If you are using the containers designed for individual plants, sow one or two seeds in each compartment. If you are using a large container such as a wooden box, sow the seeds about 2 inches apart. Cover each seed with just enough soil that it is not visible. The seed packet should have information telling the correct planting depth. Water gently so as not to wash away the seeds then cover with plastic wrap or place containers in plastic bags.

Most seeds do not need light to germinate but once they begin to emerge they will need full exposure light. However, temperature is very important during this period. Cool soil retards germination, so you want the soil to be around 70 – 75 degrees during the day and 60 – 65 degrees at night. If you only have a few, you might try placing them on top of your water heater… just don’t forget them.

When the first few true leaves appear the plants are ready to transplant. They are young and very tender at this point and have been in a controlled environment so it will be helpful to keep them shaded for 2 or 3 days to give them a chance to acclimate to their new home.

Starting seeds early is really great fun and so very rewarding as you watch the little seedling poke through the soil. I hope you’ll give it a try.