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SEED STARTING Presented by: Marianne Pelletier, CMG

SEED STARTING Presented by: Marianne Pelletier, CMG. Double Coconut. Rain Forest Orchids. Why Should I Start Seeds Myself. You can save money For a $2 packet of seeds there is a possible of getting 10-1000 plants Swapping with fellow gardeners Saving your own seeds You have control.

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SEED STARTING Presented by: Marianne Pelletier, CMG

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  1. SEED STARTING Presented by: Marianne Pelletier, CMG

  2. Double Coconut

  3. Rain Forest Orchids

  4. Why Should I Start Seeds Myself • You can save money • For a $2 packet of seeds there is a possible of getting 10-1000 plants • Swapping with fellow gardeners • Saving your own seeds • You have control. • You know that you won’t be bringing something unwanted home • You get more variety • The enjoyment of seeing your seedlings emerge from the soil

  5. Before You Start • Determine how much to grow • What you want to grow • Varieties should be selected by: • Size • Color • Growth Habit • What zone you are in • Determine if you want: • Heirlooms • These are old, open-pollinated cultivars • Hybrids • This is a cross between two different plant varieties to get the attributes of each variety • If you see F1 it means it is a hybrid

  6. Acquiring & Storing Seeds • Acquiring • Buy from a reputable seed company/catalog • Storing • Keep any left over seed in the packet it come in • Store in a tightly closed jar or container • Store at a low humidity at around 40 degrees such as the refrigerator • Use silica gel, powdered milk or cornstarch to keep the relative humidity below 40%.

  7. Wilson County Planting Guide

  8. Seed Starting Supplies Label/Marker Spray Bottle Soil-Less Mix Flat/Cell trays/pots Seeds Warm Spot in Your House Optional Equipment Artificial Lights Heating Mats Cold Frame/Greenhouse

  9. Grow Lights

  10. Flower Seeds The Divas of the Seed World

  11. How to Help the Seed to Germinate • Scarification • Stratification • Soaking • Light • Dark

  12. ScarificationTools NeededSmall Sharp Paring Knife Sandpaper What is it? • To remember what scarification means just think of the word “scar”, which is what you are doing to the seed • Happens naturally when a bird swallows the seed and then passes it through the digestive system • Not all seeds need scarification. The following website is a good reference www.chestnut-sw.com

  13. How To • Nick the seed with the paring knife or scratch the surface of the seed with the sandpaper • All seeds don’t need this method and you may kill them. Refer to www.chestnut-sw.com for a list of flowers and vegetables and how to treat them

  14. Flowers That Need Scarification • Hollyhock • Angels Trumpet • Moon Flower • False Indigos • Canna • Morning Glories

  15. What is Stratification? • Stratification is when a gardener purposely chills the seeds. • Certain seeds have a way of protecting themselves from germinating too early or too late. How • The only things you will need for this method is a Ziploc bag a marker, and your seeds. • Make sure to label the bag with what type of seed and the date that it is to be removed from the refrigerator • Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator. • Make sure it the bag is sealed or the seeds will dry out and will not germinate

  16. Flowers That Need Stratification • Snapdragon 4-6 wk • Columbine 2-8 wk • Blackberry Lily 4-6 wk • Clematis 3 months • Larkspur 6 wk • Cardinal Flwr 10 days • Salvia 1 wk • Coneflowers 3-6 wk • Lavender 4 wks • Peonies 2 months • Jacobs Ladder 2 mth • Pansies 4 wks

  17. Light • Mainly the smaller seeds need light to germinate • Do not plant seeds deep • Place seeds on surface of soil and mist with spray bottle • Cover with plastic and place in sunny spot • Check seeds daily • Once white roots or leaves are seen remove the plastic

  18. Flowers That Need Light • Hollyhock • Snapdragons • Wax Begonia • Foxglove • Baby’s Breath • Impatiens • Petunia • Salvia • Columbines • Butterfly Weed • Celosias • Coneflowers • Coral Bells • Forget-me-not • Balloon Flower • Pincushion Flower

  19. Dark • Seeds won’t germinate while exposed to light How • Bury the seeds 3x their width and water in • Cover flat with newspaper and a sheet of black plastic • Check seeds daily • Once you see white roots or leaves remove the coverings

  20. Flowers That Need The Dark • Pot Marigold • Delphinium • Phlox • Pansy • Bachelor’s Button • Sweet Pea • Verbena • Statice

  21. Soaking • Seeds that require soaking usually have a tough seed coat • You can also soak seeds to check on germination rate How • Place the seeds you want to soak in a small bowl • Let the seeds soak for the appropriate time • If seeds need to be soaked for more than 12 hrs. change water every 12 hrs. • When done soaking pour off water. Coffee filters work great for this • Plant immediately

  22. Flowers That Need Soaking • Canna – After scarifying, soak for 48 hours • Daylilies – Freeze 2 weeks, soak for 5 days • Bells of Ireland – Soak for 24 hours • Hibiscus – Soak 48 hours • Sweet Peas – After stratifying, soak 48 hours

  23. Vegetable Seeds

  24. Vegetables Not to Start Indoors • Bush & Pole Beans • Carrots • Corn • Garlic • Peas • Radishes

  25. Vegetables to Start Indoors • Beets – Start 5 weeks before last frost • Broccoli – Start 6-8 weeks before last frost • Cabbage – Start 4-6 weeks before last frost • Cauliflower – Start 4-6 weeks before last frost • Cucumbers – Start 3 weeks before last frost • Eggplant – Start 4-6 weeks before last frost • Peppers – Start 8 weeks before last frost • Tomatoes – Start 6-7 weeks before last frost

  26. Seedlings Have Germinated Now What??

  27. Seeds Germinated Now What? • When sprouts appear move the seedlings into bright light • They need 14-16 hrs of natural or fluorescent light to keep from becoming leggy • Keep away from drafty windowsills • Once the true leaves appear, water with a half-strength solution of fertilizer • You can use a water-soluble, all purpose plant food • Gradually increase strength over time • Seedlings should be thinned to at least 1” apart or transplanted into individual pots

  28. Damping Off • Soil borne disease that attacks the seedlings as they germinate causing them to collapse • Stem turns brown, but leaves stay green • Prevalent in warm, moist, muggy conditions or when seedlings are sown too thickly. • To prevent • Use only clean pots and seed trays • Use a soil-less mix that is moist but not over wet

  29. Transplanting to Garden • Plants will need one to two weeks hardening off • This is to acclimate the plants to the outdoors • Start by setting them out for a few hours at a time in a protected, semi shady location • Outdoor temperatures should be 45 degrees or warmer • Gradually increase the time and exposure to direct sunlight • Transplant seedlings to the garden in the late afternoon or on a cloudy day and water

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