Time for Action



The outside thermometer reads 25°. But I can approximate that reading by looking at the rhododendrons. The lower the temperature, the more tightly their leaves are rolled. The rhododendrons outside my bedroom window are decorated with beautiful red male cardinals. Look closely and you’ll see a couple of drabber females, too.

I’m getting serious about the seed starting! I get together what I need: small plastic dishes like a used butter tub. I punch holes in the bottom for drainage. I also need a soilless mix designed specifically for seed starting. I open the seed packages carefully, since some of the seeds can be very small. Sometimes the seeds can hide in the creases of the package. I place the soilless mix in the dish, add the seeds, and lightly cover them with additional seed starter mix. I water it in carefully, so not to disturb the seeds.

Then I place the tubs on an electric grow mat. An electric grow mat is similar to a heating pad in that it provides needed warmth to help the seeds germinate more quickly. Its heating coils are covered with rubber-like plastic so it will withstand some small spills of water. If you don’t have or want to purchase an electric grow mat, you can place the tubs on a cable box, being careful not to spill water or dirt on any furniture or the box. After I process all seeds, the wait begins to see the emerging seedlings.



In the meantime, I prepare the peat pots so they are ready when the seeds germinate. I open a package, place them on a plastic tray, and fill with regular soilless mix. I push the mix down gently to compact it and get rid of any unwelcome air pockets. Then I soak it with water. You would be surprised how much the water will compact the mix. After letting it absorb the water for several hours, I top it off with additional soilless mix so it’s level with the top of the peat pot.

Since I have bottom heating on the seeds, they start to germinate in a few days. You can then transfer the seedlings to the peat pots. The seedlings emerge very crowded, but I can tease them out individually with a toothpick and place each one in a peat cell. After I’m done with as many seedlings as I have, the seedlings look haphazard and messy. As they grow, they appear more standardized and face the same way.

Some of the amaryllis are starting to show leaves. I haven't spotted any blooms, yet.

Mark, a friend of mine, asked me if he could start seeds even if he didn’t have a greenhouse. I told him you certainly can! You can purchase a grow light with a stand to give the seedlings needed light. But you don’t have to have a grow light. You can place seedlings on your sunniest window sill. That may not be as effective because it would be several degrees colder than the inside air, but it’s certainly doable.