Growing Together: Scoffing at the Season: Banish winter by starting seeds indoors

May 1 (two to three weeks) squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon, muskmelon.

Materials needed

Use soil-less seed starting mixes like Jiffy Mix, Miracle Gro Seeding Mix or one recommended by your local greenhouse.

Containers should be about 2 inches deep, such as greenhouse trays, pie tins, egg cartons or any trays with bottom drain holes added. Use separate trays for each type because seeds grow at different rates. Also needed are wooden or plastic labels or stakes. We make our own by cutting plastic milk jugs into stakes 4 inches long and 1 inch wide.

Why not seed directly into the final larger pots or cell-packs? Why seed into trays and then transplant? Because its easier to provide optimum germination conditions for a seed tray than a larger grouping of pots. Seedlings become stockier as you transplant them slightly deeper into the final container.

Procedure

1. Moisten the seeding mix the previous day by adding water to the bag and stirring by hand. Dry mixes can be difficult to water after seeding.

2. Fill containers almost to the top with mix, then gently firm and level.

3. Seeds may be broadcast over the surface of the mix or planted in rows. Being of German stock, I prefer neat rows. Press a ruler or pencil into the mix to make shallow furrows.

4. Planting depth is important, and its usually shallower than we might expect. Small seeds like petunia can be merely pressed into the mix after sowing. Larger seeds can be sown into a furrow and covered with mix, or place the seeds on the surface and sprinkle mix over the top. As a rule of thumb sow seeds at a depth equal to two or three times the seeds diameter. Its better to err on the shallow side.

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Growing Together: Scoffing at the Season: Banish winter by starting seeds indoors