Seed-Starting Update, Part 1

Yesterday morning, I started a bunch more seeds so I wanted to keep you updated in case you're trying to sort out when to start your own veggies and flowers.

On March 5th, I started artichokes, leeks, Mexican sunflowers and zinnias. Everything is up and growing, albeit it slowly so far. Yesterday, I started tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, celery, cosmos, marigolds and spider flowers.

Here are some photos I took to illustrate the process:

PHOTO #1

Photo #1: Start with lightly dampened seed-starting/germination mix. It should be wet enough to hold together but not so wet that it's really soggy. In other words, if you squeeze a handful of it, it should feel like a squeezed-out sponge!

Photo #2: Use clean containers. The filled pony pack inserts that you see are ones that I had planted back on March 5th. Three of them have tiny leek seedlings in them, the other two have Lisianthus seeds planted in them which germinate verrrrrry slowly. That left me with three empty pony packs in that flat to plant other seeds.

PHOTO #2

Fill in the pony packs with the mix and push it down a bit to compact it. Plant your seeds according to the depth information on the seed packet and then cover them accordingly. Label each pony pack so you remember what you planted in them.

Photo #3: Lightly sprinkle finely-milled sphagnum moss over the soil surface to prevent the fungal disease called "damping-off." You can find this at well-stocked garden centers and let me tell you: it will last you a lifetime because you just need a little coverage with it! Place the flat under grow lights or in on a sunny windowsill and wait for the magic to happen...

PHOTO #3