Landscaping & Gardening Information
 
Web World-SuperSite

Starting Seedlings Indoors


Unless you have access to a greenhouse, or something like it, those living in cooler climates will have to start seedlings indoors if they are to take full advantage of their growing season.

Here are some gardening tips to starting seedlings indoors.

You can use an enclosed porch, a garage, a shed or a basement. Make sure you have sufficient counterspace to work comfortably.

Growing seeds is pretty straightforward. Give them what they need (light, water, warmth) and they will sprout. Simple as that. But don't start them too soon! In 4-6 weeks they will be ready to go out into the garden. If you are still experiencing frosts, they will be killed.

Prepare your containers, whether they are trays, egg cartons, yoghurt containers or jiffy pots and make sure they have drainage holes. Your indoor seedlings are going to need a lot of light...more light than a regular plant, to get them going.

So arrange lights over your seedlings. Plan to have these lights on for up to 15 hours a day. Put a fan in the room on low to keep the air circulating too. This is surprisingly important. If the air is static the plants will not prosper.

Seeds need to be warm to germinate. They will be comfortable in a temperature between 60-70F during the day and will generally tolerate 50-60F overnight. Covering them with plastic or fabric or newspaper can assist in keeping them warm until they sprout.

Make sure your indoor seedlings are kept moist but not soggy. Once proper leaves appear (the first two are just seed leaves) feed them with a weak fish fertilizer mixed with water.

As the seedlings mature and near time to enter the garden proper, they need to be 'hardened off'. This means moving them outdoors for progressively longer periods each day. Start them off in a protected part of the garden and bring them back in at night. As they get stronger, they will be prepared to withstand the actual conditions in the garden much more successfully.

If you start your seedlings indoors, it will get you 'gardening' much sooner in the year and excite the old spring fever!

Judy Williams (http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.


MORE RESOURCES:

Calendar for Nov. 20
Milpitas Post, CA - 13 hours ago
... event planning, facilities planning, fundraising, grant writing, graphic design, and landscaping/gardening. The Wildlife Center, located in San Jose, ...


National City Bank lobbies closing Thursday for volunteer effort
TCPalm, FL - Nov 12, 2008
Employees will emerge from their desks and cubicles and spend the afternoon engaging in activities such as landscaping, gardening and painting. ...


Roses & Raspberries
Battle Creek Enquirer, MI - Nov 15, 2008
Janet is closing her business after 13 years serving the Battle Creek landscaping, gardening and birding communities. We will miss you! ...


National City employees reach out in Paint Your Heart Out program
Palm Beach Daily News, FL - Nov 13, 2008
... County Thursday while employees took part in charitable tasks at various locations from 1 to 5 pm Tasks included landscaping, gardening and painting. ...


Courier Reports Fourth-Quarter and Year-end Results
MarketWatch - Nov 6, 2008
... books and study guides; and Creative Homeowner, a publisher and distributor of books on home design, decorating, landscaping, gardening and crafts. ...


Thursday is Community Appreciation Day at Treasure Coast National ...
Stuart News (subscription), FL - Nov 10, 2008
National City employees will be engaged in a variety of tasks, including projects such as landscaping, gardening, painting, helping children with homework ...


National City bank employees to volunteer at Treasure Coast agencies
Fort Pierce Tribune, FL - Nov 1, 2008
Employees will be engaged in a wide variety of charitable tasks, including outdoor and indoor projects such as landscaping, gardening, painting and other ...
National City employees to volunteer along the Treasure Coast Nov. 13 TCPalm
all 8 news articles


John Henry Miller
Escanaba Daily Press, MI - Oct 29, 2008
After retirement in 1980, he and Gerd moved to the hills of Pennsylvania were he occupied himself with landscaping, gardening, tinkering and woodworking on ...


Garden Fair set
Haleakala Times, HI - Oct 29, 2008
Experts will be available to answer landscaping, gardening and tree questions. There will be booths representing the landscape industry, tree-friendly ...


It's time to winterize lawn equipment
Greenville Daily Reflector, NC - Oct 24, 2008
If you have home landscaping, gardening, lawn or tree-related questions, call the NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteers in Pitt County at ...

Landscaping-Gardening - Google News

home | site map
© 2006