There are no secrets to growing transplants.
Gardeners have done it for a long time before commercial nurseries took over all the fun.
The materials and easy to find and hobby just adds to the pleasure of gardening.
All that is needed to grow transplants is a growing medium, something to put it in, light, water, food, and the right temperature.
While some gardeners use a compost and soil mix for starting plants, a peat based mix is both economical and easy to use.
Peat is a renewable resource that holds more than its own weight in water and still allows air to move through it.
Most seeds will contain enough food for the first weeks of growth and it is easy to continue to feed the new plants using liquid fertilizer mixed with the water.
While most liquid fertilizers recommend feeding every two weeks, remember that these are young plants grown indoors and are more sensitive than older plants.
A better idea is to feed a half strength solution every week so as to give steady growth with no chance of burning.
Organic growers can use fish emulsion or similar organic liquid feed.
Seeds can be planted in almost any shallow container with drainage holes in the bottom.
Commercial packs are handy but small yogurt containers or similar tubs are fine once a hole is in the bottom.
A depth of one and a half to two inches is generally sufficient as most transplants will be set into the garden at six to eight weeks of life.
Once the containers are placed into larger flats they are ready to be watered.
Watering is best done from below so as to prevent wet leaves and possible fungus.
Allowing the water to come about a third of the way up on the containers will allow capillary action to wet the grow medium.
If water is allowed to sit in the watering container until it reaches room temperature the plants will receive no shock from cold water and will appreciate the concern.
Light is easily obtained from a south facing window with a wide ledge.
If no ledge is available a card table or similar stand will do fine.
Occasionally rotate the plants so as to give equal light to all sides.
If desired, fluorescent light fixtures can be arranged over the plants to ensure good growth.
Temperature is perhaps easiest of all to provide.
Most transplants do well at room temperature.
If you are comfortable, chances are your plants are as well.
Some growers like a bit more bottom heat when starting the seeds and place the seed flats on top of the refrigerator to get started.
Seeds want to germinate and grow into plants.
All they want from us is a little help.
The joy of gardening is simply magnified by the joy of starting ones own plants.
Gardeners have done it for a long time before commercial nurseries took over all the fun.
The materials and easy to find and hobby just adds to the pleasure of gardening.
All that is needed to grow transplants is a growing medium, something to put it in, light, water, food, and the right temperature.
While some gardeners use a compost and soil mix for starting plants, a peat based mix is both economical and easy to use.
Peat is a renewable resource that holds more than its own weight in water and still allows air to move through it.
Most seeds will contain enough food for the first weeks of growth and it is easy to continue to feed the new plants using liquid fertilizer mixed with the water.
While most liquid fertilizers recommend feeding every two weeks, remember that these are young plants grown indoors and are more sensitive than older plants.
A better idea is to feed a half strength solution every week so as to give steady growth with no chance of burning.
Organic growers can use fish emulsion or similar organic liquid feed.
Seeds can be planted in almost any shallow container with drainage holes in the bottom.
Commercial packs are handy but small yogurt containers or similar tubs are fine once a hole is in the bottom.
A depth of one and a half to two inches is generally sufficient as most transplants will be set into the garden at six to eight weeks of life.
Once the containers are placed into larger flats they are ready to be watered.
Watering is best done from below so as to prevent wet leaves and possible fungus.
Allowing the water to come about a third of the way up on the containers will allow capillary action to wet the grow medium.
If water is allowed to sit in the watering container until it reaches room temperature the plants will receive no shock from cold water and will appreciate the concern.
Light is easily obtained from a south facing window with a wide ledge.
If no ledge is available a card table or similar stand will do fine.
Occasionally rotate the plants so as to give equal light to all sides.
If desired, fluorescent light fixtures can be arranged over the plants to ensure good growth.
Temperature is perhaps easiest of all to provide.
Most transplants do well at room temperature.
If you are comfortable, chances are your plants are as well.
Some growers like a bit more bottom heat when starting the seeds and place the seed flats on top of the refrigerator to get started.
Seeds want to germinate and grow into plants.
All they want from us is a little help.
The joy of gardening is simply magnified by the joy of starting ones own plants.