In the Grow: Growing plants from seedlings has many advantages

In addition to the satisfaction of making something grow, growing your own plants from seeds allows you to select from the large variety of plants available and not be restricted to those the local nursery has. Many hybrid cultivars of flowers and vegetables are available with improved disease-resistance, production, and ease of growing. Or if you want to spread your wings, try an heirloom variety. Heirlooms have generally been around half a century, and are not bred for market as hybrids are. They are bred for satisfaction of the palette.

Always start with reading the label on the seeds thoroughly. They tell you when to plant, if they should be started inside and transplanted outside, how deep to plant the seeds, and whether they need sunlight and/or added warmth to germinate. Some plants do much better when directly sowed in the ground where they will eventually grow. The seed package specifies this.

When you purchase your seeds, keep them in a cool, dry place. Cans and jars are good containers for your seed packets. Seeds will last more than one year, but germination will decrease with age. Various containers can be used for starting your plants, but whichever you select, wash any used ones with a mixture of one part bleach to ten parts water to insure any harboring disease or pests is killed before you use the container. Flats, trays, clay pots, plastic pots, peat pots, they all work. One of my favorites is the five-cent peat pellets. You put them in water and they expand into upright cylinders for planting seeds in. When you are ready to put the plant outside, you just bury the entire pellet.

If you are not using a peat pellet, I recommend you purchase a bag of soil-less seed starting mix at the local garden center. These will lesson the likelihood of a fungus called “damping off” from attacking your seedlings. Damping off is likely when you see the plants fall over and rot off at the ground level. Applying a good fungicide and tossing any dead plants is necessary. Damping off is promoted by excessively damp conditions. Seedlings should be kept moist, but not water-logged.

Whichever planting container you use, make sure it has good drainage. Pat the planting medium down and moisten it. Plant the seeds to the depth the package calls for. As a general rule, seeds are planted a depth twice their diameter. Some seeds require light to germinate and they are just scattered on the surface of the planting medium. Once planted, put the container in a large plastic bag to promote humidity as the seeds germinate. Or, you can drape with plastic wrap or place a clear plastic lid over the seeds. Bottom heat generally speeds germination and germination rates. Seed mats are available to provide this warmth, or I have had good luck with a heating pad on low. Generally, don’t put the seeds in direct sunlight. A south-facing window or a fluorescent bulb or tube will do the trick. Plant/grow bulbs work as well. You will need 14-16 hours of light daily. I use automatic timers to turn my lights on and off with regularity. Label your plants so you know what you have when it sprouts. Keep the soil moist as seeds are quickly killed if allowed to dry during germination. When the seeds sprout, no matter how much it hurts, thin them out and throw the excess away. Plants will grow thin and weak when crowded.

Once your plants are a suitable size to plant outside—DON’T. There is a big change in the warm environment in your house and the chilly spring outside. “Harden off” your plants first by putting them in a shady and protected (from the wind and sun) area outside to get used to the weather before putting them in the sun in the garden. This process takes about two weeks. Then, transplant on a cloudy day and water after transplanting. Plants grown in peat pellets or peat pots should always be planted out deeper than the container is tall. If the top of the peat pot, for instance, is above the ground, it will actually wick water away from the plant.

When your plants bear vegetables, try your hand at freezing or canning them. Or if that is too daunting of a proposition, simply share with others. There is nothing more satisfying than a good old vegetable swap between two gardeners!

Becky Peck is with the Greater Kansas City Master Gardeners organization. To reach her, call the University of Missouri Extension Center at 816-252-5051. Also, any gardening question can be discussed by calling the Master Gardeners Hotline from 9 a.m. to