Five things you will need if you're planting seeds for the first time
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Steve Pincus uses a semi-automatic seeder that uses compressed air to distribute seeds into individual flat cells an entire row at a time at Tipi Produce in Evansville. The time for starting seeds is upon us, experts say.
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Steve Pincus examines a lettuce seed that failed to germinate in one of the flats in the Tipi greenhouse.
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Tipi Produce co-owner Steve Pincus looks over seedlings in the greenhouse. The flats of lettuce seedlings in the foreground were planted on February 20.
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Two week old onion seedlings sprout in flats in the Tipi greenhouse.
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JANESVILLE — Lights, warmth, tomatoes!
That's right, with the last frost date about 10 weeks away, ambitious gardeners are starting to think about seed starting.
For new or nongardeners, seed starting is just that: tucking the little guys into a special seed starting mix, popping them under artificial light, and, in many cases, applying heat.
Time's a-wasting, as grandpa used to say, so let's get right to it. Here are the top five things you need to know about seed starting.
1. Starting from scratch.
If you've never started seeds before, you'll need:
-- Soil-less potting mix. This is not the same as potting soil.
-- Pots. These could range from old yogurt containers with holes punched in the bottoms to peat pots to biodegradable pots made of cow manure.
-- A light source. Shop lights work well. For best results buy one "cool light" tube and a "warm light" tube. This will give you a broader spectrum of light. You don't need to buy one of those special bulbs marketed for plants.
-- A heat source: Many seed starting kits come with a plastic mat designed to provide just the right amount of heat.
-- The seeds of your choice. Check the back of flower and veggie seed packages. They will say something like, "Start indoors six weeks from the last frost date." In the Janesville area, the last frost date is between April 26 and May 10, according to Mike Maddox, UW Extension horticulture educator.
2. Price versus pleasure: Yes, a package of 50 tomato seeds often is less expensive than a single tomato plant.
But add to that the cost of the basic equipment, electricity, seed starting mix, and it adds up.
"I don't think seed starting is about saving money, it think it's more about the challenge," Maddox said. "Also, I think it's about the need to be doing something. It's as much in the realm of horticulture therapy."
There's also a certain satisfaction in having coached up plants from seed, Maddox said.
3. Exotic melons and perfect peppers. Variety and season length are the top two reasons people start flowers and vegetables from seeds.
Let's say you want to plant "Krimzon Lee," a sweet and hot pepper that Johnny's Select Seeds describes as a "paprika-type pepper that holds heat in its ribs." Or maybe you want to grow "Bianca," an ivory colored pepper that ripens to scarlet red.
Even with garden centers now carrying a wider variety of heirloom plants, there will be plants you'll only find as seeds.
"Your local garden center can't carry it all," Maddox said.
That's especially true of new varieties.
Some plants, such as peppers, melons and squash, need a head start on the growing season. For example, Krimzon Lee takes 62 days to turn green and 85 to turn red. That means you'll need every minute of June, July and August to get red peppers. Now consider how fickle Wisconsin summers can be, and give yourself some leeway.
A birdhouse gourd needs 125 days to mature.
Hint: In some cases, "65 days" can mean from the time the seed goes into the ground. Other times it means 65 days after the transplanted seedling goes into the ground.
Contact the seed catalog or ask nursery staff if it's not clear.
4. What works, what does not. Some plants resent being transplanted, making them more difficult to start from seed. Melons are a good example.
Here's the best plan for sensitive plants: Start them in biodegradable pots. CowPots, or another brand of pots made from dried manure work best.
Traditional peat pots can work, too. However, it's best to use larger pots so that when you transplant the melons, you can gently peel off the bottom of the pot without disturbing the soil or roots.
Peat pots degrade, but they take a surprisingly long time. And while they're degrading, the peat wicks the water away from the roots.
Don't bother starting beans or peas. Peas can be planted outside as early as April 15. Beans are a short season crop and take off as soon as you put them in the ground. Same goes for veggies such as leaf lettuce, spinach and Chinese cabbage.
5. Patience versus enthusiasm. The most important part of seed starting is the "hardening off" process, Maddox said.
Hardening off is the process of getting plants that were grown in a windless room at a controlled temperature with a particular amount of light into the outdoors where they will be subject to everything from a breeze to a tempest, changing temperatures and the intense light of the sun.
Chose a mild day to set seedlings out. Put them in a sheltered area for about two hours and then bring them back indoors.
Each day, increase the time outside on mild days. Decrease the amount of watering, but don't allow the seedlings to wilt.
After transplanting into the garden, give the new plants a mild fertilizer solution.
Apr 11, 2012 at 5:18 p.m.
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TThompson: "...what with the intrusive govt and wasteful spending arguments...but I've come to learn that those who are most opposed to uncle sam creeping into their business...usually don't mind when uncle sam is creeping into their neighbors business." SO TRUE! SO TRUE!
Apr 4, 2012 at 10:41 p.m.
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Good pointers, Ms. Idzerda! A baby boomer, I long ago came to appreciate that so much joy in life's pursuits is the "process" and not necessarily the final product.
. . .
Maddox's remarks are to that effect. You, Ms. Idzerda demonstrate that in every one of your articles . . . it comes as no surprise that you have such a splendid fan base! Keep 'em coming! You're writing is terrific!
Mar 31, 2012 at 1:24 p.m.
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"[California] Governor Jerry Brown ... vetoed ... a bill that would have allowed California farmers to grow industrial hemp.... Brown noted ... that it’s absurd that the US allows products made from hemp to be imported into the country but prohibits farmers from growing it here. The governor said he couldn’t sign the law because of the federal prohibition."
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/92510/arch...
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That's less than six months ago. There has of course not even been a bill here in Wisconsin challenging the federal law, Shopierehuh. Hemp has not been a legal crop in the US for sixty-seven years.
Mar 11, 2012 at 6:50 p.m.
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Are you even serious shop?? You are aware of the laws in this country?? Assume all you want but when the hypocracy ends I will absolutely have a new career, one way or another...
Mar 11, 2012 at 6:24 p.m.
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So, Mr. Thompson, why don't you start your own industrial hemp business? Or is that just a pipe dream? Lots of talk no action, I have seen that from heads in decades past.
Mar 8, 2012 at 5:20 p.m.
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'So growing vegetables, which we eat is similar to growing hemp?'
Yes actually. Extremely similar. Google 'Hemp seed as food' and see what you learn. Hemp-seed would be a cheap and easy to grow seed that could get crucial nutrients to under fed 3rd world countries. Of course it's not legal DonnaW. That was my point. I use to think I could easily get all of you right wingers on my side...what with the intrusive govt and wasteful spending arguments...but I've come to learn that those who are most opposed to uncle sam creeping into their business...usually don't mind when uncle sam is creeping into their neighbors business. FWIW old girl...I rarely pick up the pipe these days. And even if I did, that does not change the facts of the benefits of industrial hemp. As for my sports blog...I really don't care if you change the subject in there. Really I don't. Unless that subject is politics then I will chide you because ITS MY BLOG. Don't like it?? Join the rest of the negative nancys who don't like what I write yet still read what I write.
Mar 8, 2012 at 4:34 p.m.
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I still have some carrot left in the fridge from last season. They are in the special tupperware "fridge smart" that really works well to extend the life of things.
Mar 7, 2012 at 8:21 a.m.
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Love Mr. Maddox's terminology - "horticulture therapy" - a very real thing, especially this time of year. Playing in the dirt is good for you !
Mar 7, 2012 at 5:57 a.m.
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So growing vegetables, which we eat is similar to growing hemp? So hemp is a vegetable? Legal? Put down your pipe Thompson. You are over the edge. Go back to your sports column.
Mar 6, 2012 at 4:18 p.m.
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Good point donnaw. What would seed growing and industrial hemp have to do with one another anyways.
Mar 6, 2012 at 2:38 p.m.
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tthompson..you once chided me for posting something political on your sports blog so now you should post your crusade to legalize hemp growing on some other more appropriate site. This article is about the timing of planting vegetable seeds in our gardens.
Mar 6, 2012 at 1:59 p.m.
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Close frusion...I was referring to, and mentioned the industrial uses of hemp which is different than the psychoactive version you are referring to. We are the only industrialized country that does not allow the farming of industrial hemp. Why?? Because Uncle Sam doesn't want to send a mixed message. I'm not sure that message is more mixed than currently allowing drugs that kill to be legal while prohibiting drugs that don't, but that's his belief. Anyone who would attempt to smoke industrial hemp would only do it one time. Wisconsin was one of the top hemp producing states in the union prior to the 1937 Marijuana Tax Stamp Act. We could do it again...
Mar 6, 2012 at 9:09 a.m.
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Ed Bradley was a wonderful correspondent on CBS.
Mar 6, 2012 at 8:42 a.m.
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donnaw- I guess he is relating this story to growing pot.
Mar 6, 2012 at 8:08 a.m.
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tthompson...huh?
Mar 5, 2012 at 8:37 p.m.
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I have been using "Daylight" CFL bulbs for several years with very good results. One tip is don't have your lights too far above the seedlings otherwise your seedlings get tall and scraggly and fall over and die. Have the lights a couple inches above plants.
Mar 5, 2012 at 7:40 p.m.
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An entire industry, with potentially thousands of jobs, and MILLIONS in tax revenue being completely ignored because of decades of mis-information, and that could be from just the industrial uses. Sad, so sad.
Mar 5, 2012 at 6:10 p.m.
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Very interesting information. Tony's graphic is very helpful. I have printed it out for reference.
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