Starting Transplants: The Basics

Spring is in the air and gardening season is right around the corner. My seed catalogues have all arrived, and I’m picking out varieties and getting ready to start my babies. Starting your own transplants is fun, easy and gives you access to almost any variety you could want (for more information on varieties check back for upcoming posts!)  

 Starting seeds requires four things: soil, seeds, pots and a bit of time.  The best plan is to figure out what you want in your garden and then pick out varieties that best fulfill that. On the back of your seed packets should be a plant date. Many seeds are started between 3 and 8 weeks before your final frost date. Here in Lansing the final frost date is generally between the middle of May and the middle of June. Once you have your brightly colored seed packets sitting on your counter it’s almost impossible not to dream about perfect rows of crisp lettuce and climbing beans curling around poles.
However, there is still a lot of work before these seeds even make it to the garden.

Seeds are like babies; they require time, love, attention and the proper nutrients to give them the best chance in life. For your seeds, that best chance starts with planting. You can buy seed trays from the local store or reuse old ones from previous years. If you want a biodegradable option you can try old cardboard egg cartons and toilet paper roll inserts for starting your seeds. If you are reusing old seed trays always sanitize them by washing out old dirt and debris and soaking them in 10% bleach (1 cup bleach to 9 cups water) for at least 10 minutes. That should be long enough to kill any bad microbes that survived from the previous year. So for sanitation just remember 10 for 10. 10% bleach for 10 minutes. Let the seed trays air dry before filling with soil and planting.  

Fill the seed trays about a ¼” from the top of the seed tray with potting mix, this leaves a little room for water to sit on each cell and filter through your media. Lightly press the potting mix down, but do not pack it. Water your seed trays before you plant the seeds. Plant seeds according to what it says on the back of the seed packet. Most seeds only like to be 1/8-1/2” deep. Label each variety with a plant tag written in black Sharpie. If you’re anything like me you’ll plant 15 varieties of squash and have no way of telling them apart until they fruit. Put your little seed babies into a nice warm location with 6-8 hours of sun daily. If you don’t have access to sun, you can use artificial light such as grow lights to compensate. Just like that you’re planted; so sit back and watch them germinate!