Starting Seeds Indoors
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 3:19PM 
While starting your own vegetable plants from seed might not be as fulfilling as a life dedicated to fighting world hunger or forest fires, it is pretty darn cool watching you’re your tiny seeds sprout grow into sturdy seedlings destined to yield produce for the kitchen table.
Starting Seeds Indoors
1.Start by filling a flat with grow medium to within ¼” of the surface and level with a piece of wood.
2.Spread the selected seed variety evenly over the soil, and press down with the flat side of the piece of wood.
3. Cover the seeds to the depth specified on the packet – typically a depth of about 4 times their diameter - taking care to spread an even amount of soil over the seeds.
4.Again using the piece of wood, gently press down on the surface of the soil, and water it with a fine mist. The soil should be moist, but not soggy - like the consistency of a wrung out sponge.
5. Seal in moisture by covering the flat with a plastic dome or bag, and place it in front of a south facing window, or under florescent lights set to run 18 hours per day. Because the flat is covered, you shouldn’t to need to water the soil until the first seedlings emerge and the dome or plastic bag is removed. Remove the plastic cover once the first seeds sprout.
Creating Ideal Conditions for Germination
-Place seedlings sear a sunny, south facing window, and/or under cool florescent lights set on a timer to run 18 hours per day. If plants are near a window, remember to rotate them regularly to ensure even growth. Seeds sprouted on a window without direct sun exposure will stretch and become spindly. If a south facing window isn’t convenient or unavailable, it’s best to invest in florescent lighting.
-Most seeds germinate best in a temperature range of 70-75 degrees, and sprouted seedlings prefer room temperatures of 60-70 degrees.
-Once the first sprouts have emerged, and the plastic cover has been removed, check the soil every day for lighter colored spots, which indicate that it is drying out. Gentle overhead watering with a fine mist is okay, but soaking the flat from the bottom carries less risk of damaging the tender young seedlings.
-The first set of leaves to emerge are called cotyledons which are actually food storage cells. As the seedlings continue to grow, the first set of true leaves will emerge. At this point, it’s time to fertilize the plants with an organic fish emulsion or seaweed based plant food.
-Seedlings can be thinned or transplanted when they have developed four true sets of leaves.
Special Seed Treatments
Some seeds require special handling to achieve good germination and growth.
-Scarification is a technique where the outer shell of the seed is scored with a knife, making it easier for the sprouted plant to emerge.
-Soaking seeds in warm water over night improves germination. Remember to limit soaking to 48 hours as they may rot beyond that. Varieties that prefer soaking include corn, beans, okra, cucumber, melons, peas and squash.
-stratification involves changing the environment around the seeds to recreate natural weather cycles. Place seeds in a sealed plastic bag with about 4-5 times their volume in most peat moss or vermiculite, and place in the refrigerator for cold stratification or on a window sill for warm stratification. Once tiny white primary roots have emerged, the seeds are ready to be sown into sterile potting mix.
- Rhizobium inoculant treatments added to bean seeds before planting will encourage a more vigorous plant capable of converting more atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for the plant.
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