Final installment of Seed Starting Indoors
Part 1 Seed Starting Indoors
Part 2 More on Seed Starting Indoors

The biggest mistake I make with my seedling is giving them too much sun and wind when I bring them outdoors for the first time. The poor little guys get their leave singed and some get blown over and have to be staked up. After spending so many weeks tending these seedlings, you would think I'd be a little more careful. But it is easy to get busy cleaning out beds and getting ready for planting. The sun moves and what was dappled shade becomes direct sun in a short time.

The sun in late May is very powerful and can burn the tender leaves of even the hardiest plants when they haven't been "hardened off" yet. Hardening off is the process of acclimating the seedlings to the outdoors before planting them in the garden. (You will want to harden off store bought seedlings that have been sheltered in a greenhouse as well). This will take at least ten days to two weeks. Begin hardening in a sheltered spot in shade then dappled sun for a few hours the first few days, increasing exposure until the plants are reveling in their new environment.

Do not fertilize during hardening off. The plants will be under stress adapting to these new conditions. Do water them before they wilt. They will dry out quickly in the sun and breeze.

After the first 4 or 5 days of hardening during which I bring the seedlings indoors at night, I have a couple of wagons that I put my flats into and pull them into the garage at night where they will get accustomed to the cooler night temps as the garage is detached and not heated.

Toward the end of the hardening off period you will be leaving the plants outdoors fully exposed through the night unless nighttime temps get into the 30s or low 40s especially for tomatoes and peppers.

https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/starting-seeds-indoors#hardening-off-seedlings-1179860

Before planting in the garden, be sure that soil temps are warm enough to encourage root growth and avoid putting your seedling into shock. The warmer the better is a good rule of thumb.

Hardy plants such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbage, onions, leeks and parsley can take ground temps as cold as 40 degrees but if they have been started indoors and are not used to those temps you might want to wait until the ground warms a bit more. You can sow these seeds directly into the ground at these soil temps.

Half-hardy plants such as celery, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, and endive can take soil temps down to 45 degrees.
Tender plants will need soil temps of at least 50 to 65 degrees. Basil, tomatoes and peppers, need the warmer soil temps. Squash, pumpkins, and sweet corn can take the cooler while Cucumber and muskmelon like the middle range.

One rule of thumb uses the science of phenology as the test of when to plant. Phenology looks at what is happening with other species and times the planting season by how other species are developing. For instance, when lilacs are in full bloom plant your veggies is an over generalized rule of thumb; phenology can get much more specific. Here is a link to a UW-Madison Extension article on phenology.

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/phenology/

Some people like to plant by moon phases once the threat of frost has passed.

Check out this Mother Earth News guide to planting by moon phases https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/living-homegrown-how-to-schedule-your-planting-by-the-moon

Your beds should be fully warmed and the soil turned to a depth of at least 8 - 12 inches depending on what you are growing. Working the soil when it is too moist will create clumps that will harden and be inhospitable to your seedlings. Wait until the soil is dry enough that it will break apart when turning it. Turning with a shovel can be better than using a tiller as a tiller can create "hard pan" below the blades that will discourage root penetration and good drainage. If you have a large garden, however, a tiller may be the only way to go. Till every other year or so to avoid hard pan build up.  Take care to walk only in paths to keep your tilled soil from becoming compacted by trodding on it.

Amend the soil as needed before planting. Add some peat or Perlite to loosen up compact silty soil. If you have a lot a clay in the soil you might want to add some sand as well. A good friable soil will contain silt, sand and clay as each contributes to the proper texture of the soil for root growth and drainage, and the ability of the soil to hold moisture and nutrients. Adding organic matter to this mix (peat or decomposed leaves, wood chips, bark or straw) provides nutrients and a medium for beneficial bugs and bacteria to thrive.  Add fully composted manure (100%) to your soil if you think it is depleted. (Watch for a soil testing article on this site). Mix your amendments into the soil well and let it sit for a few days or longer before planting.  This lets the soil settle out to a more uniform texture and temperature and allows microbials to get going.

Once your plants are in the ground, water them then use the same week fertilizer solution (quarter strength) that you used on your seedlings. This will give the seedlings a little boost to get started and help them not go into shock in their new environment. After that, water as needed but sparingly to get the seedlings used to dealing with a less regular watering schedule but don't let the seedlings wilt.  

You will want to think about mulching to keep moisture in and weeds down. Laying down newspaper (2 or 3 pages thick--no color ink) around the plants then covering this with chips, grass clippings, straw, or leaves is a tried and true method. The paper and mulch will decompose over time and can be dug under in the fall or raked aside, dried and covered, and used for mulch in the spring.

A couple of notes on mulch. Straw, hay, grass clipping and leaves can bring with them weed seeds. You can sprinkle a pre emergent such as Preen or corn gluten meal over the mulch to keep weeds from germinating in the mulch. Also, be aware, if you are having a particularly wet spring or summer you may want to push the mulch away from the plants so the soil has a chance to dry out. A good drying out cycle between rains or watering helps to keep down fungal growth. Plant spacing and exposure to wind also helps to keep fungus at bay.

Mulching https://www.veggiegardener.com/best-mulches-to-use-in-the-vegetable-garden/

A few notes on starting seeds in the garden, do not mulch until plants are at least a few inches tall. Be careful not to get pre emergent on beds that will be seeded as this will prevent germination. Seeded beds must be kept moist so will need to be monitored at least twice a day.  You can cover the seeded beds with a plastic tent to keep moisture in while seeds are sprouting.

Good luck with your seedling, have a great growing season and watch for more articles here!

The program will include a short indoor presentation in the Ag Station meeting hall, followed by a hands-on pruning demonstration in the horticulture display garden.

• When: Saturday, April 13, 10 am- 1 pm
• Where: at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station 10:00 am 1:00 pm
• Cost: Zero! There is no cost and the event is open to the public!
• Pre-registration is requested by contacting the Spooner Area Ag Agent's office at 715-635-3506 or 800-528-1914

Dress for the weather as you will be outside for demonstrations!

Part 2 of Seed Starting Indoors

Like many gardeners, I am thinking about next year's garden even before the snow flies. My mind is on spring seed starting in the fall as I am putting the gardens to bed. When all is done and my potting shed organized, I pull out my seed starting trays and containers. My potting shed will be snow bound in the dead of winter so bringing my supplies up to the garage in the fall saves getting the snow shoes out and launching an expedition. Getting ready in late winter works well too and can be a great "cabin fever" activity. Seed packets, starter mix and containers will have started appearing in the stores in late January and February. Seeds will sometimes be discounted this time of year as well.  

Whether you buy new or reuse your equipment year after year, it is recommended to sanitize your containers before starting. You can wash them in hot soapy water and rinse well or just submerge them in a tub of water with 10% bleach for a few minutes. In the fall, I like to pre-fill my containers with a mixture of potting soil and starter mix and arrange them in the trays. I then store the trays stacked one on top of the other in a large plastic bag in the cold garage away from exhaust so I'm ready to go in the spring.  Because soilless starter is great for getting seeds started but not ideal for growing seedling, mixing starter with potting soil is, for me, the best of both worlds.

My containers are six-pack plant containers left over from seedling I buy at the garden center. I arrange them in plastic mesh trays set into leak proof trays (flats from the garden store). When I'm getting ready to sow my seeds, I will bring the trays in from the garage and let them warm to room temperature (65-75 degrees is ideal). Then I saturate the soil well by filling the tray with about a 3/4 inch of water and let the containers soak up the water from the bottom for 15 or 20 minutes then lift out the mesh tray of containers, and dump any excess water.  

Keeping the soil moist is essential for starting seeds and nurturing seedling. The soil should be visibly wet but not sodden. Stick your finger in to feel the moisture. As it dries out note the change in color of the soil. I use a spritzer to keep the soil moist, spritzing twice a day or more. Until the seedlings emerge you can cover them with a plastic lid to keep the moisture in but be careful of fungus developing. Once the seedlings have emerged, uncover and use a small fan on low for at least part of the day to keep the air moving. This will help prevent fungus and encourage strong stems but it will also dry out the soil so it is necessary to keep tabs on your trays to spritz as needed or re-saturate the soil from below if it seems to be drying out too much to keep up with the spritzer alone.

If I have fresh seeds I will try to sow six seeds per container as I am fairly certain I will get near 100% germination. If I sow more seeds I will thin out the excess seedlings by pinching them off or snipping with a small scissor. This is actually quite painful for me. I really hate to kill off little plants. If I am being soft-hearted, I will prepare a six-pack container with moist potting soil, make six indentations with my finger then carefully dig out the excess seedlings with a small spoon and transplant them to the new container (see video link below). If you must touch the seedling, gently grasp them by the leaves as the stems are very tender at this early stage.

Label, label, label!! Too often I have labeled only one container in a flat for each type of plant. I know that the one next to it is the same so why waste time labeling them all. Later I will get confused about which unmarked container belongs with which label. If I have more then one variety of tomatoes, for instance, this is a real problem as I won't know which one is which. So now I label everything. I will use these labels in the garden anyway so there really is no wasted effort.

Once your seedlings have several sets of true leaves (more than just the first two cotyledon leaves), you can start thinking about fertilizing. A weak (1/4 strength) all purpose, water soluble fertilizer applied once a week will do just fine. Over fertilizing can kill the young seedling so less is better.  

My seedlings will remain in the six-pack containers until they are about 5 to 6 inches tall, then I will transplant them (pot up) into 4 inch pots, one seedling per pot. Depending on when you start your seedlings, you may not need to pot up but can plant them directly into the garden from the six-pack container when the sun warmed soil is ready and there is no chance of frost.

As my grandmother used to say, "there is more than one way to skin a cat." Sounds a little gruesome but the point is there is no single right way to start seeds indoors. Some folks like soilless starter mix, or a potting soil, peat and perlite mix or just plain potting soil. You might prefer peat pots or starter plugs or making their own paper pots to plastic containers.  All there methods work so experiment to find out what you like and what works for you.

Do Google searches on "seed starter vs potting soil,"  "peat pots vs plastic," "potting up seedlings" for a variety of article  and videos.

Potting up video
Potting up broccoli video

Watch for Seed Starting Indoors part 3 where I will talk about hardening off seedlings and planting them in the garden.

Article by Pam Davies, MG volunteer

Photo credit: Carla TePaske

The Herb Six Pack
A collection of herbs used to flavor food dishes of all kinds.

Genovese Basil
Garlic Chives
Bouquet Dill
Giant From Italy Parsley
Rosemary
Thyme

Come to the Plant Sale, May 18th to get your Herb Six Pack
$12.00 for the six pack
Care tip brochure and recipes will be at the sale

North Country Master Gardener Volunteers Annual Plant Sale, Saturday, May 18, 8:00 to 11:00 (or until plants last) at the Station Building, 1035 E Maple Street (Hwy 70), Spooner.  Offerings include: Heirloom Tomatoes, Peppers, Natives, Herbs, and Cannas

It is not too early to start thinking about how to get those kids out into the garden this summer. North Country Master Gardeners are gearing up for this year's Mini-Master Gardeners program. This fun program is open to ages 5 and up (must be accompanied by an adult). A full morning of demonstrations and hands-on activities conducted by Master Gardener Volunteers with keep the kids enthralled! Check out the fun we had last year!

Class size will be limited to 30 children. Pre-registration is required. All fees will be collected at the door.

When: March 30h, 2019, 8:30am – 12:00pm
Where: Bashaw Valley Greenhouse, W7402 Fox Trail Road, Shell Lake, WI 54871
Cost: $5/child; $10 per family; Adult chaperones are free.
Registration Required. Contact: Lorraine Toman, call 715-635-3506 or email lltoman@wisc.edu

Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get your fingers in the soil when a blanket of snow covers the gardens and it feels like winter will never end. Just smelling that seed starter is enough to raise anyone's spirits!

Picking through my seed box with my mind on the glorious day I'll be out in the garden planting seedlings and sowing into the sun-warmed soil, I wonder how old some of these seeds are and will I get good germination.

Some seeds are better in the long run than others and of course when saving seeds it is always good to date and source your seeds--not so hard when you buy packets with the dates right on them but if you tear off the top and toss it and don't use up all the contents, you may have lost that important information printed on the flap.

Among the seeds that last longest in dry cool storage,  5 or more years , are some favorites:
     Beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, cilantro, cucumber, lavender, lettuce, melons, mustard,     oregano, peppers, radish, sunflower, tomato, and turnips.

Then we have the seeds that can go up to five years such as:
     Basil, beans, calendula, carrot, celery, chard, dianthus, dill, eggplant, forget-me-not, lupine, marigold, nasturtium, parsley, peas, pumpkin, sage, snapdragon, squash, sweet pea, thyme, and zinnia.

The most delicate seeds lasting only a year or two are:
     Alyssum, aster, blanket flower, coleus, corn, cosmos, delphinium, leek, onion, pansy, parsnip, phlox, spinach, and strawflower.

It's not that these seeds won't germinate after the "use by" date but you will get a considerably smaller percentage that do germinate and possibly less robust plants. To ensure success, fresher is better.

Soilless seed starter is lighter and finer than regular potting soil making it easier for the little sprouts to make their way to the light. You can make your own starter mix with a combination of equal parts of peat, perlite and potting soil. 

A lot of seeds do well with a bit of soaking (warm water, 8-12 hours) before planting though some are so small it’s difficult to handle them wet or even damp. Soak peas, beans, squash, pumpkin, corn and other larger seeds to give them a little boost before starting indoors or planting in the garden.

Keep in mind, you might have to "rough up" or scarify some seeds before starting them--they need help cracking through the seed coat in order to germinate. These are largely wild flower and perennial and flower seeds such as nasturtium, morning glories, moon flowers—ones with tough outer shells designed to pass through the digestive systems of birds and small mammals. Shaking them up in a bag with rough edged rocks will usually do the trick. Bigger, tougher seeds may need a more brutal approach—take a blade or hammer to these.
 
You may have to put some seeds through stratification--moisture and/or cold temperature for a designated period before germinating. Seeds for false sunflower, hardy hibiscus, catmint, evening primrose perennial sweet pea, lupine, rudbeckia and many wildflowers need a period of cold and moisture before they will germinate.  Plant these in your starter trays as you normally would, then put the trays out into a cold shed or garage, away from exhaust fumes, for a few weeks before starting indoors.  Be sure they are covered to keep out any little rodents looking for a snack.

https://www.americanmeadows.com/blog/2017/06/05/how-to-scarify-and-soak-seeds-for-spring-planting/
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/propagation/seeds/seed-stratification.htm

I've learned the hard way that windows are not the best place for young seedlings. Windows can be drafty, the glass conducts cold, and nighttime temperatures can be downright chilling. Seedlings do best with consistent temperature and light. A cool, white fluorescent double-bulb hanging fixture suspended 2-3 inches above the seedling trays for 12 to 16 hours per day is ideal and not too difficult to manage. Fixtures are fairly inexpensive, especially if you can find them at a thrift store.

I always start seeds too soon so have to contend with leggy seedlings well before it is time to plant outdoors. This means I must transplant them into larger pots and get them as much light and breeze as possible to toughen them up for their adventure in the garden. Unlike trees, many seedlings such as tomatoes and broccoli can be transplanted with their stems buried. So a 6 inch seedling can be transplanted to be a 3 inch seedling, the buried stem will then start rooting. Plant these up to, but no deeper, than the first little leaves (the cotyledon leaves). Of course transplanting seedling into large pots will also slow them down as they will have to concentrate on adapting to their new digs. This can be good in that spring planting time may be well off yet and you want the seedlings to develop good strong roots before they go out into the garden.

Here is a handy guide to when to start your seedlings indoors (in our area April 1 is 8 weeks before last frost):
     8 Weeks --cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, lettuce, peppers
     6 weeks--perennial flowers, tomatoes, watermelon
     3-4 weeks--cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, muskmelon

Let the ground warm up before planting your little seedling, else they may go into shock and take days or weeks to recover. Even though the days may be warm, plant after danger of frost. In plant hardiness zones 3b-4b our average last frost is May 24-30. Keep in mind when choosing seeds, especially when sewing directly into the garden bed, that our growing season here in NW Wisconsin is roughly 110 days. 

Other resources:
Common mistakes when starting seeds
Seed Saving
Do a Google search on “seed starting indoors,” there are lots of great YouTube videos and many, many great articles as well as.

Author
Pam Davies MG Volunteer
 
 

Above photo credit: Sue Reinardy


Spring is on the way! Many of us are already starting to plan our garden projects for the 2019 season.  Once again the North Country Master Gardeners will be having a plant sale.  The sale will be offering many new items. We will have two new pollinators to add to your pollinator garden.  New varieties of tomatoes, peppers and a herb six pack!
North Country Master Gardener Volunteers Annual Plant Sale, Saturday, May 18, 8:00 to 11:00 (or until plants last) at the Station Building, 1035 E Maple Street (Hwy 70), Spooner.  Offerings include: Heirloom Tomatoes, Peppers, Natives, Herbs, and Cannas

Additions to the Pollinator Six Pack ~ Continue to Feed the Bees ~ the Ox Eye Sunflower and Purple Coneflower will be new additions to our Pollinator Six Pack.

Ox Eye Sunflower
Heliopsis helianthoides
Produces huge quantities of brilliant yellow - orange flowers from June to September. Very easy to grow. Seeds are great for the birds. Grows 2 - 5' tall. Self - sows, does not spread by rhizomes. Hardy to zone 4.

Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
One of the best for attracting butterflies and birds, this showy and easy to grow cone flower adds a flashy touch to the late - summer garden. Grows 3 - 4' tall. Perennial ~ Hardy to zone 4.

During our North Country Master Gardener Membership Meeting on February 28th, Mark Nupren of the Friends of Namekagon Barrens gave a presentation.
Mark shared the beauty of the unique flowers, animals and birds that live in the Barrens.
Taking time to be with nature, looking close for new plants to identify and watching Sharp-tail grouse all can be enjoyed hiking in the Barrens.
www.fnbwa.org/
Click on the above link for more information regarding Northwest Wisconsin Barrens.
Maps, photos and stories about the Barrens can be found on the Friends of the Namekagon Barrens web page.

Thank you Mark for your presentation. We look forward to having the Friends of the Namekagon Barrens at the Annual Twilight Tour in the Teaching and Display Garden, Tuesday, August 13, 4:00 to Twilight, Features guest speakers, demonstrations, displays, vegetable tastings.

 ​The theme for our 2019 Garden events is: Re-use, Recycle, Re-imagine.   The dates have been set, so save these on your calendar, check back for more information on our home page or on the Spooner Agriculture Research Station Facebook page, and plan to join us.   For events requiring pre-registration, please call the Station at 715-635-3506.