it y win ut- i cdu y tu transplant

it y win ut- i cdu y tu transplant outdoors early, under the protection of hoophouse and tunnels.

Seeds are magical- tiny living organisms. They are the future, as potential com stalk or sunflower and seeds are the past, containing vast environmental and genetic information — they are the eyes of the Earth.

The present is in the gardener’s hands: the ability to provide supportive ‘conditions ■ so the seeds may flourish and continue sharing their stories and wealth with us.

Any plants you can begin from seed will, with few exceptions, be far healthier and of higher quality than the plants you could buy. Plus, you don’t have to accept the ordinary varieties of commercial seed, nor will you have begun with plants loaded with chemicals and growth hormones from infancy.

There are several good books on seed starting that I recommend for learning propagation techniques. The New Seed Starter’s Handbook, /Nancy Bubel, is very thorough, dealing with all aspects of materials, plants, planting out and seed saving. For in depth information on flowers and herbs, From Seed To Bloom, How to Grow Over 500 Annuals, Perennials and Herbs/ Eileen Powell, is especially helpful for seeds with more finicky germination requirements.

There are methods which I favor and find successful, culled from some years of experimentation. In part one of this article, I’ll discuss materials and set-up.

Does this need saying? Begin with high quality, untreated seed, i.e. avoid cheap-o-seed and those with suspicious green and pink coatings!

Buy some growing light fixtures. Windowsills just cannot give reliable light and temperature for healthy, stocky seedlings. Forty-eight inches l or longer light tubes are the * best size as smaller tubes do not give enough light-candle I power at the ends. Two fullI