starting seeds

Can anyone give me advice on starting seeds indoors? I've never tried before. (Except the pumpkin plant my son brought home from preschool in October!!) Do I need special growing containers? I've seen Parks Starts from Parks seed catalog...Is it necessary or should I use something else? Or how about the Jiffy peat pellets - just add water & it expands, the roots can grow through it also. I have 2 enclosed porches (with tall windows all around)I can use, 1 facing west, 1 facing east.

Also, how long can you keep seeds? I have heard the older they are, the less likely they'll grow. I have seeds harvested from 1999.

Dave- I love this site!!! I am a fairly new gardener & have founds lots of information & advice!

Thank you for any help you can offer!!
Julie

I have started seeds in many different ways. Torn paper cups seem to be the best. Sowing your own seeds can be tricky. It is all in the timing and temps. Some seeds are dormant. They won't germinate unless their special dormancy is broken. Some seeds have a chilling requirement. Even if they are watered they will not sprout. Quiescent seeds are those that have no true dormancy factor. They will germinate without special care. Start with something easy, like zinna's or marigolds. Just play around and you will learn from your mistakes! Starting a plant from seed is one of the best rewards as a gardener. Don't be discouraged. Just keep on trying! Soon you will get the hang of it! Seeds do loose vitality over the years. Your seeds from 1999 should be fine if they were stored properly. Hope this helps! Bye, Lisa

Dignbloom: The Pinetree Garden Seeds catalog has a great list of seeds and how they need to managed.

I just keyed in plant seed propagation list on the web and came up with a lot of great sites that give that info.
Grits

Some good advice, there, from Lisa, Dignbloom.

I would add one thing to it. If you use the peat pellets, they are enclosed in a fine nylon mesh. Sometimes roots have trouble growing through it. So, when you transplant into the ground, slash the net or peel it off just before planting the seedling.

There are several good books available on germinating plants from seed. One I like is "The New Seee Starters Handbook," by Nancy Bubel.

Good luck with your seed starting.

Dignbloom: I noticed you are in zone 5. So am I. I begin to start my seeds around March 1st. The time to start tomatoes is March 10. Basils you start in April as they are fast growers to be set out in garden by May 15. You could start Perennials in mid-February, or wait till March. If your porch with the west facing windows is heated you could start them there. If it isn't heated, maybe by the time they have sprouted and have gotten 2 sets of leaves you could put them by the windows, as long as the temps don't go below freezing. Debby

Dignbloom, You don't have to buy expensive seed starting trays. I use the bottoms of milk jugs, and water carefully from the top with a recycled dish liquid container (this has a small stream of water so it doesn't mash the little seedlings down) I have grown just about all of my flowers over the past 4 or 5 years by this method. You can take a look at my web pages to see the results. http://www.neumedia.net/~rkane/mamakane/

If you want more detailed directions on my methods, just give me an e-mail.


Good luck with your blooms!

Thank you all for your information! I am so happy I stumbled across this site! Everyone is so helpful!! I bought my 1st house late last summer. I brought a couple perennials I had (rudbeckia, purple coneflower, coreopsis & tulip & hyacinth bulbs)with me. I think they will survive. I hope there will be some surprises this spring popping up. there are no "real" flower beds, so I am basically starting from scrap! Thought I could save a little money by starting seeds (not to mention the thrill!). I hope to put 2 beds in front yard (it's kind of small) & veges in side yard.

I think I have an apple tree out back, but there was no sign of fruit last August. Any ideas?

Mamakane-I took a stroll through your spring garden (couldn't link through late June though) and it all looks beautiful!!! I don't know if I can wait until Spring!!!

Thanks again!! Julie

Dignbloom-Your apple tree might need a cross-polinator. I bought a Stayman Winesap tree from Starks and thought that the neighbor's apple trees would polinate it but they have not. Perhaps they bloom at different times. I am looking for a place nearby to add a Delicious variety as a polinator. Stark's catalogue of fruit trees and berry bushes has all that kind of info. I used to live in Indy and I really miss the beautiful crabapple blooms in the spring.

Here's a helpful site for seed germination:

http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html