An introduction
I’m Candace. I live in the woods on a small farmstead in Richland County, have a ridiculously large garden, and have mastered the chainsaw – a major goal in life.
I’ve discovered there are as many ways to garden as there are gardeners – none is the “right” way or the “wrong” way, but some are far more complicated than others. A few even require bizarre things – fish heads, the hokey-pokey, something along those lines. I’ll share what works for me. Every method discussed in this column will be one that I have personally tried, and none require dancing.
Country life is so much more than just gardening, though: foraging, wildlife, and nature at its finest (or its grossest, creepiest, and crawliest) are all part of life outside the city.
So join me for a day in the garden, mosquito wars, tick invasions, and midnight hikes, and peek into Country Life with Candace.
How to start seeds
When I sold plants at the farmers’ market, many people told me they’d tried to start seeds on their own but never had any luck. To be honest, it did take several failed attempts to figure things out myself – I’m lucky not to be listed on the Most Wanted Plant Killers. Here are a few tips and techniques to help you skip that poor, dead seedling stage.
Soil
If the bag says “potting soil,” it’s probably nothing but dirt. Yes, you can start seeds in that, but the soil tends to compact and doesn’t offer the little seedlings the room they need to stretch their roots. It also lacks the nutrition necessary for happy, healthy seedlings.
A “potting mix” works well. There are specialty seed-starting mixes, but they generally come in small bags and can get expensive if you plan to start more than a few seeds. And who can start just a few? You’ll need extra for the neighbor, the family, that columnist that is obsessed with gardening…
Potting mixes usually include a wetting agent, which helps avoid constant watering, because we need that extra time to practice chainsaw skills, right? Many include a fertilizer to feed the hungry, green babies, and you can find organic mixes as well.
The container
Although you can start seeds in any type of container, from paper cups to egg shells, the key is drainage. Seeds that sit in water tend to mold or rot rather than germinate. And I’ll warn you from experience: paper cups tend to get squishy and mildew; egg shells are really too small; and the new trend of ice cream cones? Ick. Picture that after a few waterings.
My best results have been with basic plug trays, which can be found in just about any store’s gardening section. The trays provide excellent drainage, make it easy to move multiple plants at once, and can be reused year after year.
Seeds
Not everything needs to be started in advance. Corn, beans, lettuce, and root crops do best when directly seeded into the ground. Early seed starting is suitable for things that need higher germination temperatures and longer growing seasons, like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, and some herbs, melons, and squash varieties. If you aren’t sure, just check your seed packet or garden catalog.
There are so many types of seeds to choose from that it can be overwhelming. It’s certainly easy to get caught up in the garden-porn of seed catalogs and get carried away with seed orders. Who can resist purple potatoes, black tomatoes, and purple carrots? One can never have too many seeds.
There are open pollinated (OP) varieties, which means these seeds are the result of normal cross-pollination between plants via wind, water, or insects. OP seeds may also be the result of self-pollination, which means a single plant has both male and female flowers, or a single flower has both male and female parts.
Heirloom seeds are OP seeds that have been around for generations. Maybe you even have some passed down in your own family. Both OP and heirloom seeds are great for seed saving.
Hybrid (F1) seeds are the result of cross-pollination between two parent varieties. Hybrids are generally intentional (unless we are talking about squash, but that’s another column), and are bred to produce hearty plants resistant to disease.
F1 stands for “first filial,” or first generation after the cross. Seed saved from hybrid plants will often result in one of the parent plants.
Hybrids, it should be noted, are not genetically modified organisms (GMO). You will not mistakenly purchase GMO seed, as that requires a contract with Monsanto, so don’t worry that you’ll wake up one morning to find the carrots have sprouted arms and have started eating the other vegetables.
Method
Fill the cells with potting mix, but don’t compact it.
Water thoroughly. Yes, before you plant the seeds. Potting mix contains sphagnum peat moss, which tends to float around on the first watering, taking seeds with it. Wetting the mix will keep your seeds from venturing off into the great unknown.
Allow the mix to drain thoroughly. Poke a small hole in the mix and drop in the seed. No need to cover the seed – the final watering will take care of that.
Be sure to label each row; popsicle sticks make great plant markers. You can eat the popsicles first, but if you are watching your figure, maybe just pick up a pack of craft sticks. Or find a handy toddler to finish off those popsicles for you.
Once you’ve planted all of your seeds, water again.
Keep the mix moist, but not soaking wet. Don’t let the seedlings dry out – that stresses them, and stressed seedlings, like stressed people, tend to just wilt.
Tricks and tips
Put the seed tray in a warm, sunny spot indoors and turn it at least twice a day. Once the seedlings sprout, they’ll lean toward the sun, and rotating the tray a few times a day will keep them from becoming those leggy, spindly, sad little plants we associate with indoor seedlings.
Once seedlings are an inch tall, brush your hand gently across the top of the seedlings whenever you water or turn them. Brushing simulates wind movement, and helps build strong stems.
Before you know it, you’ll have a garden full of fresh produce and unique varieties, and maybe your own seed hoard. Be careful, gardening is contagious.
