Seed Starting Demystified

By Pamela T. Hubbard, Master Gardener, PennState Extension Monroe County

How many seeds to order

For a modest-sized garden choose the vegetables and varieties your family enjoys most. One packet of seeds of each variety should be plenty. As a general rule, one packet will be enough for a 10 to 30 foot row.

When to start your seedlings

Plan to start your seeds indoors so they are at the correct stage of development to move outside after the last frost. I often wait another week before planting, if the weatherman predicts frost at that time. Follow the instructions on the seed packet and use the calendar to figure out the sowing dates. For example, the instructions on a tomato seed packet may be, “Start seeds indoors 4-8 weeks prior to the last frost of spring." Always read the directions on the seed packet, as larger seeds, such as beans and corn, do best if you sow them directly into the garden. Write the sowing date on each seed packet and group together with other packets having the same sowing time.

Colorful catalogs arrive in the dead of winter and tempt us to start our plants from seed. Here are some tips for choosing and starting seeds successfully.

Seed catalog season, one of my favorite seasons of the year, has begun. Few tasks are more rewarding than growing your own plants from seed. If you haven't done this before, and you find it intimidating, here are some guidelines to simplify the process.

Which seed catalogs to choose?

Choose seed companies in the Northeast. They provide varieties adapted to our area, whereas more distant companies may offer plant materials best suited to other regions of North America. Some of the companies I have used with good results: Burpee, Johnny's Select Seeds, The Cook's Garden, and Annie's Heirloom Seeds.

How to read seed catalogs

The best catalogs include details such as the botanical name of the plant, its color, preference for sun or shade, its water requirements, and the mature height and spread of the plant. Another important piece of information is the cold-hardiness zone for the plant. The catalog may tell you the plant is new or improved which means the variety has changed, hopefully for the better. Icons will indicate the plant's traits: read the key, as the symbols are not the same in all catalogs. You may have been drawn to the plant by its lovely picture but remember this shows the mature plant at its best; perennials may not look that way the first year. Don't forget to grow some flowers in your vegetable garden to encourage pollinators. Many annual flowers, like marigolds and zinnias, are very easy to grow from seed; they are great for beginners.

Containers

You will need containers with holes for drainage and trays to catch excess water. Styrofoam cups, plastic tubs, and old plastic cell packs are suitable. I prefer old seed flats. You can purchase a seed starting kit that includes a tray of cells and a humidity dome, but it's not necessary to spend the money. Most important, your containers must be properly sterilized before using them. Wash them in soapy water and then rinse with a solution of one part chlorine bleach and 10 parts water. Dry thoroughly before adding the growing mix.

Growing mix

Purchase a commercially prepared mix especially for seed starting. The medium should be sterile, loose, welldrained, and of fine texture. Also, buy vermiculite to cover the seeds as this encourages seed germination.

Step-by-step procedure

• Moisten the seed starting mix and fill the container to within ¾ inch from the top. Remember to make sure the container has adequate drainage.

• Use a clean small board to level and firm the mix. Do not press too hard.

• Make shallow rows about 1-2 inches apart with a narrow board.

• Sow seeds uniformly and thinly in the rows. Label the rows immediately, especially when you plant different (Continued on page 6) seeds in one flat. If you are sowing only one type of seed you may scatter them over the surface.

• Cover the seeds with vermiculite to a depth of about two times their diameter, leaving very fine seeds uncovered. Moisten the surface with a fine mist, or place the container in a pan of warm water.

• Cover the container with a plastic film or a plastic bag. No additional watering will be needed until after germination.

• Place the tray in a warm place, not in direct sunlight, with a temperature of 65–75° F. You can use a heated seed-starting mat.

• Once seedlings emerge, remove the plastic film and place the container in a bright south-facing window, or under a fixture equipped with two cool white fluorescent tubes. Leave the seedlings under the lights for 14-16 hours each day. Do not overwater: allow drying between watering, being careful the seedlings don't wilt.

• If you need to thin your seedlings, nip some off at the soil line with scissors. If necessary, transplant overcrowded seedlings to individual pots after they have at least one set of true leaves. Grasp the seedlings by the leaf to avoid damage to the stem.

Hardening off and planting out

Gradually introduce your seedlings to the garden after threat of frost. Place them in dappled shade for about five days before moving them into a sunny location, gradually increasing the length of exposure, for another five days. When your plants are large enough for easy handling and hardening-off is complete, the time has come to plant them into the garden. To reduce the shock of transplanting, select a cloudy day for the task. Dig a hole twice as wide as the plant. Carefully remove the plant, retaining as much soil as possible, and set it in the hole at the same level it was growing in the flat. Place soil loosely around the roots and fertilize with a weak solution of fish emulsion.

With seed catalogs in hand, you can begin the most rewarding and enjoyable of garden projects planning your summer garden!

Clubmoss

By Joey Williamson, PhD, HGIC Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson University

Clubmosses are primitive vascular plants that look like miniature pines or cedars spreading over the forest floor. They evolved around 410 million years ago, even before higher plants and dinosaurs appeared on earth. Today, modern species only grow inches tall, but their ancestors grew as tall as 135 feet. The abundance of tree-like clubmosses, along with horsetails and ferns, dominated the Carboniferous period (which lasted 359.2 to 299 million years ago), and the woody clubmosses created much of the massive coal deposits that are mined today.

Genera

Until around 30 years ago, most clubmosses were placed in the genus Lycopodium, but taxonomists have since split these primitive little plants into a number of genera, and in South Carolina, these include Huperzia, Lycopodiella, Diaphasiastrum, Dendrolycopodium, and of course Lycopodium. Many species of these genera are found growing in areas of moist, acidic forests with seepages but also in bogs and wet prairies. However, some species have adapted to grow well in dry or mesic forests and even at higher elevations on balds, rock outcrops, and in forest openings with more sunlight.

There are approximately 7 genera and 11 species of clubmosses in South Carolina, and these are indigenous primarily to the Piedmont region and on the coastal plain of the state.

Reproduction

One reason that they are considered primitive is because their manner of reproduction is by spores rather than by seeds. Many clubmosses send up “club-like” projections, called strobili, on which spore producing packages (called sporangia) are formed.

However, spore production is not the only means by which clubmosses can spread. They also spread by underground stems (called rhizomes) that grow horizontally, and from these, additional small plants will appear a few inches away.

How Is Excessive Screen Time Affecting Us?

Screens seem to be everywhere in the form of phones, laptops, tablets, and even watches, so we have to think about how we function in an environment with screens constantly being utilized in our lives. According to the CDC website, children ages 8-10 have a screen usage time of around 6 hours. Youths ages 11-14 spend around 9 hours a day in front of a screen. Youths ages 15-18 spend around 7.5 hours a day in front of a screen. We have to ask ourselves: what effect does excessive screen usage have on us?

These fan clubmoss (Diphasiastrum digitatum) have produced their multiple strobili on each stalk for spore release, and the spores are spread by air currents.

Growth Rate

Sometimes colonies of multiple clubmoss species are found together. Ground pine and fan clubmoss grow in similar habitats.

Clubmosses are extremely slow growing plants and rely on mycorrhizal fungi to aid in nutrition and to complete their life cycle and growth. It may take as many as 20 years to make another mature plant from spore production and spreading. In past years, clubmosses have been ripped from the ground to use as garland for Christmas decorations. However, because of their slow growth and recovery from harvesting activities, these little clubmosses really should not be harvested. Additionally, they do not transplant well. Therefore, it is best to appreciate these beautiful, evergreen groundcovers in their natural habitats.

Other clubmosses, such as this shining clubmoss (Huperzia lucidula), do not send up strobili for spore production, but they have packets of spores formed in small sporangia at the base of their small scale-like leaves (called microphylls).

It is in our boredom we think of creative and innovative ideas. Therefore, if we replace free time with being online, our ability to use our imagination and express ourselves can be negatively impacted. Another effect that excessive screen time can have on us is our inability to get quality sleep. Staying up to view our screens gives us less time to get the deep sleep that sets us up for the next day. Our ability to focus is also stunted when it comes to viewing screens constantly. This stops us from doing our best in classes or work and our future work and school performances can then be jeopardized if this pattern continues.

One cannot talk about screen time without talking about social media. Especially within the younger generation, social media presence seems to be essential when being in touch with friends. However social media can lead to a handful of issues that affect people's mental health such as anxiety, depression, self-image issues, etc.

So, what are some ways to reduce screen time?

• Find alternative hobbies you actually enjoy to pass the time

• Set screen time limits on phone’s apps in your settings

• Create family rules restricting the use of devices after certain times of the day or during mealtimes

• Avoid viewing your phone right before bed and even place your phone in a different room from where you are sleeping

Source: University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign