White County
 Gardening
Podcast
February 9, 2012
Starting Seeds Indoors (2:58 minutes)
Audio/Video Script
Sherri Sanders
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
For many gardeners, the growing season officially begins long before the spring thaw. The season kickoff happens indoors with a packet of seeds sown on a sunny windowsill. Even if snow still blankets the ground where you live, you can get a head start on spring by starting some seedlings indoors. Hello this is Sherri Sanders, County Extension Agent – Agriculture in White county.
You’ll find that growing flowers from seed expands your options. Your local garden center might offer three kinds of geraniums red, salmon, and white while a good seed catalog lists twenty or more. And, compared to transplants, seeds are a bargain.
Sowing seeds indoors is a simple technique. As long as you pay attention to light, temperature, and moisture, success comes easy. Here are some guidelines.
As a general rule, sow seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date. Some smaller‑seeded annuals, such as petunias, snapdragons, and begonias, need more time to reach transplant size. Information on the seed packet is your best guide in knowing when to sow. Time indoor plantings so that your seedlings do not outgrow their containers before it is time to plant them out in the garden. Seedlings kept indoors too long will be weak; they will grow slowly and bloom poorly.
Choose a container with drainage holes that’s at least 2 inches deep. A terra cotta or plastic pot works just fine, or a plastic growing flat or a clear‑lidded deli container with holes punched in the bottom. Later, you’ll need to transfer the seedlings to small individual pots, multi‑cell packs, or peat pots that you can plant directly in the ground outdoors in the spring.
To avoid disease problems, use fresh potting mix. Commercial seed‑starting mixes are usually blended from finely milled sphagnum peat moss and vermiculite. To maintain moisture, cover the seed‑starting container with a clear plastic dome, or make a tent with a clear plastic bag. Keep the container in a warm location (about 75 degrees) to encourage quick germination. As soon as seedlings sprout, remove the plastic cover and move the seedlings to a cooler spot. The seedlings of many annuals grow best at around 65 to 70 degrees.
Bright light is the key to growing sturdy, healthy seedlings indoors. If you live where late winter days are often cloudy, even a south window may not provide enough light for your seedlings. Consider supplementing natural light with a fluorescent shop light, hung so the tubes are just an inch or two above the leaves.
When the seedlings have formed their second set of leaves, they’re ready to transplant to individual containers. Don’t delay too long in transplanting the seedlings or you will find yourself ripping tangled roots. For more information on starting seeds indoors, please contact the White County Cooperative Extension Service at 1-800-467-8166 or 268-5394. This has been Sherri Sanders in Searcy.
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