I always eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring. Each flower and wildlife sighting tells me the air and soil temp is warming. The Earth is awakening. There is something in me that also stirs. There is a joy that is burgeoning in my heart and electricity that is coursing through my blood.
My children display their exuberance for spring openly. They want to be outside from morning to night. They even eat lunch on the deck in a coat and hat. When I ask them why they want to be outside They say “It smells so good” and “it is pretty too”.
I agree with them. The moist warm spring breezes are a welcome comfort from the bitter biting winter wind. But nothing gets my spring juices flowing like starting seeds. I dust off my tools, mix my seed starting recipe, sift the soil, sort the seed and begin to sow. It is an excitement for dirt, water and new life.
The act of sowing seeds is a ten thousand year old tradition. It predates written history. I can’t help but think of the people who have gone before me. Sowing seeds is a rite of passage. A connection with the thousands of generations before me. If they did it so can I. I, in turn will teach my children to do it too. I wonder what characteristics ancient cultivators looked for in their plants. How did they know when to plant? How did they deal with unexpected frosts? I have read they valued plants they believed had magical properties as well as a good yield. But given ancient mans nomadic life they may have selected plants based upon days to harvest.
When I begin my modern seed sowing preparations it usually involves texting my friends to see what plants they need and what seeds they have. Things have changed in the 21st century, we have the luxury of selecting seed for flavor, flower or fragrance. I wish I could say something noble like I grow seeds for the practical purpose of feeding my family. I do grow fruits and veggies for my family to eat but mostly I grow stuff to give away. I think wouldn’t that plant be cool. I bet my mother, brother, aunt, uncle or cousin would like some of those plants. The fact that I can grow these plants for pennies just heightens the rush.
I have said in the past I never met a plant I did not like (except poison ivy, oak or sumac) Soon off I go into my own world appreciating and sowing every color of every variety of every species of plant. My husband thinks I am crazy. Maybe I am, but nothing gets me in the spring state of mind like sowing seeds.
Here are some of my tips & tricks for starting plants from seed.
Label everything with a waterproof permanent marker or a carpenters pencil.
If seeds are expensive share the cost and the seeds with friends. I just gets my goat when B***** charges over $4.75 for a pack of 25 seeds and they only guarantee a 75% germination rate.
Use a very fine seed starting mix that you sift through a screen to break up any lumps and remove chunks. Plant seed with similar germination times and temps in the same seed tray at the same time. I plant all 70 degree 7-10 day germinators in the same tray and 65 degree 14-21 day germinators in different tray.