THE MAGIC OF GARDENING
Starting Vegetable Transplants February may not seem like a month to start a garden but for those adventurous souls who want to grow their own vegetable or flower transplants from seed, it is the time to get started. The keys to starting plants from seed are: good quality seed, adequate light, correct temperature, good seed starting soil mixture, correct watering and proper fertilization. Ideally, natural light is the best and least expensive light source, but if you don’t have a greenhouse or a south facing window with good light you may need artificial lighting. There are several different light sources that can work well, but it probably comes down to cost for small-scale setups. I have
had good success with fluorescent grow lights. The grow lights provide the full spectrum of light for good plant growth. The key to success is keeping the light very close to the plants. Place the light fixture on a chain that can be raised as the plant gets taller. The light should be within two to four inches of the top of the plant. The soil temperature is very important to the germination of seeds and different species have different optimum germination temperatures. Extension has a publication with a list of seed germination temperatures. Visit our website at www.aces.edu and search for publication ANR 1061. The air temperature also
Tomato Seedlings
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