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PAID KATY, TX. PERMIT #137
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FROM THE LAKESIDE RESIDENTIAL BOARD FOR MARCH 2012
Do you enjoy growing your own vegetables? Spring is right around the corner and this interesting hobby can yield a bountiful harvest as well as meet the nutritional needs of your family, right in your own backyard. Even though it’s not quite warm enough for your vegetable garden to take off yet, there are several vegetables that can be started indoors from seeds with minimal effort and great results: A bit later, around the end of March, you can start some of warmer weather crops such as: ● Spinach ● Pumpkins ● Lettuce, Cabbage ● Squash ● Cauliflower and Broccoli ● Zucchini ● Brussels Sprouts ● Melons ● Tomatoes ● Cucumber ● Herbs Materials You Will Need: The good news is that starting seeds indoors is not really any different from starting seeds outdoors. Like all plants, your seeds will need soil, light and water. To be a little bit more specific, you will need a sunny spot that is not too cold. A south-facing window is ideal for optimal sunlight. You need a good potting soil that is light and fluffy, as seeds do not appreciate heavy soil. A good recipe for seeding soil includes one part sand, one part loam and one part peat. It is best not to use soil from your garden as that can introduce pests, weeds or disease to your new seedlings. Also, garden soil is typically too heavy for seed starting. Next, you will need to find some containers. You can start with one large container and thin out your seedlings after they have sprouted or you can start with individual containers that will be large enough to hold your sprouts until they can go outside. Just be sure that your containers have adequate drainage so you don’t drown your seeds. If you’ve saved containers from plants that you purchased previously, they can be used to excellent effect. Left over plastic food containers also work as long as you punch out some drainage holes.
Fill your seedling containers with your moistened soil and level each so that the top surface is flat. Gently press your seeds into the surface of the soil. You don’t want the seeds to go too deep, but they need to be in good contact with the soil. For very small pots, like planting trays, put one or two seeds in each container. For larger pots, space the seeds every inch or two. If you over seed, you will just have to thin out the plants later. Once the seeds are in the pots, sprinkle a little bit more soil over the top. Check your seed packet to confirm how deep your seeds should be; the general rule is that the depth should be about 4x the diameter of the seed. This means that the smaller the seed, the more shallowly placed it should be in the soil. The seeds will take anywhere from eight to twelve days to sprout. To ensure the best results, you want your containers to be evenly warm and moist. To keep them warm, place them in a warm spot in the house. Do not keep them on a windowsill where the temperature can vary. To keep the soil moist, cover the pots with plastic wrap. You can also mist them with water every few days as necessary. You Have Seedlings! Once your seeds have sprouted, they will need light, so it’s time to move them to your sunniest window. If
Plant Your Seeds: Begin the process by getting your potting soil mix ready. It needs to be damp, but not soaking wet. Put your soil into a large container, like a bucket and wet it until it is just moist all the way through. Stir it with your hands to distribute the water evenly. If you overdo it and get the soil too wet, give it some time to dry out a little before planting.
March March 2012 2012
Published by: Krenek Printing 7102 Glen Chase Ct • Houston, TX 77095 • 281-463-8649
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