March 8,
2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
Hi Gardeners
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| Tulip Orca-2015 |
Ah, what a difference a week makes. Since I last wrote we
had 8 inches of snow that has now mostly melted. Today it’s 70 degrees and
humid. As we drove down the curvy, hilly,
white pine lined road to our voting place this morning the sun was peeking
through the fog. We vote north of our
home in the “antique” village of Kingston, which is a sleepy town surrounded by
beef farms. I love small town voting,
where the wait is non-existent most times and you run into the neighbors.
After voting as we drove home I noticed the Canada geese
were everywhere, every snow melt puddle and half thawed pond. Some are resident geese, but others are
journeying north, I have heard and seen flocks headed that way the last few
days. The red winged blackbirds are here in force now, they were singing like
crazy this morning. Soon we may be
hearing frogs.
The weather looks mild for at least the next week, but with
lots of rain chances. I looked back at
last year’s weather and it was similar last year, maybe not quite as warm. But at the end of March we had two pretty
good snowfalls last year although they quickly melted. I have spring fever and I am wishing I could
do some work outside but my bum arm and the wet soil are pretty much limiting
my options.
I did start some seeds last week – well actually I
transferred them from the wet towels I sprouted them on to pots. And here is my epic seed starting
"fail". I had some new seed starting soil from Gardeners Supply to
trial- and it’s great by the way. I set the open bag on the shelf in my home
office, close to my canaries, to keep it from Gizmo, my dirt loving pup.
Evidently seed got spilled into the open bag- a lot of seed. It was strange but
I didn't notice this when I started some seeds and transplanted some seeds
sprouting on paper towels last week. But I sure noticed in the last few days.
Evidently canary seed loves Gardeners Supply soil. I had to very carefully pull
out the sprouted canary seed- it was very thick- hoping I didn't disturb the
other seeds. The house birds and the chickens are getting a big pile of
sprouts. I checked the remaining soil in the bag and sure enough seeds were
even growing out tiny holes in the bag. It was a lot of seeds- I still can't
figure out how- maybe a husband trick?
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| Canary seed mess. |
This issue is primarily about the various aspects of
selecting and starting seeds indoors. I
don’t start a lot of seeds inside anymore; I just don’t have the room. But every spring I do manage to start some,
usually experimental things or hard to find plants. Even if you don’t have a lot of room, a lot
of experience or time, I encourage you to at least try starting a few seeds
inside, as you wait for better weather.
Should you start seeds inside?
It’s a personal choice as most people can find the plants
they want in local stores or through on line or catalog sources. But sometimes rare varieties may be hard to
find, or very expensive as plants. For
some people seed starting can be an economical way to get a lot of plants,
especially if you re-cycle pots and get seeds by swapping with friends. But if you are a person who just wants 2 or 3
tomato plants starting them from seed will not save you money.
Many vegetable garden plants and annual flowers are best
started where they are to grow outside.
There’s more about which seeds to start inside or outside later. Some plants don’t reproduce well by seed. But there are many things you can start from
seed and it’s a fun thing to do while you are waiting to get outside to
garden. Children love to be included in
seed starting.
If you are new to the idea of starting your own seeds inside
then read this blog issue for guidance and then get your hands dirty.
Selecting your seeds
Before you can start seeds you have to have seeds. New gardeners are often confused by all the
advice thrown at them by other gardeners.
Buy organic, choose hybrids for vigor, choose heirlooms for best taste,
you must choose open pollinated, buy seeds grown in your growing zone, don’t
buy GMO seeds and so on. Here’s some
definitions and information that may help you sort through all that advice.
Defining organic
One of the problems with the organic growing movement is how
people define organic. If you take the
word organic for what it means in the agricultural sense - growing things
without synthetic chemicals, both pesticides and fertilizers, then certainly
hybrid seeds can be grown organically. Any
type of seeds can be produced organically.
The parents of hybrid seeds can be grown organically so the word hybrid
should not determine the organic status of any seed.
Recently some people have begun to assert that the label
organic should also mean seeds that were produced by plants that were not
“genetically modified” as well as being grown without synthetic chemicals. But technically GMO seeds could be produced
and grown organically. Its unlikely home
gardeners will have to face this problem however, see the definition of GMO
below.
It can be hard to raise good quality parent plants without
pesticides. This is especially true of
some vegetables we grow from seed because the parent plants must grow until
their second year to produce seeds.
Organic seed generally sells for more than conventionally grown seed,
although the costs have come down on popular items. If you don’t see that seeds are labeled
“organically grown” they are probably conventionally grown, and that means at
least some pesticides or synthetic fertilizers were used on the parent plants.
Can you grow organic food or flowers if the seeds weren’t grown
organically?
Some organic purists, and people who want to be certified as
growing organically, insist that the parent plants that produce the seeds they
are going to grow were also grown without any synthetic chemicals. However if
no seed treatments are applied to the seeds of plants that were not grown
organically then you can grow organic produce or flowers from those seeds if
you follow organic practices.
The problem with “non-organic seeds” is if the seeds
themselves were treated with one of the neonicotinoid pesticides. Many types of seeds are treated with these
products to prevent insect damage in storage.
Since the seeds take up these pesticides the neonicotinoids also protect
the seedlings as they begin to grow. As
the plants get older, if no neonicotinoid pesticides have been applied since
the seed treatment the amount of the pesticide in plant tissues continues to
decline. However studies have shown that
a small amount of pesticides can remain in plant parts, including pollen and
nectar for at least a year.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are very safe for humans, other
mammals and birds and that is why their use is so popular. The problem is that along with harmful
insects neonicotinoids can kill or weaken pollinators and other helpful
insects. There is ongoing research on
this subject, but it seems that seed treatments or treating seedlings and
nursery starts with neonicotinoids can affect pollinators when those plants
bloom, weeks or months later.
Plants grown from seed treated with neonicotinoids will not
harm you, only pollinators and other insects.
If you are going to plant things that you consume before they bloom,
such as lettuce, carrots, beets, broccoli and so on then the infinitesimal
amount of pesticide left from a seed treatment should not be any problem. If
you used organic growing practices your food is very, very close to organic,
although legally you may not be able to label it as such.
Plants like trees or shrubs that will take several years to
bloom from seed will not have any pesticide residue left to harm bees. Whether
you choose to grow neonicotinoid treated seeds for plants like beans,
sunflowers, squash and flowering plants attractive to bees that bloom the first
year, is a personal choice. At this time
research suggests there may be some damage to pollinators with some species of
plants whose seeds were treated.
There are occasionally other types of seed treatments. Fungicides are sometimes applied to seeds to
prevent rotting in cold wet soil. These
do not persist long in plant tissue, and if you follow organic gardening
practices the plants produced from the seeds are, for all purposes, organic and
not harmful to you or pollinators. Seeds
are sometimes treated or inoculated with natural soil mycorrhizae and
microbes. Since the products occur in
natural conditions they should be considered organic. Seeds that are pelleted for easy handling are
generally coated with a clay product that is totally organic and safe.
If you are worried about planting seeds that could harm
pollinators or want totally organic seeds there are now many companies that
offer either organic seed or seed produced conventionally that is not treated
with neonicotinoids.
Defining GMO
The term genetically modified should be applied to plants or
animals whose genes are altered in some way that can’t happen naturally such as
when we use a virus to put animal genes into plants or genes from plant species
that can’t cross naturally with each other.
These genes will then carry into future generations if similar plants
are bred together and could be carried to other similar plants in a natural
cross.
There are many field crops on the market that have been
genetically modified, wheat, corn, soybeans and such. But very, very few garden plants have been
altered in this manner. Your hybrid sweet
corn, cabbage, marigolds and so on generally are the result of good old
fashioned plant sex. The very few
genetically modified garden crops are expensive and generally available only to
large commercial growers.
The contamination of plants by stray pollen from genetically
modified plants can happen to all varieties of plants not just hybrids. But in garden seed that possibility is remote
at best.
Defining hybrid
A hybrid seed is the result of crossing two purebred
varieties of plants. This usually
happens in the old fashioned way, by insects or wind carrying pollen from one
type of plant to another. Plant sex. If you plant a row of Blue Lake beans next to
a row of Straight Arrow beans and bees carry pollen from one to another, the
beans produced on those plants are hybrids.
The purebred parents and the resulting seeds can be grown without
synthetic chemicals so yes, hybrid seeds can be organic.
Hybrids happen between plants all the time, without man
interfering at all. Every time you plant
6 varieties of tomatoes in the same garden you are creating hybrid tomato
seeds. You probably don’t save and grow
the seeds the next year and there is a good reason for that. Those six types of tomatoes combined and
produced all kinds of hybrids or crosses. Some of the combinations are great,
some mediocre and some awful. If you
planted those seeds next year you wouldn’t know what you would get, although it
certainly would be tomatoes.
When man discovers two purebred varieties of plants that
when crossed produce something good, he may set out to deliberately re-create
it by hand pollinating the plants or by removing the anthers (pollen producing
parts) from one variety so it can only be reproduced by another variety grown
nearby for that purpose. He can discover
which plants combine well by experimenting with hand crosses and carefully
keeping records of the results. Then
when he finds combinations or hybrids he likes, he can re-create the cross.
Hybrids usually have something known as hybrid vigor. The offspring of that first cross of 2
purebred parents are generally more vigorous and healthy than the offspring of
pure bred parents. This happens because
when we mate purebred animals or plants to another of the same pure breed
generation after generation we start concentrating certain genetic material and
genetic variability, the thing that lets plants or animals adapt to changing
conditions, is lost. Over time a purebred strain tends to become less able to
reproduce successfully, loses vigor and is more susceptible to disease.
Just as we know what we are getting when we mate a purebred
plant to a purebred like it, when we save the seed and plant them, we can know
what to expect when we cross 2 different varieties of the same plant. Thus we can name these crosses and people can
confidently plant them and know what to expect.
Sometimes we can even successfully cross two distantly related species,
such as the plum and the apricot and get good results.
If you save the seeds from hybrid plants the third
generation will recombine genes in many ways and you will get all kinds of
plants, and probably not ones like the parents.
But you could get something better than the parents, you never
know. Most home gardeners don’t save
food plant seeds from their own plants to grow the next year anyway. They don’t have room to separate plant
varieties and can’t generally control what the neighbors are planting and
plants can spread their pollen some distance with the help of the wind and
insects.
If you don’t save seeds to plant the next year then don’t
worry whether you choose hybrid or open pollinated seeds. There are far more varieties of hybrid
vegetables and flowers on the market than open pollinated. You have a better chance to find highly
productive, disease resistant seeds among hybrids. Whether seeds are hybrid or open pollinated
does not influence their flavor or nutrition, despite many strident claims. Some hybrids can also be considered
heirlooms, since they have been around for a very long time.
Defining open pollinated
Purebred varieties of plants are called open
pollinated. The only advantage they have
is that you can save the seeds and if you have carefully isolated that variety
of plant from similar plants, the seeds you save and plant next year will
produce plants like the parents. Open
pollinated plants don’t always taste better than hybrids nor are they more
nutritious. They may be less vigorous
than hybrids and more susceptible to disease.
It’s a great thing to save old breeds of open pollinated
plants. We need the purebred lines to produce new and better varieties of
plants and preserve genetic diversity.
But if you are just a gardener trying to grow good, safe food you don’t
need to worry about whether your seeds are open pollinated or hybrid. If you don’t use synthetic chemicals in your
garden then you are growing organically, regardless of what seeds you planted.
So choose the hybrid seeds that appeal to you and don’t
worry that you are violating some great organic principal. If you look, you can find hybrid seed that
was grown organically if that’s important to you. Expect to pay more than for
hybrid seeds grown conventionally. If
people choose organically grown seed more often then more will be grown and
fewer pesticides will be used over all.
But if you follow good organic garden practices any seed you buy that
hasn’t been treated with neonicotinoids can be grown organically.
Defining heirloom
The definition of heirloom varies from company to company, gardener to
gardener. Some insist only open
pollinated plants (see above) can be heirlooms.
Some use a hundred years as a distinct variety as the definition, some
use 50 years- it’s all over the map. But
the common thing is that the plant variety has been around for fifty years or
more.
There are certain groups of people that will tell you that heirloom or
heritage varieties are the only ones you should grow because they taste better
or are more nutritious or are more fragrant or attractive to bees. But that is just nonsense.
Some heritage/heirloom varieties may taste better than some modern
varieties but taste is highly selective anyway.
There are perfectly delicious modern varieties of plants like tomatoes
and beans too. Some of these modern
varieties are more nutritious than older ones.
And modern varieties are often more disease resistant, which keeps you
from having to use pesticides as often to produce a good crop. Modern varieties, especially hybrids, often
produce more food in the same space and they adapt to various climates and
conditions better than some heirlooms.
In flowers some new varieties may have lost their scent, some may have
doubled their flowers, changed the flower color or modified the flower so it’s
not as attractive to bees, but many modern varieties are also more fragrant, or
more attractive to pollinators also.
Just like vegetables, modern flower varieties are often more disease
resistant or have other good traits older varieties don’t have. You have a choice of what to plant.
There is a great need to keep diversity in the genetics of all crops,
whether or not they are flowers or vegetables.
It can be great fun to grow plants your grandmother grew. It’s wonderful to include some heirloom
varieties of vegetables, fruits and flowers in your garden, even more wonderful
if you can save seeds and pass them along.
But don’t feel guilty or deprived if you don’t use all heirloom plants
in your garden.
Just because a variety of plant is old or open pollinated doesn’t mean
its superior to modern varieties. Some
are, many aren’t. People have been
improving plants for thousands of years.
There are trade-offs for many choices.
An outhouse may save water and be more environmentally friendly than a
flush toilet. But given the choice most
people will pick the flush toilet.
What to start from seed
Any plant that produces viable seed can be started from
seed. But be aware that some seeds won’t
look like the parent plant when grown, especially if they are seeds saved from
hybrid plants or from plants like apples, which don’t allow pollination from a
similar variety. Some plants resent
transplanting and are best started where they are to grow and some will do fine
started in pots or flats. And other plants started from seed will take a long
time to grow or to produce flowers and food so they are generally purchased as
plants, although you can start them from seeds if you like.
In the vegetable garden these seeds are generally started in
the ground; carrots, beets, leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, beans, corn, and
peas. These plants are started indoors or purchased as small plants; tomatoes,
peppers, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, head lettuce
and most herbs. Dill can be planted
directly in the ground and will mature.
Cucumbers, pumpkins and melons can be started inside if they
are started just a few weeks before going outside. They should only have one or
two sets of true leaves when planted in the garden after all frost danger has
passed. Larger plants of these varieties are stressed by transplanting and may
not grow well for a while. These seeds
can also be planted outside after frost has passed and the soil is warm and
will do well.
Onions can be started as seeds inside, purchased as plants,
or started in the ground outside from “sets” which are small onion bulbs. Garlic is generally planted from “cloves”,
small segments of the garlic bulb. Shallots are planted as small bulbs. Chives
can be started from seed inside or purchased as plants. Potatoes are started from small tubers or
pieces of cut tubers. Jerusalem
artichokes are started from tubers.
In the flower garden annual flowers like zinnias, marigolds,
nasturtium, cosmos, sunflowers, morning glories, and snapdragons can be started
directly in the ground or in pots or flats if you wish about 6 weeks before the
last frost. Annuals or tender perennials that take a long time to bloom are
generally started about February inside or purchased as plants. These include petunias, impatiens, verbena,
calibracoli, begonias, fuchsia, and coleus.
Most garden perennials can be started by seeds but gardeners
will find it much easier to buy plants to set out. These include things like daylilies, hosta, echinacea,
monarda, phlox, heuchera, daisies, coreopsis, hollyhocks, mums,
hellebores. Iris are started from
rhizomes (root like pieces). Canna’s,
lilies, dahlias, callas, glads, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus,
snowdrops, all could be started from seed, but most gardeners will want to
start with bulbs or corms of these because they will take 2 or more years to
bloom from seed.
Roses should not be started from seed unless you are an
experienced breeder. They will not look
like the parent plant and many roses are not hardy unless grafted on to a hardy
rootstock. Trees and shrubs can be
started from seed but many need to be started from cuttings if you want certain
varieties and are best purchased as plants.
All fruits should be started as plants.
Most fruit trees and many grapes are grafted.
When to start seeds in planting zones 5-6
Seeds to be started in January and February include;
Begonias of all types, impatiens, coleus, geraniums, petunias, lisianthus. Tuberous begonia bulbs, calla lily, banana
and elephant ear bulbs can also be started in pots. Start pansy and viola seeds because they can
be planted outside quite early.
In March most types of perennial and bi-annual flower seeds
can be started. Start celosia, diascia,
marigolds, nicotiana, snapdragons, salvia, verbena, perennial herb seeds,
onions from seed, celery. If you have a
heated green house a few early tomatoes and peppers can be started, don’t start
your whole crop this early. March is a good month to root cuttings from over
wintered coleus, impatiens, geraniums and begonias.
In April start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage,
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, alyssum, cosmos, zinnias, calendula, cleome,
sunflowers, head lettuce, basil, cilantro, ornamental kale and cabbages. Pot up canna and dahlia bulbs for a head
start. In April peas and leaf lettuce can be planted directly in the
garden. In southern counties radishes,
carrots, beets, set onions and potatoes can also be planted in the garden.
In May start, morning glories and moon flower vines,
hyacinth bean, nasturtiums, cucumbers,
squash, melons, beans and corn ( for those who like transplants instead of
direct seeding in the garden). By early
May most areas can plant radish, beets, carrots potatoes and set onions
directly in the garden. In late May -
early June plant sweet and pop corn, beans, squash, melons, cucumbers,
sunflowers directly in the garden.
Seed starting tips
If you are a Michigan gardener who is ready to get growing
and you are thinking of starting seeds for your garden indoors, here are some
things you need to know.
Don’t buy too many seeds.
Seed catalogs are very tempting and it’s easy to go
overboard on seed purchases. Seeds store
easily in a small space, seedlings need much more room. If your seedlings are too crowded they may
not get the light, air circulation and water they need and will suffer. Consider how much space you have to grow
seedlings until they can go outside and chose accordingly.
If you want just a few plants of many varieties maybe a
gardening friend will share an order of seeds with you. Buy the smallest packages of seeds that are
available and remember most seeds can be saved for one or two years if properly
stored, so you don’t have to plant them all.
Light
Light is the most critical factor in producing healthy
seedlings grown indoors. Seedlings that
don’t get the proper light will become spindly and weak and are more prone to
disease. Southern facing windowsills may work for some plants, but aren’t
ideal. Most windows facing other
directions won’t produce healthy seedlings.
Small greenhouses are ideal for starting seeds but if you
start before April in Michigan you will need to have a heat source for chilly
nights and cloudy days. In April seeds
can usually be started in unheated greenhouses or cold frames.
If you don’t have a greenhouse you will probably need to
grow your seedlings with artificial light, at least as a supplement. Florescent lights are ideal for beginners
starting seeds indoors. LED and CFL bulbs are also good choices but more
expensive. Use grow light bulbs or
combine warm and cool type bulbs for the right wavelengths of light to promote
healthy growth. Seedlings should have 10 -12 hours of darkness each night.
Artificial light sources need to be close to the
seedlings. They need to be about 6
inches above the plants at all times, so they will need to be adjustable, so
you can move them as the plants grow. Many
people hang the light fixtures on chains that can be raised. Another way to adjust lighting is to be able
to lower the shelves the plants sit on.
If you decide to use a south window, rotate the plants every
few days so they don’t lean toward one side.
Surrounding the seedlings with reflective material such as foil covered
board will optimize the light.
Use clean pots or flats.
If you are re-using plastic pots or flats they must be
scrubbed in hot, soapy water, then soaked in a solution of 1 part household
bleach to 3 parts water for a few minutes, then rinsed well. This helps prevent disease which can linger
on pots and flats from a previous year. Any re-cycled food containers or other
things must be washed in hot soapy water, to remove food residue which can
start mold and bacteria growing.
Pots made from paper, peat pots, and other porous material
that can’t be washed should be fine unless they have been in contact with
plants. Do not re-use these materials
after plants have been grown in them.
Use sterile seed starting medium.
The best thing for starting seeds is sterile seed starting
medium, which can be purchased in most garden shops. It’s not soil but a
combination of peat, vermiculite and other things which are lightweight, and
get seedlings off to a good start. Some have fertilizer added.
Home garden soil, compost, recycled potting soil and other
things can harbor disease organisms, especially the dreaded dampening off
fungal disease. If you must use them you
can sterilize them by moistening the soil, spreading it in a thin layer on a
pan and baking in the oven at the lowest heat setting for 30 minutes. This will smell. Microwaves should not be
used. Cool the soil before using. Shift this cooled mix through a screen to
make it fine enough for seeds.
Always moisten the medium before placing it in the pot or
flat. If you try to water after you
plant seeds they will often be washed out, washed deeper or moved too close
together.
Follow label directions for planting
If you don’t have a label, look up planting needs in a good
reference. Most seeds are buried about 3
times as deep as their diameter, but some seeds need light to germinate and
should just be sprinkled on top of the medium and lightly pressed into the
soil. Most seeds like warmth for
germination but some, like lettuce and pansies, won’t germinate if the soil or
room is too warm.
The label should give you an optimum temperature for
germination and the number of days before you can expect to see seedlings. It will also tell you how many weeks before
you want to plant outside that the seeds should be started indoors. Don’t start too soon.
Speaking of labels- don’t forget to label each flat or pot
with the plant variety you planted.
Use bottom heat for germination
Most types of seeds will germinate faster with gentle bottom
heat. This means sitting the pots or
flats on a special seed starting mat you plug in, a waterproof heating pad on
low, or on top of a warm surface such as the top of your refrigerator or hot
water heater. There are exceptions to
the bottom heat rule - such as pansies and lettuce, which germinate best in
cool temperatures.
Too much heat can be as bad as too little. The soil should not be heated to more than 80
degrees F. for most plants. Soil
temperature may be different from air temperature, especially when using bottom
heat. Use a soil thermometer, (usually
less than $20 in a garden store), or any small thermometer pushed into the soil
to check the temperature.
Seeds don’t need bright light until they germinate. Once you feel most of the seeds have
sprouted, you can then move them into the greenhouse or under grow lights. After they are growing air temperature can
also be cooler. Most plants will thrive
at air temperatures between 65-75 degrees F. in the day and 55-65 degrees F. at
night.
Water carefully
Seedlings should be watered from below if at all possible,
especially when plants are still small.
This means sitting pots with holes in the bottom or absorbable pots like
peat or paper into trays that hold water.
Use warm, not hot water and make sure the water absorbs until the pot
surface looks moist.
Don’t over water; it will rot the roots of the
seedlings. Only the very bottom of the
pot should be in standing water for more than a few minutes. Allow the pot surface to dry before adding
additional water to the tray. Paper and
peat pots will need to be watered more often as water evaporates into the air
from them. Use rain water or distilled water if you can for seedlings.
Once the seedlings are larger and growing vigorously you can
use gentle overhead watering if you like.
But seedlings should always dry off quickly, always water long before
dark.
Transplant or thin
Don’t let seedlings get too crowded, they will be weak and
spindly. You can cut off excess
seedlings with a pair of small scissors or gently prick them out of the soil
and transplant them.
When transplanting seedlings handle them only by the
leaves. If you bruise or break the stem
the plant will generally die, a leaf can be replaced. A good time to transplant seedlings is when they
have 2 sets of true leaves. The first
set of leaves that a broad leaf plant seedling has are usually two thick,
rounded leaves, often with a piece of seed coat still attached. In a few days additional sets of leaves that
look like the adult plant leaves will develop.
In a monocot, ( grasses, lilies, onions, and a few others,) one thin
narrow grass like leaf will generally appear first, with additional leaves
following.
After transplanting or thinning your seedlings you can begin
fertilizing them with a liquid fertilizer unless the potting mix contains
fertilizer. Check the label. Follow label directions on the fertilizer
container for seedlings or if there are none cut the amount for container
plants in half for seedlings until the plants are several weeks old and well
grown.
With a little care homegrown seedlings will provide you with
unusual and rare varieties of plants as well as hours of enjoyment during a
cold Michigan winter and early spring.
Recycling for seed starting
All through the winter those gardeners who like to start
seeds inside should be saving up items for seed starting. You don’t need expensive peat pots and
plastic flats when you can re-purpose other items you have around. But before I get into a list here are some
things to remember.
Wash all recycled items that have had food or other
materials in them with hot soapy water.
If you are using things that once held other plants or soil first wash
with hot soapy water and then rinse with a solution of 1 part household bleach to
3 parts water. This is to kill any disease organisms.
Don’t re-use containers that held toxic chemicals such as
strong cleaning solutions, pesticides and so on. Even washing some of these containers might
not remove all traces of the former product.
If washed and rinsed well bleach and laundry soap bottles are safe.
Everything must have drainage. Paper and thin cardboard pots will generally
allow moisture through without holes.
Punch holes in thicker cardboard.
Holes can be easily melted through plastic items with the tip of a
skewer, icepick, fork or knife that is heated to red hot on a stove.
Pots, especially paper and cardboard ones, will be easier to
handle if they are set in trays. Deli
trays, old pans, used flats, disposable aluminum pans, plastic tubs and food
keepers, dish pans, plastic lids off containers and so on can work.
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| Recycled items that can be used to start seeds |
Re-closable clear plastic storage bags can have several
small pots inserted in them and function as a mini- greenhouse while containing
water that drains. Larger plastic bags
can be slipped over trays of pots or flats.
The greenhouse effect can raise humidity and warmth and protect baby
plants from drafts. Open the bags
slightly if they are in full sun on a warm day to prevent over-heating. If excess moisture builds up on the bag sides
open the top for a short time.
If fungus gnats hatch from your choice of potting mix the
bags help contain them. It can also
prevent things like white flies or aphids present in the environment from
reaching the new little plants. And the
bags make moving plants in fragile paper pots easy.
Here are some things to save to start seeds in; Deli containers, disposable serving pans and
platters, plastic and foam cups, butter, cottage cheese and other food
containers, small cardboard boxes- (trim them down to a good size if needed),
plastic bottles ( also can be cut down) cardboard tubes from paper towels, gift
wrap and toilet paper, ( cut into several sections, either set in tray with
open bottom or make several small cuts around the bottom and fold a portion
inside to make a bottom). You can re-use
cell packs, flats and small plastic pots you bought other plants in.
Paper pots are easy to make from stiff paper, thin cardboard
or several layers of newspaper. They can
be planted directly in the soil outside. See the directions here. http://www.examiner.com/article/how-to-make-paper-pots-for-starting-seeds
 |
| Paper pots |
DO NOT USE EGGSHELLS for starting seeds. This is a common spring tip probably because
eggs are cheap and we are all thinking about decorating eggs for Easter. But despite all the folksy lore, eggshells do
not break down quickly in the soil and plants transplanted in them generally
suffer from root crowding and circling.
Eggshells don’t have room for much potting medium anyway and are tricky
to handle and get to stand upright. Even
if you crush the shell as you plant it in the garden or take the plants out
they are just not worth the trouble. And
the shell doesn’t break down fast enough to give the plants any nutritional
boost either.
Dampening off – seedling disease
If your seedlings suddenly fall over or look like the stem
is pinched and blackened they probably have dampening off- a common name for
the presence of several fungus diseases that affect plants. You may also see gray mold on the potting
soil surface or on plants. These fungal
diseases are common and the fungal spores can be carried by wind, insects,
contaminated soil or pots, humans and many other things.
There are some anti-fungal solutions that some commercial
growers drench the soil with to help prevent dampening off but the home seed
starter probably won’t want to use these.
Home remedies of garlic oil, chamomile tea, tea tree oil, red pepper and
other things have not been proven scientifically to help and may even cause
more problems. Use at your own risk. These things are used to prevent fungus
infection, not cure it.
Here’s a suggestion for those of you who like home remedies
for everything that I am going to suggest.
I haven’t tried it yet but I have heard from a few people that it seems
to work. Since there is scientific basis
for it, I’ll tell you about it and let you decide if you want to try it. There’s no guarantee, but it could be an
interesting experiment. Once again, its
prevention, not a cure.
Coffee grounds have been shown to have fungicidal properties
in several scientific studies. Used
coffee grounds retain those properties.
Sprinkling coffee grounds on the surface of seeded pots or flats might
help to keep the fungi that produce dampening off from growing. I don’t think it could harm anything. I would use a light even layer for the soil
surface. If you do this and it seems to
work for you let me know about it.
Once the seedlings are infected with dampening off there is
no cure. A few seedlings survive dampening off
infections but most will die and the disease quickly spreads. When you notice it remove the plants with the
disease and dispose of them. If the
disease is in one corner of a large flat you can try removing that section but
if it appears in a small container you should dispose of the whole container of
seedlings. Don’t re-use the container
until it is scrubbed and disinfected with bleach.
To prevent dampening off use clean containers and sterile
seed starting medium for seed starting.
Let the soil surface dry a bit between watering. Watering from the bottom and keeping leaves
dry can help. Some professional growers
use a light layer of fine gravel (parakeet grit, baby chick grit) or
diatomaceous earth on the soil surface after the seedlings sprout to keep the
soil surface drier.
Good air circulation can help. Many people use a fan blowing gently over
seedlings to increase airflow. This
dries the foliage and soil surface. Solar radiation seems to help. Seedlings exposed to sunlight and not
artificial light seem to have fewer problems.
This may be because the suns heat also dries the soil. But keeping plants too warm can harm their
growth, so raising room temperatures may not help, unless your conditions are
on the cool side, say below 60 degrees.
Open up plastic or glass covered containers if heavy
moisture develops on the sides. If you are using a small greenhouse and water
is dripping from the ceiling and sides you need to increase air
circulation. Wet foliage is more prone
to fungal infection.
Growing your seeds in several small containers rather than
all in one flat or container may keep you from losing all the plants since you
can quickly remove the infected containers and make changes if needed to keep
other containers from being infected.
Get rid of the Epsom salts!
I think this is a pet peeve, but many knowledgeable garden
experts share the same feelings- Epsom salts do not belong in most
gardens. Every time I go to an online
site, or read a garden article in the popular press I seem to find someone
recommending Epsom salts for everything under the sun- increasing plant growth,
chasing away bugs, curing disease, improving flavor, more roses, the of miracle
things Epsom salt is said to do go on and on.
The problem is that Epsom salts does absolutely nothing helpful
but cure a magnesium deficiency in the soil if you have one, which you probably
don’t.
There are no scientific studies that have ever proven any
benefit to Epsom salt other than correcting a soil magnesium deficiency. Despite all the magazine and on line articles,
all the testimonials given so enthusiastically, Epsom salt is no miracle cure
and can even harm your soil and your plants.
All these sources usually point to each other as the reference in one
giant circular myth.
Epsom salts contain magnesium, which is an essential macro nutrient
for plant growth. When soil magnesium
levels are low or magnesium can’t be taken up because of other mineral
imbalances, plant leaves may yellow, called chlorosis, and plants may not grow
well or produce many flowers or fruit.
But many other mineral imbalances and other things will cause the same
symptoms. Magnesium deficiency is
probably one of the lesser causes.
Unless the soil you garden in was used for intensive crop
farming, or heavy grazing fairly recently it’s unlikely to be deficient in
magnesium. Sandy soil low in nitrogen,
and very acidic is more prone to magnesium deficiency. A soil test will tell you if your soil is
magnesium deficient. Magnesium may not
be available to plants if conditions are very dry or cold, even though there is
plenty in the soil. These conditions do
not require more magnesium, but correction of the conditions, which often
happens naturally.
Adding magnesium in the form of Epsom salts when your soil
doesn’t need it is not only wasteful but it can damage your soil and may harm
animals exposed to it. It can leach and
pollute ground water or wash into surface water. Plants do not suffer much from excess magnesium
in the soil, they take up what they need, although growth can slow if the level
gets high. However when you put Epsom
salts in a hole dug for a transplant you can burn that plants roots. When you spray Epsom salt solutions on plant
foliage you can burn that foliage. Too
much magnesium in the soil - and soils vary in how much they store safely, can
lead to a mineral imbalance and cause other important minerals to become
unavailable to plants.
Epsom salt does not chase animals or insects away. It can make your pet sick though if it
decides it likes the salty taste and eats it, or licks too much off its
feet. Epsom salts does not cure fungal
or other diseases. It does not improve
the growth of plants or fruit flavor- unless the plant was magnesium deficient. In fact too much magnesium may cause blossom
end rot in tomatoes.
If you notice yellowing foliage on a plant and there seems
to be no other reason for the problem it may be a nutrient deficiency. It may be magnesium that’s lacking or iron or
several other nutrients. It won’t hurt
in this circumstance to give the plant a dose of Epsom salts dissolved in water
and see if it greens up, which would indicate magnesium deficiency might have
been a problem. If you have a soil test
done and the results indicate low magnesium levels you’ll probably be given
advice on how to correct the problem.
Other than a magnesium deficiency there’s no reason to have
Epsom salts in the garden unless you want to soak your tired feet. Spread the word and let’s stop polluting the
soil and water unnecessarily. And to
stop the he said- she said debate here’s some links to scientific articles that
support what I have just written.
More seed catalogs you might like
Here are
some links to seed/ plant catalogs I have received recently you may like to
look at.
Don’t forget to turn the clocks
ahead one hour Sunday.
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and a library wants for
nothing” ― Cicero
Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know if there is any event or class that
you would like to share with other gardeners.
These events are primarily in Michigan but if you are a reader from
outside of Michigan and want to post an event I’ll be glad to do it.
Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share? Post them here by emailing me.
Free seeds
I have
these seeds that I collected from my garden that I am willing to share
free. Look at the list and if you would
like some contact me at kimwillis151@gmail.com
I will tell
you where to send a stamped self-addressed envelope for the seeds. If you want
popcorn or black walnuts it will take several stamps. I have published this list on the seed swap
sites also. I’ll try to give everyone
who asks some until they are gone.
Lilies, a
seed mixture of assorted hybrids, oriental- Asiatic- trumpet- Casa Blanca,
Stargazer, La Reve, purple tree, yellow tree, Silk Road, more
Anise
hyssop
Morning
glory – common purple
Scarlet
runner bean - few
Hosta
asst.of seed from numerous varieties- lots
Ligularia
desmonda (daisy–like flower)
Ligularia
rocket – spires of flowers
Yucca
Glad mixed
Zinnia
mixed
Foxglove
Dalmation peach
Calendula
mixed
Baptisia
blue
Jewelweed
Cleome
white
Columbine
mixed- small amount
Nicotiana
small bedding type- mixed colors
Daylily
mixed
Hollyhock
mixed
Black
walnut- few hulled nuts
An
interesting Plant Id page you can join on Facebook
Here’s a
seed/plant sharing group you can join on Facebook
Invitation
If you are a gardener
in Michigan close to Lapeer we invite you to join the Lapeer Area Horticultural
Society. The club meets once a month, 6:30 pm, on the third Monday at various
places for a short educational talk, snacks and socializing with fellow
gardeners. (Monday, March 21, meet at
Campbell’s Greenhouse, North Branch, for a tour.) No
educational or volunteer requirements for membership, all are welcome.
Membership dues are $20 per year. Come and visit us, sit in on a meeting for
free. Contact Julie Schröder, LAHS Secretary, 810-728-2269 - Julie.Schroder@brose.com
A Balanced Backyard by Elly Maxwell,
Tue, March 8, 11:15
am, Rochester Community House, 816 Ludlow Ave, Rochester,
Seed Saturday Detroit - Sat, March 12, 9am-4pm, WSU Student
Center Building, Wayne State University, 42 W Warren Ave, Detroit
Come to
Seed Saturday in Detroit for engaging presentations, a seed exchange, free
seeds, raffle items, vendors and more.
“Spring Ephemerals” Mon, March 21, 6:30-7:30 pm Mt
Clemens Library, Mount Clemens, MI,
Cheryl
English presents Native Wildflowers for the Woodland Garden. $10. More info call 586-954-9998.
Basic Vegetable Gardening- Two free seminars- Tue, March 22, 6:30
-8 pm, MSU Extension,-21885 Dunham Rd, Charter Twp. of Clinton, MI OR Wed, March 23, 1-2:30pm, Thompson
Community Ctr, 11370 Hupp Ave, Warren, MI
This
program covers everything from planning to planting. To register for either
session call 586-469-6440.
2016 Michigan Horticultural Therapy
Conference: "Horticultural Therapy: Connecting People & Plants" Friday, March 11, 2016 from 8:30
a.m. – 4:30 p.m.- Michigan State University: Plant & Soil Sciences Building,
East Lansing, Mi
The MHTA
conference is beneficial to anyone interested in learning how the people-plant
interaction brings therapeutic change and improves well-being. This event features informative breakout
sessions, book/product sales, hands-on workshops, displays, refreshments, door
prizes and optional visit to the MSU Indoor/Outdoor Children’s Garden. Join us
to learn aspects of horticultural therapy that can enhance adult day services,
seniors, children’s programs, recreational therapy programs, school gardens,
community and healing gardens, corrections, hospice, medical care/mental health,
rehabilitation programs and more.
Early
Registration fee is $60 for MHTA members/$80 for non-members (postmarked by
March 4).
Regular
registration is $70 for MHTA members/$90 for non-members and $30 for full time
students. Annual MHTA
membership is $20.
Registration
fee includes lunch (vegetarian option available).
For
additional information contact Cathy Flinton, HTR at 517-332-1616 x16238 or
Cathy@michiganhta.org; or M.C. Haering at MC@michiganhta.org or 248-982-6266. Or
go to http://www.michiganhta.org/index.php/march-11-conference
MICHIGAN HERB ASSOCIATES CONFERENCE,
A GARDEN FIESTA TO
REMEMBER! Thursday, March 10th, 2016, MSU, Plant and Soil Sciences Building, East
Lansing Mi. Registration and Shoppe
Sales start at 8:15 am and the program begins at 9:00 am.
The
conference opens with Lucinda Hutson, all the way from Texas. Her talks will be on Herbal Landscapes Inside
and Out, and The Ultimate Guide to Entertaining in your Outdoor Spaces. Also
speaking, Jessica Wright and Val Albright, Cultivating the Recipe Garden. The
day will finish with a Make and Take activity where we will all make a package
of Guacamole Seasoning to take home.
The pre-reservation
only buffet luncheon will be in the nearby conservatory with linen covered
tables, plants, and hopefully butterflies! Check out www.miherb.org for the rest of the lineup, and a registration
form to print out and mail. The conference is $45 (early bird rate before Feb 12), Postmarked after February 12, MHA Member Rate
$50.00, Non-Member Rate $75.00 Salad Buffet Luncheon $13.00.
You must
register by March 2nd to reserve lunches. TIP: You can register up
until the day of the conference by phone by calling Dolores Lindsay
517.899.7275, or by coming as a walk-in. Walk in’s will be charged extra.
MSU Horticulture Gardens’ Spring
Program: The Garden Professors
April 9, 2016, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Plant and Soil Sciences Building, 1066 Bogue
Street East Lansing, MI
Looking to
bust through gardening myths and dig down to the truth? Join the creators of
The Garden Professors, a blog where expert professors from around the country
use science-based information to provide you with the facts about gardening
from every aspect. We will host two of these professors and they will be joined
by organic farming expert, Adam Montri. Attendees will have the opportunity to
submit questions in advance, many of which will be answered by these experts
during a final Q & A session! Early registration (on or before March 31)
for MSU Horticulture Garden Member $70, Early registration (on or before March
31) for non-MSU Horticulture Garden Member $80 Registrations received after
March 31 $90
Contact:
Jennifer Sweet at 517-353-0443 or hgardens@msu.edu
Growing Great Gardens – Saturday,
March 12, 2016 - 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Heinz C Prechter Performing Arts Center,
21000 Northline Rd, Taylor, MI
Are you a
"plant geek"? Ready for some inspiration? Calling all gardeners for a
day of learning, food, prizes and fun at the 8th annual Growing Great Gardens.
Enjoy renowned horticulture gurus Scott Beuerlein, Joe Tychonievich, Ed Blondin
and Susan Martin. Lunch included. Master Gardeners can earn education hours,
too! (5-6 hours, depending on whether you sign up for the BONUS class at
lunchtime. Costs: $45 before 1/31. Lunch & learn class $10.
More info-
Phone: 888-383-4108
Great Lakes Hosta College, March
18-19, 2016, Upper Valley Career Center in Piqua, Ohio.
Students
attend 5 classes they have chosen from a program of over 70 classes taught by a
faculty of approximately 50 volunteers. Mid-day each student has lunch from a
delicious buffet included in the registration fee. At the end of the day
students take a brief break and then return for a banquet and talk that
concludes the Hosta College experience.
The vending
area offers a large selection of plants (even though it may be snowing
outside!), garden accessories, tools, and other garden-related merchandise for
shoppers. The Bookstore features gardening books at fantastic discounts,
stationery, society clothing items, and other Hosta College souvenirs. Persons
who belong to one of the local societies with membership in the Great Lakes
Region receive preferential registration and a reduced registration fee. $42 registration fee for members, $55 registration
fee for non-members.
Here’s a facebook page link for
gardeners in the Lapeer area. This link
has a lot of events listed on it.
Here’s a
link to all the nature programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in
Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/
Here’s a
link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road,
North Branch.
Here’s a
link to classes and events at Nichols Arboretum, Ann Arbor
Here’s a
link to programs being offered at English Gardens, several locations in
Michigan.
Here’s a
link to classes at Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Twsp. MI, and now
combined with Goldner Walsh in Pontiac MI.
Here’s a
link to classes and events at Bordines, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc, Clarkston
and Brighton locations
Here’s a
link to events at the Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road Ann
Arbor, Michigan | Phone 734-997-1553 |
http://www.lesliesnc.org/
Here’s a link to events at Hidden Lake Gardens, 6214
Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI
Here’s a
link to events and classes at Fredrick Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Mi
http://www.meijergardens.org/learn/ (888) 957-1580, (616) 957-1580
Newsletter
information
If you would
like to pass along a notice about an educational event or a volunteer
opportunity please send me an email before Tuesday of each week and I will
print it. Also if you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to
me. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly notes.
You must give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any
individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine but I do
reserve the right to publish what I want.
I write this
because I love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across
in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with local people and
horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If at any time you
don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who
would like to receive these emails have them send their email address to me. KimWillis151@gmail.com
Just came across this page, it is the best newsletter I have read, great information! Thanks so much,
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