Newsletter2

It may seem as if I am getting ahead of myself, but knowing the basics
of what goes in to planting seeds and transplanting is needed before I
should go into planning and preparing your garden. If you know what goes
in to starting your own plants, it will definitely affect what you end
up with for a garden. You may not want to start seeds at all, choosing
instead to buy plants or bulbs at the store or through a catalog. That�s
great too! Every gardener has his or her own preferences. Do you work
all day? Would you have time to take care of seedlings? Are you a
stay-at-home parent? You may have carpools and meals to cook. You may
run your own business. You may even hate gardening and only want to have
fresh tomatoes for salads. There is no end to the types of gardens
possible, and we can find one to suit your needs. E-mail me with
questions! Tell me the type of soil you have, the land you have to use
or even the dimensions of your window box in the city. I will help you
come up with some ideas that can get you started on your very own piece
of heaven.

Now to transplanting. Once you have got your seedlings growing strong,
you have to thin them out. To me this seems like cutting off an arm!
After all this time and effort, to just throw away perfectly healthy
seedlings like that! Unfortunately, this HAS TO BE DONE. If you do not
thin out your seedlings, they will compete for nutrients and grow up to
be scrawny with few flowers. Trust me, I�ve done this and that�s what I
got. I�d much rather have 10 beautiful strong plants than 20 wimpy ones.
Collectively you�ll get more flowers and bushier plants than if you just
left them alone out of compassion.

To �prick� out seedlings, pick those that are spindly looking. Just
because a seedling is shorter doesn�t mean it is weaker. A taller
seedling could be weaker because it bolted taller (grew too tall too
quickly) and will not have as strong a stem. Look for green-the darker
the better. Look for the size of the first true set of leaves, which is
actually the second set of leaves. (Hint: NEVER pick off the first set
of leaves, it could really damage the plant) After identifying those you
feel are weakest, remove them by pinching them off at the base of the
stem, do not pull them out of the dirt, as this will disturb the roots
of the plants around it. Also keep in mind, the seedlings should have
about 1 inch of soil between them when you are done.

When the seedlings get to be about 1 1/2 inches tall and have at least 2
sets of their true leaves, it is time to transplant them into individual
pots. Even though I don�t like them, you should use peat pots for this
so that when the time comes to plant them in your glorious garden, you
will not have to disturb the roots again, you can plant them right in
the peat pot. Fill the peat pot about 3/4 full of your soil mixture,
water it till it is soaked right through the pot. Make an indentation in
the center of the soil about 1/2 inch deep. Holding one of the true
leaves ONLY, not the stem, take a popsicle stick or the end of a spoon
and gently scoop the seedling out under the roots and set it immediately
in the hole in the peat pot so the roots don�t dry out. Have everything
ready ahead of time. Lightly press the soil around the roots, don�t push
down too hard though as this can damage the fragile new roots. Water it
again so the soil settles into the roots, and give it lots of light and
air. You will notice that they stop growing for a few days, this is
normal. Once the roots have taken hold the plant will shoot right up and
thank you for giving it privacy and room to grow. Wait to water again
until the soil starts to dry out on top. It can be frustrating to use
peat pots as they dry out so easily, or they get waterlogged. But in the
end, you will have a much easier time and stronger plants to work with
if you check them every day for water needs. At this point you can even
add a little fertilizer to the water. I recommend the kind that is
administered by putting drops of it in the water every time you water
your plants. I�m not personally endorsing them, but I think Miracle Grow
is one of the brands that makes this kind. This way the plants never run
the risk of having too much fertilizer burning out their roots. Remember
to label which watering can or mister you use fertilizer in so as to
avoid accidents with children and pets.

Your plants will be ready for �hardening-off� soon, which is the process
of getting them used to being outdoors without shocking their socks off.
Those outside elements can get pretty rough in spring. E-mail me and
tell me about your climate and what you have to do differently because
of it! Next newsletter: Planning what to grow and where to put it. Happy
Growing!

DBS