By Paul A. Thomas
University of Georgia

Growing plants from even the best new seeds isn’t easy. But
following proper steps can lead to beautiful annuals and
perennials for your garden.

Start with the seed package. The label will tell you when to
plant and whether the seeds require light to germinate.

Almost any container with bottom drainage holes will work — foam
cups, egg cartons, tin cans. But plastic trays and pots from
garden supply centers are easy to use.

Most seeds can germinate in the sterilized peat or pine-bark
growing media you can buy in stores. Or mix one part clean sand
with two parts peat moss.

How to plant

Whatever the mix, be sure it’s moist before you plant. Make small
depressions for big seeds and tiny trenches for small seeds.
Space them carefully.

If the seeds need light to germinate, don’t cover them. Just
press them into the potting-mix surface. If they don’t require
light, add just enough potting mix to cover them.

Mix tiny, dust-like seed (begonias, petunias) with sand, spread
them carefully with an old salt-shaker and leave them uncovered.

For annuals, start seeds four to eight weeks before the date of
the average last killing frost. Starting too early can leave
plants spindly.

You can start perennials, on the other hand, in January. Or you
may need to start them indoors in June to transplant in early
fall. Check your package label.

What next?

Keep seed pots and boxes moist but not wet with regular, fine
sprays of water. Place them in a glasshouse or a warm, shaded
area. In open, shaded areas, cover pots or seed boxes with clear
plastic kitchen wrap to keep the soil surface from drying out.

Remove all covers when seedlings emerge and reduce shade as they
develop.

Water new seedlings carefully. Small containers dry out fast.
Keeping the soil soaking wet, though, will keep seedlings from
growing well and may kill them. Water them gently. Don’t wash the
seeds out.

After the seedlings have true leaves, add quarter- to
half-strength fertilizer to the water once a week. Use complete
fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace
elements.

Be careful

Too much fertilizer will burn tender roots. Use a soluble
fertilizer and follow label directions for seedlings.

Where poor ventilation results in high humidity, fungal diseases
are common. Fungicides don’t cure these diseases. They merely
slow their spread. Prevent seedling diseases by providing
adequate space and ventilation, maintaining strict hygiene and
not overwatering.

Once seeds have grown four to eight leaves, transplant
indoor-grown seedlings into larger pots or the garden.

Whether you sow indoors or out, you may have to thin seedlings if
you planted too many seeds. If they stay overcrowded, they’ll be
weak and spindly because they won’t get enough light. Don’t try
to pull out the extra seedlings. Cut off all but the strongest at
the soil level.

Don’t let winter spoil it

If cold weather threatens, cover young seedlings at night with
plastic buckets, cloth or other things that retain heat. As time
goes by, gradually remove the coverings if it doesn’t drop below
45 degrees. This way, the seedlings become shorter, hardier
plants.

Consider how big your plants will grow and space them accordingly
when you transplant. You may need to stake delphinium, foxglove
and any plant that starts out tall and leggy or has heavy flowers.

Water seedlings in thoroughly at transplanting. You may want to
use a dilute solution of liquid plant food to water them in. If
you do, don’t add granular fertilizer until the plants start
growing strongly. Then apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 100 square
feet of bed every two weeks.

Water daily the first week or so. Then gradually cut back to once
or twice a week. By midsummer, once a week may be enough even in
dry weather.

(Paul Thomas is an Extension Service horticulturist with the
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences.)