Start seeds indoors to give them a leg up

Q: I was given a bag full of flower seeds recently. I have never tried to grow from seed and hope you will offer me some guidance to grow these, mostly annual flowers from seed. I always have grown several pots but usually get the plants already up and growing. Is it an easy process to get these seeds started so I can fill my pots? — G.W., Albuquerque

A: The gift of seeds is terrific. My first question is do you have the space inside for this process? Next, are the seeds old?

Most seed packets have a date listed on them so you know the seed is considered fresh and still viable. Some seeds lose a certain amount of viability each year, so if the packets were packaged for, let’s say, the 2020 season, some of them might not be capable of germinating.

You’ll want to invest in seed starting soil. Don’t use potting soil. A lot of times, potting soil contains fungal pathogens that can maim or kill a germinating seed.

Seed starting soil is usually made of vermiculite, so it’s quite sterile and doesn’t harbor any fungus. You’ll need the seed starting soil— a tray to hold small 2-inch containers (usually made of pressed peat) — lots of consistent warmth and a fairly bright light to start the seed. You can find prepackaged set-ups available at most any retailer or at a well-stocked nursery or garden center this time of year.

Fill the containers threequarters full with the soil and sprinkle some seed into the container. Next, spread a slight layer of soil on top of the seed to just barely cover. Having filled, seeded and covered your containers, set them on the seed tray and fill it with as much water as it can hold. The peat pot absorbs the water, so you might need to fill the tray a couple of times to get everyone thoroughly dampened.

Keep the trays warm and in a bright spot, consistently dampened and wait. Some kits come with a clear tray cover to help keep everything humidified, like a mini-greenhouse, but as long as the pots and soil are kept moist, you don’t have to cover them. Within seven to 10 days, if the seed is still viable, you should have germination.

After the plants pop up, your job changes a bit. You might want to advance pot size so the babies have extra room to root out. This is easily done with a bigger peat pot. Cut the sides of the original pot down and place it in the next size pot. You can offer potting soil now since the babies are more advanced and the potting soil will offer more nutrients.

We are nowhere near the time to plant a set of babies outdoors yet. We probably have at least six weeks of fickle weather. The average last frost here in the Metro is April 17.

You might want to be ready to offer your seedlings larger containers to up-size before the time is right. If you don’t see germination within the 10-day window, the seed might be past viability.

I’d go ahead and sprinkle any seed you have left over, at the end of April, in your pots to see if anything might just have the gumption to grow. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Starting your own crop of annual bloomers is a gratifying way to get your hands dirty and in the mood for a new season of treasures.

Happy Diggin’ In!