Seed Starting
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Spring Outdoor Seed-Sowing Schedule
Vegetable seeds can be sown outdoors directly in the garden as soon as the soil is workable in spring. Here’s a test for workable soil: squeeze a handful of soil in the palm of your hand; when you open your hand if the soil remains a cold, wet clump, it is not workable. You should […] More
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15 Vegetables to Seed Start Indoors
Starting vegetable seeds indoors will give you a head start on the growing season–extend your growing season–and make your garden more productive. Starting seeds indoors eliminates one of the biggest unpredictables of vegetable gardening–poor outdoor germination conditions. Light, temperature, water, nutrients, and spacing are planned and regulated indoors; seeds find it much easier to grow […] More
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Vegetable Seed Germination
Seeds sprout through a process called germination. Different vegetables have different germination requirements. It’s important to know the germination requirements of the seeds you are planting to ensure success. Germination–depending upon the type of seed–requires just the right conditions for growth–usually an abundant supply of water, an adequate supply of oxygen, and the proper temperature. […] More
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Seed and Seedling Failure Troubleshooting
Successful seed and seedlings’ growth depends on moisture, warmth, air, and light. Seeds and seedlings require optimal temperatures, even watering, open-air circulation, and bright light to thrive. When a seed fails to sprout or a seedling fails to thrive there is usually a simple and easily correctable reason. Here are the most common reasons seeds […] More
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Peat Pellet Buyer’s Guide
Peat pellets are used for seed starting. Peat pellets are compressed disks of dehydrated peat moss and other organic materials. They are used to germinate seeds indoors before transplanting seedlings into the garden. A peat pellet is a self-contained pot and planting medium all in one. When it comes to gardening and horticulture, peat pellets […] More
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Seed Starting Mix Buyer’s Guide
Seed starting mixes are lightweight soil substitutes used for germinating seeds. Seed starting mixes commonly contain no soil, they are moisture retentive, and they are usually sterile having been exposed to high temperature to kill off bacteria. Seed starting mixes are sometimes called soilless mixes. Having the right seed starting mix can be crucial for […] More
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Vegetable Seed Buyer’s Guide
Vegetable gardening is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby that allows you to grow your own fresh produce right at home. This guide will help you choose the right seeds for your garden and ensure a successful harvest. One of the first steps in starting your vegetable garden is selecting the right seeds to sow. With […] More
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Peat Pot Buyer’s Guide
Peat pots are small pots made from compressed peat and wood fiber and sometimes fertilizer. Peat pots are used for starting seeds, usually with sterile soilless mixes. Peat pots are biodegtradable and can be planted directly into the garden when the seedling is ready, avoiding transpant shock as well as the work of repoting. Peat […] More
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Seedling Heat Mat Buyer’s Guide
Seedling heat mats provide consistent, gentle bottom heat essential to good seed germination. Heat mats are also known as seed heat mats or propagation heat mats. Heat mats are basically two rubber mats with electric heating wires sandwiched between them. Commonly the wires of a seedling heat mat attach to a thermostat that is in […] More
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Celery Seed Starting Tips
Grow an early and late or main crop of celery each growing season. The early crop will be harvested in August; the late crop will be harvested in September or October, before the first fall frost. Start celery seed indoors. Sow seed for the early or August harvest in February. Set young plants in the […] More
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Seed Saving to Save Money in Your Garden
Seed saving is a centuries-old practice that allows gardeners and farmers to preserve and propagate the best plant varieties year after year. It involves the careful selection and harvesting of seeds from healthy and productive plants, ensuring the continuation of favorable traits. By saving seeds, gardeners can maintain biodiversity, adapt crops to local growing conditions, […] More
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How Vegetables Are Pollinated
Vegetables are pollinated in two ways: self-pollination and cross-pollination. Self-pollinators are plants that produce flowers that are usually fertilized by their own pollen, commonly when the male and female flower parts are contained within the same flower. Cross pollinators are plants with flowers that require pollen from another flower (a male flower on the same […] More