How many times have you tired to start seeds indoors, yet ended up with weak, withered sprouts?

Most people know the seed starting process as place seeds in potting soil, then give them water and set in a warm, sunny location to sprout. After they sprout though, disaster can strike. They start falling over, looking more like threads with leaves on top then healthy plants. And this sad experience stops many people from trying again. But why does this happen?

While the concept of starting plants from seed is simple- soil, heat, water, and sunlight -those simple requirements need to be met with some degree of exactness, otherwise things can go bad fast. So lets break down those simple requirements to make sure this year you have the healthiest seedlings possible.

• Soil– You need soil that drains well, isn’t too rich (meaning isn’t full of fertilizers or organic matter), and is free of pathogens. Pathogens like fungal spores can cause a condition called Damping Off which usually refers to a seedling rotting right at the soil level and dying. Damping off mostly occurs in wet and cool soils. These spores can live in soil and on tools you have used in the garden. There are various methods to clean and sterilize your tools, along with soil. Should you want to re-use soil you’ve had from the previous year you can sterilize it using methods in the oven, microwave, pressure cooker, and with steam. Out in your yard you can use soil solarization, which is to take plastic and cover the ground so the sun can heat it up and kill pathogens (plus do a few other things).

• Heat– Seeds and plants use different temperatures as an indicator that it’s time to start growing. Some seeds need to go through a period of moist cold, called seed stratification, before they will break dormancy and germinate. This is especially true of perennials like trees. Know what kind of warmth your seeds need to grow. Garden plants like peas and cabbage like cooler weather and can germinate in soil as low as 45 degree(F) versus summer squash which requires at least 65 degrees(F). A soil thermometer is a helpful tool to determine soil temps, or you can use a heat mat with a temperature controller to ensure your seeds have the correct heat.

• Water– Most seeds require a moist, but not soaking wet environment to sprout. The best way to control the amount of water is to have soil that drains well, and cover the containers at least until your seeds sprout so the soil is moist but not wet. Once your seeds sprout uncover them so they have good air flow to keep them from getting too wet and rotting.

• Sunlight– This requirement is probably the most misunderstood. Seedlings require hours of direct sun rays to grow properly. In indirect sunshine, which is what most sun coming in through your windows is, they will stretch and lean toward the window trying to get direct sunshine. Windows with any UV protection on them, or tint won’t work for growing. To grow strong, straight seedlings they need 8+ hours a day of direct overhead light. Unless you have sunshine coming directly through a window for 8+ hours a day, you probably won’t get tall, strong seedlings. In that case you can create or get a grow light system like these.
  • Get a fluorescent shop light housing, a ‘cool light’ bulb, and a ‘warm light’ bulb. This will give you almost the full spectrum of light. Hang above your seed starting tray so the light is a couple inches above the soil and keep raising the light to be a couple inches away as your seedlings grow.
  • Get a complete light system like this Jump Start JSV4 4-Foot Jump Start T5 Grow Light System. This is what I am using this year and so far the plants look great.

One other thing to consider is air flow. To simulate some of the wind your plants are sure to encounter when put outside, try setting up a fan to gently move the seedlings so they can develop some strength against the air movement.

Happy Growing!