Subject: More on seed starting
From: [email-masked]
Date: 10 Mar 93 11:22:22 -0600
Newsgroups: rec.gardens

One of the questions that managed to make it through to my email--
apparently some mail messages to me have gone to The Great Bit Bucket
In The Sky...

Share some with me, please.  I would like to start some seedlings
indoors.  I bought some Jiffy-7s and enlarged them this weekend.  I
read that the seeds should be kept at 70 degrees.  That is not easy to
do, is it?  Can't I just place them in my house which I try to keep at
68 to 72 degrees?  Then, I know after the seedlings emerge, I need to
keep them under lights.  I planned on using fluorescent lights, held
about 2 inches from the plants.  Won't that keep them from becoming
leggy?

  Botanist who used to work in a seed testing lab....
  Most temperate zone seeds do well at 68-75oF day temps, with a 10-15
  degree drop at night.  Most will also do well germinating at a +/-
  constant temp of 65-75oF (somewhere in that range, with temp
  fluctuations of +/- 5o won't hurt at all.)

  (Warning: soil temp may be well below room temp-- cooling due
   to evaporation... 8-)  )

  I used to start my seeds at home on top of the refrigerator, because
  it was the warmest spot in the house -- about 75o.  I had a fluorescent
  light that I used to orient the seedlings -- that was about 4" above
  the trays.  After the first true leaves were out, I moved them to a 
  bright S window, temps perhaps 60-65 day, 50 at night, with another
  fluorescent about 4" above the leaves.  Worked OK for me.

  I transplant into regular 6-paks or 9 paks* or whatever I can get cheap
  at the two true leaf stage (alternate leaved species) or two pairs
  of leaves (opposite leaved species).  That's a bit later than most
  people transplant, but I sow seeds thinly, and it is what seems to 
  work best for me.  I also set young plants out in the garden ASAP--
  I really detest transplanting some poor root-bound seedling into
  the great outdoors.  When I see roots coming out the drain holes,
  I _definitely_ make time to transplant!!!

  I'm not too fond of Jiffy 7's or 9's for seedlings, 'cause they
  take SO much room.  I normally sow on sterile potting soil, covering
  the seeds about 1/8" deep (tiny seeds) or 1/4" deep (marigold size)
  with milled sphagnum moss, which keeps the area around the seeds
  moist and kills damp-off fungi.

  Might check with your local library and see if they have Park's
  Success with Seeds or Bubel's Seed Starter's Handbook.  Both pretty
  good!

    Kay

From: Libby Goldstein <[email-masked]>
Date: 06 Mar 93 12:44 PST
Subject: Re: "Water, Light and Love" -- book que

I guess I did something wrong and lost some of what I wrote. So here's
the rest. I think it was published by Applewood Seed Co as a
promotion. I don't even know if they're still around.

Park Seed Co. has a very comprehensive book on starting plants from
seed. Write them at: Park Seed Co.,Cokesbury Rd., Greenwood, SC
29647-0001. Nancy Bubel's "The Seed Starters' Handbook" published by
Rodale Press should still be avail- able too.

From: [email-masked] (Judy Gurka)
Subject: Seeds (was: Can I start Calif. poppy seeds indoors?)
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1993 01:28:40 GMT

A great book on starting stuff from seeds is:

      The New Seed Starters Handbook
      by Nancy Bubel
      Rodale Press
      (*not* like some of the lightweight books from that publisher)

It goes beyond a simple reference - interesting just to read.  The four
sections of the book are:

      I. Starting Seeds Indoors
      II. Moving Plants Outdoors
      III. Special Techniques and Situations
      IV. Saving Seeds and Making Future Plans
    plus ...
      Encyclopedia of Plants to Grow from Seed

And now, a sample from the book.  Within the week (but now gone to 
newsgroup heaven) was an article on the difficulties of germinating
columbine (Colorado's state flower); I didn't see any responses, so 
here's what the book says.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Short version (for those whose spring has sprung ;-) :
   problem:  spotty columbine germination
   cause:    needs light to germinate
   solution: don't cover with dirt
   related:  (sorry, you don't have time - get back to the garden ... )

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Long version (for those just barely resisting buying more plants when
the dining room table is already covered, and snow is on the way) :
[quotes from above book]

-- begin quote --

Flowers that need light to germinate

We're accustomed to tucking seeds in under a thin blanket of soil when
we plant them, but there are some flower seeds that should not be covered.
For these seeds, exposure to light increases the permeability of their
membranes, allowing oxygen to penetrate their seed coats more readily
(as you remember, a germinating seed needs oxygen to support its
quickened respiration).  In most cases, it's a matter of degree.  Seeds
that need light to germinate may produce a few seedlings when covered
(perhaps these are the ones that weren't quite covered after being
sown), but many more will germinate if light reaches the seeds.  In
tests on cactus and tuberous begonia seeds, for example, 30 percent of
the seeds germinated when covered, whereas 80 percent germinated when
exposed to light.

-- end quote --

This implies that there are no vegies that need light?  Anybody?
Wait, I looked back a couple of pages:

-- begin quote --

... some tree seeds either require light for germination or germinate 
more completely in the presence of light.  Most vegetable seeds are
indifferent to the amount of light ...

-- end quote --

And now, a long list of which seeds do need light, which may need
some light, and which need darkness.

-- begin quote --

Flower Seeds that Need Light to Germinate

Annuals                     Perennials                    Biennials

Ageratum                    Alyssum saxatile              Bellflowers
Begonias                    Balloonflower                 English Daisies
Browallia                   Chinese Lanterns              Fosglove
Coleus (tender perennial)   Chrysanthemums
Godetia                  ** Columbines **
Impatiens                   Edelweiss
Kochia                      False Rock Cress
Lobelia                     Feverfew
Mignonette                  Gaillardia
Petunias                    Maltese Cross
Portulaca                   Oriental Poppies
Scarlet Sage                Primroses (except Chinese)
Snapdragons                 Rock Cress
Strawflowers                Shasta Daisies
Sweet Alysum                Sweet Rocket

--------

Flower Seeds that Often Germinate Best in Some Light

                Annuals

African Daisies             Nicotinia
Balsam                      Stocks
Celosia                     Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower)
Cleome                      Transvaal Daisies (tender perennial)
Cosmos                      Wishbone flowers
Monkey Flower (Mimulus)                             

--------

Flower Seeds that Germinate Best in Darkness
(Cover these seeds with 1/4 inch of fine soil, well firmed down.)

Annuals                     Perennials

Bachelor's Buttons          Delphiniums
Butterfly Flowers           Poppies (except Oriental)
Calendula                   Shamrocks
Globe Amaranth              Soapwort
Masturtiums
Nemesia
Painted Daisies
Pansies (biennial)
Phlox drummondi
Salpiglossus (painted tongue)
Sweet Peas
Verbena

-- end quote --

Whew!  Lots more than might be expected need light - hopefully this
will be helpful to some of you good folks out there, who have given
me lots of information and entertainment - thanks!

If it's still too early to plant, you might amuse yourself reading 
some packets of seeds from the first group, to see how many mention
the light requirement - I don't find many.

                                   Judy Gurka
                                   [email-masked]