Anatomy of a Seed Packet

 Posted by:  Patti O'Neal

What has

v Performance Memory

v Power to feed the world

v Power to reproduce itself

v Power to adapt itself to a any environment and long-term easy storage

v  Is low cost or free

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                                                Seeds!  

Although seeds look like they are dead, inert matter, they are, in fact, very much alive.  They are small, living things that are surrounded by a specialized coat to protect the living plantlet (cotyledon) and food source inside.  They are in a suspended state of dormancy and the goal of germination is to break that dormancy.  

Once dormancy is broken, the radical or root will break first followed by the cotyledon itself pushing up through the soil ready to become the transplant of your dreams if proper care is applied.

The germination process can be daunting; especially to a beginner.  So where does one find the best management practices for germinating and appropriately caring for seedlings?  One of the best sources of seed starting information is the very package your seeds arrive in.  Most all companies provide good basic information on each packet for the successful germinating and growing the seed you purchase from them.  This information will help you to avoid some of the most common rookie mistakes people make when starting seeds indoors or direct sowing outside. 

The front of the package will identify the Common Name of the Plant, the Botanical name, and the cultivar.  With this information you can make sure that the actual plant you were hoping to grow is exactly what you purchased.  It will also identify the plant as an annual, perennial, or biennial which affects how the plant is grown and what to expect in terms of performance.  Simply, an annual will grow from seed to produce a fruit or flower and expire all in one season.  A perennial may require a longer period of care as a seedling, but its life will extend for varying years to come. A biennial will grow and establish good base growth in its first year but not produce fruit or flower until the second.  This is important to know so you do not pull it out after the first year, assuming that it was a “bad” plant. 

The front of the package will also tell you if the plant is a cool season or warm season plant.  This means it will germinate and thrive in cool soil and weather or warm soil and weather.  Knowing when to plant each seed is critical to its growing success.   Planting in the wrong season will not produce the results you expected.  You will also find the designation for a seed produced organically or by conventional seed rearing methods.  Look for a USDA organic certification symbol to guarantee an organic product.

The back of the package also provides some critical guidance to planting success.  Sowing instructions are found here.  The recommendation for starting the seeds indoors or if they would succeed better if started directly in the soil is critical to giving your seedlings the best possible start.  If the best practice is to start the seeds outside in the soil, a recommended soil temperature will be provided.  Things like sun, soil, and water requirements to help you to place and care for your seedlings appropriately. 

Probably the number one rookie seed starting mistake is planting depth. Too shallow and they will dry out.  Too deep and they will not be able to push through the soil to reach the surface.  Making sure your seeds are planted to the correct depth can be critical to germination success.  Many seeds require that they be planted only ¼” below the soil.  Trying to make a hole that is only ¼” deep and covering with only that amount of soil is really difficult.  Best management practice is to place the seed on top of the soil and sprinkle the required ¼ “of moistened soil on top; much like you would salt a steak while cooking in the pan.  Do not press the seed or soil down tightly, but gently tamp lightly with a finger to create seed to soil contact.

The spacing recommendation on the package is designed for traditional row gardening.  If you are planting in a square foot garden or practicing intensive row spacing techniques, consult CSU spacing recommendations (see resources at the end of this article).  Days to Germination is an estimate of when you can expect to see your little seedlings pop through the soil.   Other helpful information on the packet is days to maturity – a suggested time to expect a harvest or bloom.  This is an estimation and will vary depending on the current climate conditions and the care given.  Likewise, the size of the harvest or yield of fruit or flowers over the season will vary for the same reasons.

Most packets contain all of this information.  Depending on the company, you may learn more about the source and history of the plant, various planting hints and cultivation suggestions learned from the company’s trial gardens.  Sometimes included is an illustration of the emerging seedling and any impressive plant characteristics.

Hang on to your packets as they are a valuable resource in your arsenal of beginning gardening success. The tips/information provided will help guide you to successful germination of your seeds and ultimately a great garden. 

Resources: 

Vegetable Planting Guide - https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/720.pdf

Block Style Layout - https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/713.pdf

 

 

Top Ten Best Management Tips for Starting Your Garden from Seed

One of the oldest horticultural practices in the world is seed starting.  Real gardeners know that you never stop thinking about or putting into practice, your garden.  The catalogs have arrived, you have dog-eared your pages, made your lists and ordered your seeds and they are now arriving.  So now, the plans begin for what you will start indoors and when. 

Since the cool season vegetables and annual flowers can be planted directly in the garden when soil temps permit, it is the warm season plants you should be scheduling.  These plants need warmer soil temps to germinate, and in our 100-120-day average growing season, they need a little “head start” indoors before heading outside to complete their production.   Seed packets are the “go-to” for instructions as to when each variety should be started indoors, but rule of thumb, with few exceptions, is 6-8 weeks before the last average frost date for your area.  Here, in our zone, the smart gardener shoots for mid-May to first of June for putting out their precious transplants.

We all adapt our gardening practices to suit our needs as we become more accomplished.  However, there are some tried and true practices that will guarantee success for the beginning seed starter.  When things don’t work out, always go back to the following practices to sort out your issues and you will have a great start to a successful garden year. 

Courtesy Megapixl.com

1.       Seed - Start with clean, fresh seed.  Explore the wondrous variety of each vegetable or flower you plant by checking out the offerings of the seed companies, either online or by catalog.

Courtesy:  Adventures of Mel

Green leaf lettuce is great, by why not try Strawberry Cabbage lettuce, or Drunken Frizzy-Headed Woman lettuce, or deep burgundy Merlot lettuce.  Try the Easter Egg collection of radishes and Dragon Tongue Beans.  Obviously, plant what your family will eat, but check out all the amazing possibilities in each variety and try at least one new thing each year to add diversity to your garden.
 

2.       Equipment – You do not need to spend a fortune to garden.  Be creative and re-purpose items to start your seeds– just think outside the box.  You’ll need a container of some kind to plant in, a tray to capture moisture, a “lid” to create a terrarium effect during germination.  There are many possibilities of seed starting trays to purchase, that make the activity both easy and safe.  But you can re-purpose yogurt cups, paper cups, deli containers, plastic fruit boxes (they even come with their own lid) to name a few, just make sure you add proper drainage.  If you re-use old plastic pots or any other container, make sure to sterilize them and air dry them before planting. 

Courtesy:  Lovelygreens.com

3.       Planting Medium - The more sterile the medium, the better your success.  This is not the place to use garden soil, or even potting soil.  Go for a seed starting mix, sometimes called germination mix.  These have no soil at all, but is a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite and/or perlite.  It is sterile and light weight to allow for the tiny plants to send roots out easily and avoid any soil-borne diseases that might attack your little plants. 

4.       Planting Depth – This is one of the biggest rookie mistakes.  Always check the seed packet for the planting depth.  A large percentage of seeds are so tiny, that correct planting depth is actually ¼”.  In this case, seeds should be placed on the top of moistened, unpacked soil and then a quarter inch layer of medium sprinkled on top, much like a chef would sprinkle salt to season food.  Then a very gentle one finger tamping over the seed to create seed to soil contact – no packing down at all. 

5.       Germination – To germinate properly, seeds need warmth and moisture.  The correct steps are as follows:

(a)The best procedure for planting seeds is to moisten the germination mix prior to starting.  The medium should be moist, but never wet.  You should be able to scoop up a fist full.  Squeeze and the ball should hold it’s shape, but when dropped from a 2to3 -foot height back into the container, it should break completely apart.  So, damp/dry is the term.  Fill each container or cell and tamp on the table to settle – never press or pack the medium.

(b) Sprinkle or spread the seed on top.  Remember to read the packet for the correct dept.  Larger seeds may need to be planted at ½” so you could make a small hole for these. 

(c) Cover the seed with the correct amount of medium

(d) Add a bit of moisture with a spray bottle – not a watering can

(e) Cover with a lid and place in a warm spot.  You will want a terrarium effect to happen over the next day or so.  Following all the above instructions should prevent you from having to add water during the germination phase.  The terrarium should do it.  If this does not occur, you likely did not have your medium moistened properly.  You may need to open the lid and spritz with warm water to create adequate moisture. 

(f) Again, consult the seed packet as to when to expect your seedlings to germinate, so you know if all has gone well.  Once they have germinated, the lid should be removed, and lights added. 

6.       Lights – Very few species of plants require light to germinate (again – the seed packet will give you this information if required).  So, once your seeds have germinated, it’s time to add light.  Although possible to use window light, here is the only place where I would suggest you invest some money.  A simple shop light casing with a T-12 Cool Ray and a Warm Ray bulb will easily do the trick.  However, the newer LED T-8’s are 50% more efficient.  Lights should be approximately 2” from the top of the seedlings at all times, so you need to be able to adjust as the seedlings grow.  Lights should be on 14-16 hours per day and there should be 8 hours of darkness for proper growth.  An inexpensive timer helps here.

Courtesy:  Home Depot

7.     Warmth - warmth added from below throughout germination and the 8 weeks of growth is recommended.  There are plant heat mats that can be purchased, or you can re-purpose old heating pads with temps set on low. 

8.       Air – It is helpful to add some movement and air circulation once your seedlings are about 3-4 inches high.  Good air circulation will help keep moisture off the surface of the soil and the leaves as well as strengthening the stems.  The goal is short and bushy, not tall and leggy. 

9.       Watering and Fertilizing – Water when soil is nearly dry, but never dry all the way.  Never wet either.  Watering from the bottom tray is recommended to keep moisture off the tender leaves. 

You can begin fertilizing when the first set of true leaves are established.  This will be the second set you will see, the first being the cotyledon leaves.  Use any liquid fertilizer of your choice at one quarter strength. 

10.   Become a Good Planner and Record Keeper - There is no substitute for good record keeping.  Thomas Jefferson is a premier example of good garden planning and record keeping with his meticulous notes.  If he can do it, so can you. For great suggestions, check out the January 30 post on this blog by Linda Langelo on great record keeping tips. 

This is a great time of year to find a good class on seed starting near you.  For the best science- based information, as well as any questions about starting your garden from seed, contact your local CSU Extension office.

By Patti O’Neal, Horticulture and Food Systems Coordinator, CSU Extension, Jefferson County.