COMMUNITY GARDEN GUIDE SEASON EXTENSION SEED STARTING

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COMMUNITY GARDEN GUIDE. SEASON EXTENSION. SEED STARTING. Vegetable gardening in the Great Lakes States requires a little more effort than in more …

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COMMUNITY GARDEN GUIDE
SEASON EXTENSION
SEED STARTING
Vegetable gardening in the Great Lakes States requires a little more effort than in more
temperate areas. It is often necessary to start many vegetable plants indoors to allow adequate
time for the plants to bear fruit. The first stage of successful gardening begins with the proper
starting of vegetable bedding plants. Sturdy, well cared for bedding plants will be more disease
resistant, more productive, and produce better quality fruit. Likewise, seeds not started indoors
require proper handling and care if a reasonable level of success is to be achieved.
BEDDING PLANT PRODUCTION
Proper timing for seeding of plants that will be transplanted as bedding plants into the garden is
critical. Bedding plants must be large enough at planting time to allow them adequate time to
produce the desired vegetable crop. Some plant seeds require treatments called scarification or
stratification before planting. Scarification of seed involves scratching the seed coat to aid in
germination. In some cases, seed can be scarified by placing the seed in a jar of gravel or sand
and shaking it to scratch the seed coat. Stratification of seed requires giving the seed a cold
treatment by placing…