Seed Starting

We all know that growing your own fresh veggies are healthier, taste better and more cost effective than buying them at the supermarket. Anymore, supermarkets are selling us mass produced, genetically modified, chemical laden products with absolutely no flavor. Now, we're taking growing your own garden to the next level.

Imagine knowing that you not only grew your own fruit, but you grew it from it's most infant form. This week, we're focusing on seed starting, growing your garden literally from scratch. Starting seeds can be challenging, and a lot of trial and error, but the reward is incredible. There are several things you need to begin including containers, potting soil, light, heat and water.

First, choose a container that is sanitized, has a drainage hole, and sufficient room for root growth. The ideal potting soil is a soil-less combination of pearlite, vermiculite, and peat-moss. Light and heat are extremely important for seedlings, as they need an average of 16-hours of light per day, which can be given via 40-watt fluorescent bulb. Also, keeping your soil between 80-85 degrees is the perfect temperature for seedling germination. You'll also want to keep them covered, either with plastic wrap, or a plastic greenhouse dome to ensure proper heat is maintained.

In order to maintain proper moisture, and to keep seedlings from becoming drenched, use a spray bottle to mist the seedlings. If the soil seems to dry out too quickly, set the container in a dish of water to enable the roots to take up water from the bottom.

As the eagerness of spring is upon us, now is the perfect time to get a head start on growing the fruits and vegetables that will sustain us throughout the year. Join us this Saturday, February 12 at 2:00 for a Seed Starting Seminar. The seminars are free of charge will take place at all Johnson's locations.