dirt / By Amy Stewart

The Science of Seedlings

Watch for bugs. If you started from seeds, and cleaned your pots, and used fresh potting soil, you might not have any problems with pests like aphids or whitefly. But keep an eye out for them anyway. Turn leaves over, and dig around at the base of the plant where leaves branch off from the stem. If you see any tiny little creatures sucking the life out of your seedlings, crush them under your thumb and laugh ruthlessly while you do it. Really, killing the bugs by hand is the quickest and most effective (and most satisfying) way to get rid of a small infestation on a few plants. You can also clip off infested leaves and seal them in a plastic bag, then put them in the trash outside.

For a more serious infestation, try washing the plant gently with water and dish soap, which kills soft-bodied pests. If you do feel the need to use a bug spray, be sure and buy an organic spray and use it according to directions. (Even organic sprays require some common-sense protection, so take safety precautions seriously.) Test the bug spray on one or two plants, then wait a few days to see how they handle it before you use them on the rest of your plants.

Harden them off. This is the fun part. Take your seedlings outside on warm, sunny days and let them get acquainted with the great outdoors. I leave mine out for most of the day, but I bring them indoors if the weather turns cold and windy. They’ll find out about that soon enough. The idea is to gradually expose them to real sunlight and a little breeze without freaking them out completely.

Plant them gradually. Don’t go crazy and plant everything outdoors on the first warm Saturday of spring. If a few plants seem like they’re going to explode if you don’t put them in the ground, let them sit outside in their pots for a few days and nights. If they still seem ready to go, plant one or two of them, but keep the rest indoors as back-up.

Think ahead. As soon as you’ve got a little room on your seed table, start another batch of seeds. You can never have too much basil. Annual flowers and sweet peas can continue to go in the garden all summer long. The real benefit of growing from seed is that you can grow what you want when you want it, so don’t think of it exclusively as an early spring endeavor. Think ahead to late summer and fall crops; consider taking cuttings and propagating some perennials this summer to plant in the fall. Seeds are the ultimate economic recovery package; now that you’ve got a system in place, there’s no reason not to keep going all year long.

1 2 SHARE