Let’s Get Started

Once you’ve found the right seed varieties for you, you’ll need to determine the proper start date. Typically, seeds are started indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost.

Get your seedlings off to a good start by using the right growing medium. A perfect growing mix is very light and holds moisture well. Avoid using potting soil, which becomes too dense after a few waterings and doesn’t allow good air and water circulation. Additionally, regular potting soil can introduce bacteria to a young seed, resulting in its death. If you don’t want to buy a mix, you can create your own by combining 2 parts peat or sphagnum moss with 1 part perlite and 1 part vermiculate. This will not have the nutrients usually included in a commercial mix, however.

Where to Start Your Seeds

The first container for your seeds should be no more than three inches deep and provide good drainage. If you don’t want to buy containers specifically designed for starting seeds, you’ll need to create your own: empty egg cartons, cut-off milk cartons, or deep-sided disposable aluminum pans work fine. Make sure you punch drainage holes in the bottom.

Planting Your Seeds

The general rule of thumb is to plant seeds four times as deep as the seed is wide. Fine seeds, such as petunia seeds, should be sprinkled on top of the medium but not covered. When using individual containers, plant more than one seed in each cell; you’ll need extras since you seldom get 100% germination. If you’re using flats, space seeds a half inch apart only if they’ll be transplanted into a separate pot following germination. If they’re going to stay in the flat until they head outside, space the seed one to two inches apart. Label your seeds, because most seedlings look alike.

Watering Your Seeds

Once they’re planting, you won’t have to worry about feeding your little guys at first. Seeds contain their own food supply packaged neatly within their shells. Make sure you keep them mist, since most seeds absorb water and use it to bust through their shells. Daily checkups are necessary at this point. To water, you can either use a spray bottle, or set up a bottom watering system (this way, seeds can take as much water as they need.) If you choose a bottom watering system, it’s important to avoid letting your pots sit in a pool of water; this can lead to a moldy pot and a dead seed.

Take a close look in your garden, and you may find that you already have a few species of beneficial insects calling your garden home. These may include lady beetles, green lacewings, hover flies, parasitic wasps and predatory mites. The predators, such as lady beetles, lacewing larvae and mites, prey on aphids, caterpillars, mealybugs, leafhoppers, whiteflies and insect eggs.  The parasites, such as wasps, defend your garden against tomato hornworm, cabbageworm and tent caterpillars by laying their eggs on or into them.

Your friends at Gurney’s have the perfect solution for attracting beneficial insects to your garden: Gurney’s Beneficial Bug Blend! This superior blend of flowers and herbs has been specially formulated to attract beneficial insects to your garden. Irresistible to good bugs such as ladybugs and lacewings, which work to eliminate pests that do damage to plants and crops – also attractive to pollinators such as honeybees and butterflies.

Pots and soil

When I’m planting (or transplanting), I use a pot that is slightly larger than the plant’s root ball. If the pot is too small, the plant will be rootbound, and if too big, it will tend to retain too much water. It’s best to have a drainage hole, but if your pot doesn’t have one, you can add an inch or so of small pebbles at the bottom for drainage.

I especially like to grow dwarf-sized fruit trees. They do well in containers, and are easy to prune to keep their height and shape under control. Some of the trees are native to my area and can remain on the patio even for the winter months. But I bring the tropical fruit tree containers indoors for protection during winter months.

I generally use a plant mix that is made especially for houseplants – then I know it is the right mix for indoors. Be sure to check the individual requirements of your plants though – some may require a specialized mix for best results, especially for those that flower or produce fruit.

This spring, we are introducing a new sweet corn variety: Gotta Have It White! It has all the same outstanding taste and qualities of the extremely popular bicolor favorite in a new white corn variety. Juicy kernels, long shelf life, and of course, incredibly sweet flavor!

Our customers have always raved about our Gotta Have It sweet corn. It’s been a customer favorite since its introduction! And now, due to its popularity and versatility, we are expanding our Gotta Have It options for those who prefer a white variety without losing any of the great flavor.

If you’ve ever grown our Gotta Have It sweet corn, feel free to leave a comment and let everyone know what you think! Is it as sugar-sweet as we claim?

Last summer, I had the chance to grow some new tomato varieties. I officially have a new favorite tomato: Nonna’s Prize (VFF). It’s a new Gurney’s Choice tomato seed variety that we are introducing in our spring 2010 (request your copy of our new catalog here!).

Take my word for it; this is the richest-flavored tomato you will ever grow! It resembles an heirloom tomato in looks, but grows like hybrid, which is something I’ve personally always looked for in a tomato seed.

I think what I like most about this new tomato variety, aside from the taste, is the color and shape. It has the distinct, ribbed teardrop shape of a traditional Italian heirloom type, but it yields as well as our finest hybrids. It has a meaty texture and a tangy flavor, which is simply perfect for sauces and fresh eating. And did I mention they are highly disease resistant, and won’t crack or scar like many heirlooms? Simply put, if you love growing tomatoes like me, you’ll love growing Nonna’s Prize!

It’s a one-stop-shop for all your vegetable and flower seed needs! Check it out by clicking on the picture below:

My personal new favorite this year is our new Seed Starting Kit, which allows you to quickly, easily and successfully start all kinds of seeds. Each kit contains everything you need for fast germination and vital root growth. I’ll talk more about this cool kit in my next post, which will also include some great seed starting tips!

The new Spring Catalog will feature all of your familiar favorites, including our popular Ka-Bluey™ Blueberry, Gotta Have It™ Sweet Corn, and Flat Wonderful™ Peach, in addition to some new favorites and surprises.

To receive your FREE copy of the 2010 Spring Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Catalog, or to place an order, click here!