The Vertical Gardening Guidebook by Tom Corson-Knowles Read Free Book Online Page B

seeds are very tiny or require light to germinate, which in this case would need light coverage.
    Always read your seed packets because they should have all the information you need to know about how to sprout them!
    A mister or dribbles of water can be used to keep the medium moist and this will ensure great contact between the soil and your seeds. Make sure to put labels on the trays, so that you know which plant is which. Don’t throw away the seed packets either - you might want to use them for future reference.
    Correct Temperatures for Your Seedlings
    The temperature of your seedlings should be based on the requirements of that particular plant. This temperature should be that of the soil, not the air. Most plants grow great in soil that is 60 degrees Fahrenheit, while others germinate best in 85 degrees Fahrenheit. On average, many plants do well in 78 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ve rarely problems germinating seeds indoors at room temperature – just try to protect your seedlings from any sudden or drastic temperature changes.
    It’s important that the soil isn’t too cold, because this will take the seeds a longer time to germinate or they won’t start at all. To heat up the soil, you can use a heating mat or simply move the container on top of a warm refrigerator, television or sunny window sill. Once you start to see sprouts emerging from the soil, it’s a good idea to put the plants in a sunny window or under lights within 24 hours.
    After germination has begun, you should ensure that the air temperature is kept around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is over 75 degrees Fahrenheit, then this could cause the plants to grow too fast.
    This isn’t always a good thing because they could end up weak and leggy. It’s sometimes alright for the temperature to reach temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit because most seedlings still grow well, as long as the soil is still between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Providing Sufficient Light for Your Seedlings
    Light usually isn’t a requirement for the germination process, but it is necessary once you start to see sprouts. Place the plants in a window that faces south or under grow lights. Make sure to check on your plants every day. If your plants don’t receive sufficient light, they could end up growing tall and leggy which is hard to correct.
    So how much light do your plants need?
    For most, about 14 to 16 hours of light is needed each day. This will give your plants enough food to build a healthy system and well-nourished leaves. You can enhance the amount of light your windowsill plants are getting by placing a cardboard with aluminum on the back of the container to allow light to bounce off and back to your plants.
    If you don’t have a window that faces south, but still would like to grow your plants indoors, you can use grow lights or full-spectrum fluorescent light bulbs instead. You don’t want to use incandescent light bulbs because they give off too much heat and not enough light – they even lack the blue-spectrum light that is responsible for making your plants dark green and stocky.
    When using fluorescent light bulbs, make sure that you place them very close to the plants – about three inches away from the sprouts. You can leave the lights on for about 12 to 14 hours daily. Then for windowsill plants, you may need to offer them supplemental light for a couple of hours – this is especially so during the winter time.
    Ensuring Seedlings Get Enough Moisture
    During the germination process, consistent moisture is needed. Just make sure that the soil isn’t soggy because this could cause your seeds to go rotten. Some people use clear plastic to cover their flats until their seeds have started to germinate. You can find seed starting systems that come with plastic covers that help your plants retain moisture.
    Once your seedlings have begun to sprout, you should remove the plastic – you don’t want humidity levels to be too high. Make