The Miracle Of Seeds

April 4th, 2008 · No Comments · container gardening, home gardening tips, indoor gardening, organic seeds, seeds and bulbs

Healthy Seeds
Questions & Answers (Q&A)

Starting a new and first time flower garden, seeds vs.
Can I plant the seeds straight out of my cucmbers,pumpk
Can I plant the seeds straight out of my cucmbers,pumpk
Growing lavender?
What to do with young cosmos that are falling over.?

You’re ready to begin planting your garden! You can find seeds at a nursery or pretty much any store with gardening supplies, or you can save seeds from your own plants. Whichever way you decide to go, you’ll need to have good seeds to produce healthy plants.

When you choose seeds from your own plants, be sure the entire plant is healthy. Seeds produce plants like their parent plants. If you want a good plant, choose healthy seeds.

You can tell if a plant is healthy by looking at its shape, sturdiness and blossoms.

Seed size is something you’ll definitely want to think about. Choose the largest, fullest seeds you can find. When they first start growing, seeds get their nutrients from within themselves. So, the larger the seed, the better the first food supply to help your plants grow well. The best plants come from large seeds.

Plants are classified by the number of cotyledons they have. Cotyledons are the portions of nutrients contained within them.

You should also think about the purity of the seeds you use. It’s much easier to clean larger seeds than small ones. Many times seeds end up mixed together with other types of seed, which won’t give you the best start for your new garden.

Also think about the developing power of the seeds you choose. Most seeds will last a few years before they lose their usefulness. However, some seeds are picked before they’re ready. Just make sure you get a good, healthy seed.

If you do use smaller seeds, quantity can make up for quality. Plant small seeds thickly together, and you’re more likely to have success in your garden.

Phil Allen is a prolific internet writer and an avid gardener. Check out his other tips and techniques at Backyard Gardens and YardBeauty. Also, many of his articles are available through Content Delights.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Allen

Healthy Seeds Question & Answers

Healthy Seeds Question: 1

Starting a new and first time flower garden, seeds vs. starter plants?

Ok, so I want to start a flower garden this year. This is my first time. What is the best way to do that. Should I start with seeds and one of those starter kits and then once they've started to grow plant them.Or, should I just buy the flowers and plants that have already been started and put them in the ground.What's the best way for long lasting healthy flowers?How will I know when to plant them in the ground with either way I go?If I decide to go with seeds, when should I start buying and starting them?Any other good tips and facts would be much appreciated also!!!I'm very excited about doing this cuz it'll give me something to do with my time, i'm just not sure where to begin! lolThanks in advance!

Answer: 1.
Some are easily started from seeds, such as zinnia.
Others like geranium take too long. Decide what you might like to grow, then decide how you want to start them.
Answer: 2.
You could try both. I think you'll get more satisfaction if you buy plants already started since the seeds take quite a while to grow and some plants should have already been started. If you buy plants you'll see the results instantly! So, I'd say buy most of your plants now and maybe start just a few late blooming seeds. Look at the package directions and it will tell you when and how to plant them. And make sure you buy perinneals if you want them to come up next year. Annuals are only for one year. They make good fillers though for your perinneals until they fill in.
Answer: 3.
Hey Lady,

Seeds are fun to watch germinate, but that is where it stops. They are a big mess and you don't get good results unless you are an experienced gardener (or very lucky). Starting with plants is the best for a beginner because you get results. If you have a good planting bed, good soil, quality plants to begin with, right sun conditions, follow watering instructions and fertilize lightly - you should have great results.

Try some seeds of easy plants if you have the sticktuitiveness. First time out, try something like marigolds - they are easy. And, you will see how the flower becomes the seeds for next year.
Answer: 4.
Actually the choice of seeds or plants is determined by what flowers you want to plant. Some flowers are best grown from the plants and others are just as good grown form seeds. I'm not sure what flowers you want to grow, so maybe that will help. For long lasting healthy flowers you want to prepare the ground by loosening the soil. Using a shovel turn the soil, chop it up and remove any weeds, trees, roots and or grasses. Its a good idea to add manure and some garden soil, mix them together really well, this will keep the soil from packing back down and becoming hard. Your flowers want the soil to be soft. I'm in the south east of the US, so now is the time for me to buy seeds and get them started, I'm not sure where you are. DON'T put either in the ground until the threat of freeze or frost is past. For lots of blooms, get some egg shells, wash them out, crush them up finely but not to a powder. Place them on a baking sheet, and bake them until they are a light brown and sprinkle them under you flowers. This is a good source of calcium which the plants use for flowering. Remember to feed them and keep them watered. I hope this will help you.

Healthy Seeds Question: 2

Can I plant the seeds straight out of my cucmbers,pumpkin,watermelon and squash just as they are?

I just bought a pack of seeds and they look just like the seeds when you cut open the vegetables. I am wondering if the seeds in the package have special chemicals or something on them? Can I just plant the seeds right after I open a plant & scoop the seeds out? Do they need to be dried out? My cholestrol is sky high and I need to control it. I can't afford the pils everyday so I need to turn to eating healthier and that means more vegetables. Now I have to plant my own. If anyone has knowledge of what I am talking about please help me. I appreciate any advice in advance.

Answer: 1.
Hey J Fog,

It depends on the plant, but the ones you named are fairly quick to grow. I have kept seeds from one squash and used them next year. You may want to at least let them dry out first, that should increase your rate. I use to spit watermelon seeds, and see the plants start growing right away - so that will definitely go immediately, as I think the others you listed will too.
Answer: 2.
I don't know, i can't grow anything in Iceland
Answer: 3.
yes usually but... they should be dried not roasted just dried
Answer: 4.
The seeds you buy are from ripe plants. The seeds are mature.
Many of the vegis we buy are picked early & let ripe in route to their destinations or gassed to control when they ripen. If the fruit has been refrigerated, they may not grow.
I have done it both ways, usually just for flower seeds. I read where you are suppose to dry the seeds, put them in an air tight container with grains of dry rice, and put them in the fridge for the winter. In the spring, take them out, soak them in water for a couple of days, them plant them. This is my first try at this method though.
Answer: 5.
Yes you can but the seeds must be dried first
Answer: 6.
I guess I learn from imitation..............Mom always saved seed from beans, flowers and peas, etc. She would always lay them out on something as a paper plate, paper towel or something to dry them out. I think they need to be completely dried out first.
Answer: 7.
Yes, I have done it and they grew.If you think about it, in the wild ,nobody dries the seeds for nature.Seeds are dried for the purposes of storing. Some seeds even germinate better if they are not dried first.
And no they don't have a special chemical.
Answer: 8.
You can dry the seeds from a fruit and plant them, and they'll probably grow, but the curcubit family (cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins, melons) cross-pollinate very easily in the field/farm, and it's more than likely the fruits your plants produce will not be 'true-to-type', but a crossbreed of several curcubits. Nothing wrong with experimenting of course, but if you want to rely on actually being able to eat and enjoy what you produce, I'd be safe and buy properly-raised seed (which is protected from cross-pollination in production).

Now if you want to learn to save your own true-to-type seed from the plants you grow that's a different matter. It's a tricky business but by identifying male and female flowers that are about to open, wrapping them in cloth or paper bags overnight to keep the insects out when they open, then hand-pollinating them, you can ensure the seeds in the fruit they produce will not be cross-pollinated. If you want to try this I suggest you Google 'seed saving' and do a little research first so you know exactly what to do.

Good luck!
Answer: 9.
starshad... is right.... the seeds for the next season are taken from veggies that are fully ripe..... before then, the seeds are not ripe, either and may not sprout.....
Answer: 10.
Yes and no, the problem is that cucumbers, pumpkins and watermellon, and squash are in the same family and if you grow them they will cross pollinate, it's best to buy the seed then you will know what you get, but if you really like one you have, go for it and try it, but don't expect miracles, its just a try. If you really want a particular item, you will need to buy the seed..
Answer: 11.
You can plant them, but you PROBABLY won't get what you are thinking. Almost all the commercially grown vegetables are hybrids, and, because of that, the seeds don't reproduce true. If you want to experiment, go ahead, but make sure you have the "real" thing as a backup.

As far as the crosspollination, the veggies you bought cannot be crosspollinated, or the veggie you bought would have been weird. Cross pollination occurs in the garden when the pollen of one species is transferred to the flower of another. This is easily prevented by putting like species as far apart as possible. Example- Butternut squash and cucumbers

Healthy Seeds Question: 3

Healthy Seeds Question: 4

Growing lavender?

I live in southern Vermont, and this year I'm looking forward to growing some lavender. I already have seeds, and I have a vague idea of how to germinate them, but I'd like any extra advice on how to do this, plus keeping them alive and healthy when I plant them outside.Thanks!

Answer: 1.
I don't live in Vermonth, I'm from the UK, but have grown Lavenders for years, of many types from seed as well as cuttings.

Don't cover the seeds too much, as light helps them germinate - they occasionally rot too, so if they're on the surface, you may spot some infection, and remove any decayed seeds.

I use a potting mix of sharp sand, peat or fully matured garden compost, and some good garden soil. Don't keep your seeds too long without sowing them, as their vitality diminishes quite quickly - that said, I've had home collected seeds in a drawer for a couple of years, and still had seed sprout.

You can cover your seed pots or trays with a sheet of glass, as this helps stabilise the temperature, and help prevent the seeds from drying out.

Transplant your seedlings when they have seed leaves and an extra natural leaf set, into individual pots. Use a similar potting mix with good drainage. I normally plant mine during their 2nd year, in the spring.

Work some organic material into their planting site, and possibly raise a little too, it if it's not free draining. If its site is a bit boggy, add some sharp sand which will aid drainage. They don't typically need tons of fertilizer, and a light mulch with compost will help provide all they need, though don't push it against the plant, in case this causes some decay.

I prune my lavenders hard each spring, although some advise to do this after flowering - I just do a light trim after flowering, to keep them tidy.

Lavenders require a wide range of conditions, some needing no frosts etc - I assume that you have English Lavender types, that are hardier, such as Munstead or Hidcote (Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'). These should be fine in USDA 4a or 5, including Vermont. If you ever get concerned during a really harsh winter, you could cover them with some straw for a while, or add garden fleece.

Hope this helps. Contact me if you'd like any further tips. Good luck! Rob
Answer: 2.
ooo lavender,
i live in uk and started siome from seed two years ago..
Im sure you know not all will take,
i planted loads and loads but ended up with just a dozen of plants.

I am now left with about 6 plants that are of course planted in the garden,
they are not very big still and ive not yet had the pleasure of having any lavender on the plants, im hoping this year i will though,
something i love about lavender as well as the aroma i love seeing the butterflys and the bees around them.

♥Midnight~Angel♥
Answer: 3.
It is easy to take care of the seedlings, but it is somewhat difficult to grow them from seeds. Germination rate is extremely low, and they do not germinate at the same time. Some of them germinate even 1 year later.
The best time to start seeds is spring and autumn, when it is cool. To make them germinate closer to the same time, it is recommended to soak the seeds in water for 2 nights or wrap the seeds in wet kitchen towel and keeping them in a refrigerator for about a week. Germination time will still vary greatly.
When the seeds are ready to be placed in the ground, put them in about 1 inch deep, and keep them in the shade by covering with something.
Germination rate is often low, it is better to seed them in a small pot at first and transplant them to a container after germination. The proper transplant timing is when the seedling is having 3 or 4 leaves.
Answer: 4.
Hi:
Growing Lavender from seeds is a great way to start this herb or any other herbs. I have grown thousands of herb seeds in a greenhouse as well as indoors my home. There are a few steps you should take to ensure your lavender has a proper environment to germinate.

Purchase a light weight potting soil, with no bard. Add some verimiculite and humus to the soil. The key to giving the root system a good start is to mix some hot water with the soil. This is a great way to get your roots established. Keep it watered and Lavander needs sunlight to germinate. Some varieties of Lavander have a slow germination rate, so have patience. Once the seedlings turn into plugs and are established, you can transfer them into a larger container until you are ready to transplant outside. Good luck to you. I will link you to the spices and herb section of my website. I have a page on growing herbs from seed. I will also link you to the site map, as this page has everything that is on the website. Browse through and see if you can find any other information, tips or techniques on any other landscape or garden project you may be considering. Have a great day!
Kimberly

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...

http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.c...

Healthy Seeds Question: 5

What to do with young cosmos that are falling over.?

I started some cosmos from seed indoors two weeks ago. They are already 5 inches tall. Some of them are falling over. They look healthy enough, but it seems that some of the stems are just too weak to stand up. Is there anything that I can do to help them?They are getting 14 hours of light daily and are planted in seed starting mixture that has slow release plant food that is supposed to be good for months.

Answer: 1.
Indeed, cosmos is one of those plants that should be direct seeded outdoors. Try to move them to a location during the day where they are getting some actual sunlight. Also, in the room where I start seeds indoors, I keep a ceiling fan going to give a false exposure to wind which helps young seedlings strengthen their stems. You can take your cosmos out of the pots they are in now and replant them and bury most of the stem.
Answer: 2.
They are not getting enough BRIGHT light.

Cosmos are best sown outdoors where they are expected to grow.

See source for more information.