Starting Seeds and Growing Transplants Indoors

A Sowing Circle Presentation
Sponsored by the Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library
in partnership with Buncombe County Master Gardener^SM Volunteers 

This three part program is presented by John Bowen, Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer and long-time gardener. John shares tips and tricks for starting seeds indoors and tending the young plants until they are ready to transplant into your garden. He talks about containers, planting media, lights, temperature, and other parts of the process to grow those healthy, robust transplants we all need. He also discusses timing and helps us learn when to plant for the best outcome.

Part 1 covers planting containers, plant media and seeds, with participant questions and answers.

Table of Contents
If you would like to view a particular portion of the video, here is the Table of Contents for the program with links.  The link will take you to the precise location in the YouTube video.
  0:00 Introduction
  2:08 Goals and Advantages
Pots/Containers
  3:47 –Trays & Cells
  4:48 –Peat/Coir pots
  5:56 –Household items
  6:25 –Egg shells
  6:53 –Newspaper pots
  7:23 –Peat/Coir pellets
  8:40 –Soil Blocks
  9:48 Medium/Soil
12:58 Seeds
14:59 Questions

Part 2 covers lights and temperature control, with participant questions and answers.

Table of Contents
If you would like to view a particular portion of the video, here is the Table of Contents for the program with links.  The link will take you to the precise location in the YouTube video.
  0:00 Light
  1:25 Fluorescent Lights
  3:21 LED Lights
  6:23 Seed Starting Temperature
  7:52 Temperature Control
10:23 Questions

Part 3 covers planting dates, the planting process and tricks like pre-germination, stratification and scarification, with participant questions and answers.

Table of Contents
If you would like to view a particular portion of the video, here is the Table of Contents for the program with links.  The link will take you to the precise location in the YouTube video.
  0:16 When to Start Seeds
  4:50 Planting
  5:47 Pre-germination
  7:08 Scarification
  7:42 Stratification
  9:00 Fertilization
10:42 Questions
11:31 –Hardening off
12:40 –“True Leaf”
17:58 Conclusion    

References and Additional Information

For a list of specific references used in this presentation, click here:  References
For additional information on this topic, refer to the Propagation chapter of the NC Extension Gardener Handbook .