The weather the last 10 days of February was warm, a bit breezy, and included some rain showers. The perfect spring teaser! I would expect there was a rush to favorite garden centers, to buy seeds to jump start the growing season. Gardeners across the area may start growing seeds indoors for later transplanting into their vegetable gardens and for creating beauty in gardens and landscapes across the Buckeye State.

Growing plants from seed requires a reliable light source and bottom heat. A windowsill may not be an ideal location for starting seeds. Windowsills can be the coldest place in the house, especially at night, and then the hottest during the day. Sunlight through a window is relatively weak compared to artificial light sources kept close to the plants. There are also many cloudy days of very low light levels during an Ohio spring. It is much better to grow seedlings under lights than to rely solely on natural light. An inexpensive set up is to hang a fixture having light emitting diodes otherwise known as LED bulbs. Install adjustable chains to keep light from two to four inches above the seedlings. Plants need approximately 14-16 hours of light per day, using a timer is an easy way of turning on and off the lights.

Seeds can germinate quicker and healthier when supplied with warm soil, obtained through a bottom heat source. Indoor soil is normally 5 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the air temperature. For seed germination, ideal temperatures should range from 65 to 80˚F. consistent soil temperatures. Electric heating mats designed specifically for seed starting are available from many garden centers and online suppliers.

Start seeds in new small, individual containers. It is best to use divided containers with a single seedling per container, rather than filling a larger container with potting mix and sowing many seeds. Ideas for containers include plastic cell flats and egg cartons. Regardless of container make sure they have drain holes for excess water to escape.

Soilless seed-starting mixes are usually composed of vermiculite and peat, without any true soil, and are recommended for starting seeds. Commercially available, they are sterile, lightweight, and free from weed seeds, with a texture and porosity especially suited to the needs of germinating seeds and tiny seedlings. Fill containers with potting mix, and water the mix before sowing seeds. The potting mix will settle down into the containers. Add more potting mix and water again, until the containers or cells are nearly full.

Sow fresh seeds individually into each container according to seed package directions. If you are unsure about seeding depth, a rule of thumb is to plant a seed four times as deep as its width. Label each container or tray with a tag. If the seed package says seeds need darkness for germination, cover with a few layers of newspaper until seeds sprout. After the seeds have sprouted, carefully remove the newspaper.

Keep the potting mix moist while the seeds are germinating. A spray bottle to water the surface gently without washing the potting mix out of the containers works great.

Weather in March and April in NW Ohio can be very fickle. One week warm and sunny and the following week cool and cloudy. It is these weather extremes, even under the right indoor growing conditions, which can cause disease issues with our seedlings, with the most common being called Damping Off.

Damping Off is a catch all term caused by several soil dwelling fungi. It is often noted as rotting of the stem at soil level and eventual collapse of the plant. Once damping off starts, it usually ‘spreads’ or moves through adjacent seedlings in the same seed starting tray, or to those in proximity. Seedlings will rarely survive the infection.

While there are great fact sheets that cover damping-off, the University of Minnesota Extension has a great educational resource, “How to Prevent Seedling Damping-Off.” The fact sheet covers what damping-off is, shows the symptoms and causes of the disease, prevention, and management of the disease. This factsheet can be found online:

https://extension.umn.edu/solve-problem/how-prevent-seedling-damping.