The Propagation Process
A step by step guide to propagation
Step One: Get the Timing Right
Check your seed packets to find the right timings and start seeding when the weather is favourable!
Step Two: Find the Right Containers
You can start seeds in almost any type of container, as long as it’s at least 2-3” deep and has some drainage holes.
Step Three: Prepare the Potting Soil
Choose potting soil that’s made for growing seedlings. Do not use soil from your garden. Before filling your containers moisten the planting mix and pack the soil down in the container. Use a fertilizer a few weeks after they germinate, and continue until you transplant them into the garden.
Step Four: Start Planting
Check the seed packet to see how deep you should plant your seeds. Moisten the newly planted seeds with a mister or a small watering can. To speed germination, cover the pots with a plastic dome that fits over the seed-starting tray. This helps keep the seeds moist before they germinate. When you see the first signs of green, remove the cover.
Step Five: Water, Feed & Repeat
Remember to feed the seedlings regularly with fertilizer, mixed at the rate recommended on the packaging and water.
Step Six: Light, Light and More Light!
Seedlings need a lot of light. If you’re growing in a window, choose a south-facing exposure. Rotate the pots regularly to keep plants from leaning into the light.
Step Seven: Gradually Move Seedlings Outdoors
Seeds need a gradual transition to the great outdoors.
The process is called hardening off. About a week before you plan to set the seedlings into the garden, place them in a protected spot outdoors (partly shaded, out of the wind) for a few hours, bringing them in at night. Gradually, over the course of a week or 10 days, expose them to more and more sunshine and wind. A coldframe is a great place to harden off plants.
