Seed Starting Tips

 It’s just about time to sow seeds indoors and here are some ideas to get you started. First, starting plants from seed is a great way to get exactly the variety of vegetables and tomatoes you want. In addition, warm weather crops such as tomatoes and peppers require long growing seasons and you’ll generally get the best yields by starting them early indoors. Kale, radishes, lettuce and many other vegetables can be started indoors and then transplanted or you can wait a few weeks and seed them directly. In fact, many cool weather crops can be planted in the ground in early March.   

Begin by selecting the variety of warm weather crops you want to start indoors. For best results, choose seeds from a local supplier. Take time to read the seed packet. You’ll find valuable information regarding planting depth, spacing and days to emerge on the outside of the packet. For even more detailed product information, read the inside of the seed packet. Next, you'll need seed starting trays and inserts. There are a number of inserts you can use. The only difference is the cell count. You can also choose peat pots in a variety of sizes to start your seeds in. Peat pots can be planted directly, which reduces transplant shock.  Add a 2" or 7" dome to help keep in the moisture, while your seeds sprout.

Once you have your starter containers, pick up some seed starting mix. Use seed starter, not potting soil. You'll have much better results. It's a good idea to moisten the seed starting medium before you sow your seed. Check the back of the seed packet for planting depth and spacing. 

Heat mats help seeds germinate faster and root deeper, by keeping the soil temperature constant. Even as the room cools off at night, the soil stays warm and seeds will sprout faster. Heat mats help develop stronger root systems, as well. Once your seeds are up and have grown two or more sets of leaves, it may be time to add some supplemental lighting. 

Common grow lights include T5, LED, CFL and Incandescent. Providing adequate lighting is one of the most important aspects of growing strong, healthy seeds indoors. If you’ve had problems with seedlings growing long and spindly, it’s a sign they need more light.  Feed your seedlings with a mild liquid fertilizer once they've developed three or more sets of true leaves. Kelp or fish-based fertilizers work well. As your plants grow, use a small fan to circulate the air over your plants. This helps them develop strong, sturdy stems.  As to when to start your seeds, the first or second week in March is just about right. If you’re not sure how to get started growing seeds indoors, stop in. We’ll be glad to help you choose the seeds and supplies and lights you’ll need to grow your own tomatoes, peppers and vegetables.   

Dormant Tree Pruning Tips

Dormant tree pruning has two distinct advantages over pruning when trees are active during the growing season. First, it’s easy to assess the general health of your trees because the interior of the tree is visible. In addition, at this time of year most of the tree’s energy is held in their root systems. Pruning now allows the tree to direct all that stored energy into the remaining healthy branches and limbs resulting in a more vigorous growth come spring.  Take advantage of some of these warmer late winter days and walk through your garden, paying particular attention to the crabapple, apple, pear trees and other deciduous trees. At this point, you’re looking for broken branches or limbs, diseased branches, branches and twigs that crisscross or rub against one another as well as odd shaped branches. Removing these twigs, branches and limbs will open the center of the tree allowing more light and air to get through and improve the tree’s overall health and vigor. 

 To accomplish your pruning task safely and effectively, you need a sharp set of pruners, a pair of long handled loppers and for extra high limbs, a telescoping tree saw and pruner. Safety is key in any tree pruning effort which means, if you can’t reach a branch or limb while you’re standing on the ground, you’re better off hiring a professional arborist or garden landscape service. For mature trees, plan to remove no more than one-third of the canopy. For trees that have been planted for five years or less, don’t remove more than twenty percent of the canopy. Start with the obvious candidates: damaged, broken limbs need to come down first. Small twigs and branches can be cut easily with hand pruners or loppers. 

For large branches that need to be removed, invest in a pruning saw and follow the three-step method. Starting about a foot from the main branch make the first cut upwards about half way through the branch. Finish the cut from the top side  down to meet the first cut. This will remove most of the weight of the branch and prevent damage to the main trunk, when the branch falls. The third cut is made downward just outside the collar, where the branch meets the trunk. 

Next look for water sprouts and sucker shoots. These are easy to identify because they tend to grow straight up. Sucker shoots originate from the base of the tree. Water sprouts spring up from a branch. Water sprouts and water suckers are signs of stress. They’re indicators of root or trunk damage, poor soil conditions or inadequate levels of  moisture, light or nutrients.

With crabapple, apple, pear trees we’re also looking for signs of fire blight. Fire blight gets its name from the burnt appearance of blossoms and branches. The flowers will turn brown and small branches and fruit will shrivel up and blacken. Fire blight is a bacterial disease, spread by wind, rain, snow or insect activity and occurs while the tree is in bloom. Now’s the time to remove these branches, while the bacteria is dormant. Another advantage of dormant pruning fire blight now is you don’t have to disinfect your pruners between cuts, as you must do during spring and summer pruning. With any of this information, if you’re not sure what to prune or which tool to use, stop in and see us. We’ll help you.