Seed Starting Class

 

Starting your own seeds has many benefits: gives you independence and a sense of self-reliance, allows you to try varieties not easily found locally, gives you more flexibility with planting dates (like getting those tomatoes out extra-early) and saves you money.  If you've ever wanted to learn how, you would have had you been at the Spicewood Pea Patch's Seed Starting Class yesterday.

It was a beautiful day for a seed starting class ~ breezy, overcast and cool.  Ten people (and two dogs!) gathered to hear Linda talk about all aspects of starting seeds.  She started by telling how a seed is a living thing, then explained exactly what hybrid, open pollinated, heirloom and GMO seeds are.  She touched on how to save seeds as well, but the main subject was how to start those seeds indoors. 

Two of Linda's dogs, BJ and Nellie, enjoy the class.

Linda talked for over an hour about soilless mediums, sowing containers, planting dates, adequate lighting, bottom watering, germination temperatures and what to feed those babies when they finally start growing up.  She explained how you could really can start seeds on a budget using butter tubs, get fancy and use handmade newspaper pots she showed how to make, or get fancier still and buy any of a number of commercially available seed starting trays.  She talked about problems and how to remedy them, and ended the class by touching on how to save seeds and generally propagate garden plants.

If you're interested in learning about starting your own seeds, this class will be repeated next year.  Just contact Linda to get on the Pea Patch email list and she'll make sure you hear about upcoming classes.