DIY Network

Gardening Basic: Growing from Seeds Tips on planting seeds and types of planting containers. Also, do-it-yourself paper pots and the "real dirt" on floral preservatives. From "Dirt On Gardening" episode DDOG-108

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Figure G

Storing Seeds

Store seeds in a paper bag (figure G), in a cool, dry place such as the closet or under your bed. Be sure to label and date the bag, along with a date for planting. A paper bag is preferable to plastic. Paper breathes; storing seeds in plastic may cause them to overheat and decompose.

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	Figure H
	Figure I

Farmer Fred's Tips on Planting Seeds

• Make sure to follow the instructions on the back of the packet. Everything you need to know is on there, including instructions for starting the seeds early.

• Use a seed starting mix. A seed starting mix contains vermiculite, perlite, peat moss and compost. It contains no weed seeds, nematodes or other "nasty" things that you might find in your own garden soil.

• Plant seeds no deeper than the seed is long. The melon seeds used in our demonstration are about a half in long (figure H) so we're going to plant them about a half inch deep. Just use your finger to poke them into the soil (figure I). We're going to keep these seeds evenly moist. You may need to water them every day.

• Seeds love a sunny warm environment. A sunny kitchen window works great. If you don't have a sunny place indoors you can put them outdoors in a sunny location but put them in a propagation box. It's got a clear lid on it that lets the sun in and it keeps it more humid and if where you live is cold at night you can bring the whole thing inside. And you don't need to fertilize these until they get two to four sets of leaves on them.

More Seed Tips from Farmer Fred

• When collecting seeds from wildflowers or perennials, make sure the seeds are fully mature. Seeds should be a dark color and firm. Unripe seeds will not germinate.

• If you harvested stems and flower heads that contain seeds, place the flower head towards the bottom of the paper bag; this will allow easier seed gathering come planting season.

• If you're saving seeds from heirloom tomatoes, choose fully ripened tomatoes. Scoop the seeds, and let them dry out between paper towels for a few days.

Do those preservatives that come in the little envelope packets really work to keep your cut flowers living longer? Evidence suggests that they do. While home-grown recipes like adding sugar, aspirin or bleach to the water in your vase to keep flowers fresh longer may be "urban gardening legends," some commercially prepared floral preservatives have been shown to keep cut flowers looking live and healthy for up to twice as long.

Another Tip: For longer life, cut flowers in the morning before it gets warm, and keep floral arrangements out of direct sunlight.

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