A Master Gardener's Journal

by Cynthia Sabatini, Delaware County Master Gardener

Gardeners grow their own flowers from seed for myriad reasons, including their: desire for stronger, healthier, less costly and greater varieties of flowers; need for fulfillment; enjoyment; and eagerness to get the gardening season underway.

This series of articles will focus on growing flowers—both annual and perennial—from seed, but the principles outlined can also be applied to raising vegetables from seed. Additionally this series will focus on starting seeds indoors, but many of the suggestions can also be applied to starting seeds outdoors or in a greenhouse. The following topics related to seed starting will be addressed in this series of five brief articles: 1) time and place to start seeds; 2) “tools” needed to facilitate this process; 3) seeds’ germination needs; 4) care of seedlings; and 5) “hardening off” and transplanting seedlings.

Flower seeds can be started indoors, outdoors or in an unheated or heated greenhouse. The proper time to start seeds depends upon where a gardener is able to start seeds. The converse is also true—where one starts seeds is related to when a gardener is interested in starting seeds. Generally speaking, if seeds are started before the last frost of the season, a gardener will need to start them indoors or in a heated greenhouse. If seeds are started outdoors or in an unheated greenhouse, It is necessary to wait until the last frost of the season has come and gone, which in southeastern Pennsylvania is usually about April 14.

Seeds can be started indoors if the proper temperature and light can be provided, which will be discussed in the germination article to follow. A gardener who has a heated greenhouse has the luxury of starting seeds at any time, as this type of environment will provide the appropriate conditions for germination.

Note from Marion: Check back soon for the next installment in this series on starting plants from seeds!

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

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Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

by Cynthia Sabatini, Delaware County Master Gardener

Seed Starting “Tools”

A gardener should take the time to assemble the tools needed for seed starting so that everything is available when the process of seed sowing starts. As noted earlier, this article focuses on the items needed to start seeds indoors, but many of the “tools” are also needed if starting seeds in a heated or unheated greenhouse or outdoors. The necessary tools include: containers, seed starting mix, fresh seed, plant markers, covering for containers and a water bottle/mister.

Containers should have drainage holes so that excess water flows through readily. They should also be 2 to 3 inches deep to accommodate for seedling growth. Examples of containers include plastic cell packs that annual flowers are frequently sold in, peat pots, peat pellets and recycled items such as yogurt cups and milk cartons. Extra holes can be created in recycled items to ensure proper drainage.

The seed starting mix should be light and spongy in texture and moist, but not wet. Examples of good media include vermiculite, commercial mixes, such as Jiffy Mix, Miracle Grow and ProMix, and homemade mixtures composed of vermiculite, perlite and sphagnum moss. Some gardeners use potting soil, but the other options listed are preferable. Garden soil should not be used as it is too heavy and may harbor fungi that can reproduce and wreak havoc in the home environment.

To optimize the germination rate, always use fresh seed—i.e., seed packed in the current year (the date can be found on the seed packet).

If starting various flowers from seeds, use plant markers that can be inserted in the containers to identify the type of flower seed sown. Examples include plastic or metal markers designed for labeling flowers/plants, popsicle sticks and tongue depressors.

If seeds are started indoors, the containers in which seeds are sown should be covered with an appropriate wrap such as plastic or saran wrap, aluminum foil or paper bags. The type of wrap used—transparent or opaque—depends upon whether the seed needs light or dark to germinate, which will be discussed in the article on germination.

A gardener should also have on hand a bottle that emits a very fine spray of water to moisten the starting mix prior to sowing the seeds and to remoisten the mix immediately after the seed is sown.

Note from Marion: Check back soon for the next installment in this series on starting plants from seeds!

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

Seed Germination

by Cynthia Sabatini, Delaware County Master Gardener

The gardener needs to consider the germination needs of seeds, which have a bearing on how seeds are sown and the success of the process. The following elements affect germination: moisture, oxygen, temperature, light/darkness, seed starting mix and fertilization.

Once seeds are sown in the sowing medium, they need minimum moisture. They should not be waterlogged, as this will cause the seed to rot and cause oxygen in the soil to be replaced by water. Seeds need oxygen to carry out various metabolic processes required for germination. If containers are covered with the appropriate wrap (transparent or opaque, which is discussed below), they will usually not need to be watered again until after the seeds sprout.

Generally, annual and perennial flower seeds germinate best when the temperature consistently ranges between 60º and 80º F. (Seed packets often specify the appropriate range for a specific type of seed.) If temperatures are higher or lower than the optimal range, then the germination rate (the percentage of seeds that sprout) will be negatively affected. Please note that the temperature required refers to the soil, not the air temperature. (Soil temperature in the spring is usually lower than air temperature.) When seeds are started indoors, heating mats or cables can be used to maintain the proper temperature range. These heat sources may also be necessary when starting seeds in an unheated greenhouse, because temperatures must be maintained during the night. Seeds need higher temperatures to germinate than is required for seedlings to promote growth.

Some seeds need light and others need darkness to germinate. The seed packet should indicate whether light or darkness is necessary. Seeds requiring light should be pressed into the starting mix, but should not be covered with a layer of mix. Cover seed containers with a transparent wrap, such as plastic or Saran, to accommodate the requirement for light. Examples of seeds requiring darkness to sprout include violas, pansies, wallflowers and sweet williams. The depth at which a seed requiring darkness is planted depends upon the size of the seed. A rule of thumb is that most seeds should be planted between 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. Large seeds, such as sunflower and morning glory, should not be planted deeper than ½ inch. Seed packets often will indicate the appropriate depth. If a gardener is to err, it is better to plant a seed less rather than more deeply.

Seeds should not be fertilized until they have germinated into seedlings. Seeds carry enough food (carbohydrates) to promote germination. This is another reason why the appropriate starting mix should be used. Such mixes are not rich in nutrients because seeds do not need an “enriched” environment in which to sprout.

Note from Marion: Check back soon for the next installment in this five part series on starting plants from seeds!

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

Care of Seedlings

by Cynthia Sabatini, Delaware County Master Gardener

After seeds have germinated, the gardener will need to consider the following factors: thinning seedlings, and light, moisture, temperature and fertilization requirements.

The need to thin seedlings depends upon how closely the seeds were sown and how close together they are growing. For example, if two seeds are planted in one small container and both sprout, one seedling may either have to be sacrificed or moved in order to give the remaining seedling the necessary room to grow. If a seedling needs to be sacrificed, “offer up” the weaker of the two. The weaker seedling should be cut with small scissors where the stem meets the soil. Because many gardeners have a difficult time sacrificing seedlings, they can attempt to transplant the extra seedling to another container. Before removing the extra seedling from the original container, prepare its new site (container) and make an appropriately sized hole. The seedling should be removed with some soil around its roots by gently tugging and then holding the leaves when transporting the seedling to its new site. In the new site, the soil should be tamped around the roots and the seedling should be watered.

Light is one of the seedling’s most critical needs. If light is inadequate, a seedling will be leggy (because it is reaching for the light), pale in color and weak in stature. For seeds started indoors, sources of light include windowsills, “greenhouse” windows (sometimes found in kitchens in place of a standard window), fluorescent lights, and grow lights. Regular light bulbs (i.e., incandescent bulbs) are not good sources of light, as they do not provide the proper spectrum of light. Additionally, these bulbs emit mostly heat. Cool and warm fluorescent lights in a 1:1 ratio suspended about 1 inch above seedlings can be used to provide adequate light. The actual number of cool and warm fluorescent lights needed will depend upon the length of the fluorescent tubes and the total length and width of the seedling containers.

If a gardener wants a “turn key” lighting system, grow lights can be purchased. Some brand names include: Hydrofarm® Jump Start Fluorescent Grow Light System and Growers Supply Compact Lite Carts. If a windowsill is used to provide light, the gardener should turn the containers every day so that the seedlings do not bend to one side.

Seedlings need to be kept moister than seeds during their early stage of growth. This may necessitate watering the seedlings every day. In later stages of growth, allow the soil to dry out a bit before re-watering seedlings.

Seedlings have lower temperature requirements than the seeds from which they sprouted. For example, pansy and viola seeds require soil temperatures between 60º and 65º F to germinate. However, pansy and viola seedlings will grow well at soil temperatures between 50º and 55º F. As with seeds started indoors or in an unheated greenhouse, the appropriate temperature for seedlings can be ensured with heating mats or cables.

A seedling should be fertilized once or twice weekly after it has developed its first set of “true” leaves. (“True” leaves are different than the cotyledons or leaves that first appear after a seed has sprouted into a seedling.) After the first true leaves appear, fertilize with one-half strength fertilizer, such as Miracle Grow, Rapid Gro or fish emulsion. Be sure to read the directions on the fertilizer bag/container and dilute to make a one-half strength solution. After 3 or 4 sets of true leaves have formed, the seedling can be fertilized with full strength fertilizer.

Note from Marion: Check back soon for the final installment in this five part series on starting plants from seeds!

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

Hardening Off and Transplanting Seedlings

by Cynthia Sabatini, Delaware County Master Gardener

If seeds have been started indoors and seedlings have been growing indoors for several weeks, it is imperative to “harden them off”, which amounts to slowly acclimating them to the outdoors before they are transplanted into the ground. “Hardening off” entails exposing the seedling to increasing amounts of time outdoors over a period of several weeks --two hours on day one, four hours on day two, etc. Seedlings should not be hardened off in a sunny spot, but in a shady, sheltered spot, such as under a roof overhang.

Once seedlings have been acclimated to the outdoors, they can be transplanted into the ground. To reduce the risk of transplant shock, transplant on a cloudy day or late in the afternoon when the sun is beginning to set. The hole in which the seedling is placed should be dug prior to taking the seedling out of its container. Handle the seedling gently--some of the soil from the container should remain on its roots. Plant the seedling in the ground up to its first set of true leaves. Back fill the planting hole with soil, tamp soil well and water the seedling.

Be sure to plant seedlings in the appropriate site. If a seedling requires full sun, plant it in a spot that receives a minimum of six hours of sun per day. If the seedling requires partial shade, a site that gets morning sun and afternoon shade is appropriate.

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

by Joe Daniels, Delaware County Master Gardener

Prepare soil for planting. Do not till your soil if it is wet. Only prepare the soil if it crumbles in your hand. Form a fist around a handful of soil. If it's wet and intact when you open your hand, stop digging. If the fistful gently falls apart, it’s ok to dig.

Have your soil tested. Soil test kits are available at your local Cooperative Extension office.

Sharpen and repair garden tools.

Remove parts of shrubs broken over the winter.

Cut off last year's growth on ornamental grasses, epimediums, and ferns.

Clean up matted leaves and dead vegetation from flower beds and lawns.

Get ready to assemble the materials you will need to start some seeds. A very common time to start them is around April Fool's Day.

When buying transplants, select ones with a compact, bushy form and bright green leaves. Plants without flowers or flower buds produce better and grow faster.

To find Joe’s March gardening tips on houseplants, bulbs, compost, vegetable gardens, herbs, trees, lawns, roses, and perennials, go to our Master Gardener website.

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

By Janice Duffin, Delaware County Master Gardener

Since late winter can be a tough time of year for many gardeners, with the occasional warm days teasing and drawing us out to the garden with little to do, I thought I’d write about something you can do this time of year--pruning deciduous summer-blooming shrubs.

The Penn State Master Gardeners Hortline volunteers in Delaware County often receive calls from home gardeners with questions about the proper time to prune various trees and shrubs. So this should help answer some of those questions and guide you to the right plants to prune now, before spring growth begins. Note: do not prune spring blooming shrubs, such as azaleas, until after they’re done blooming!

It’s important to note that flowers form on new growth of summer blooming shrubs, so the time to prune is before new growth starts. This is known as dormant (no leaves) pruning, which results in more vigorous growth during the growing season. Here’s a partial listing of shrubs that you can prune this time of year:

Butterfly bush
Boxwood
Crape Myrtle
Deciduous and Evergreen Euonymus
Hibiscus
Hydrangea (summer-blooming only!)
Juniper
Nandina
Rose
Rose of Sharon
Yew

Remember, too, that pruning out dead or diseased wood can be done any time of year and should be the first step in pruning. Be sure to sterilize your pruning shears with alcohol in between cuts to prevent spreading disease to healthy plants.

For more information on the proper time for pruning different shrubs, go to the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Guide to Successful Pruning, Shrub Pruning Calendar.

For information on how to prune, see the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s A Guide to Successful Pruning, Pruning Shrubs.

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

It's finally here---the day that every gardener longs for! And I have the perfect idea to help you celebrate Spring--the Master Gardeners Home Garden School workshop on March 29. For the past twelve years we've been starting the gardening season with this popular all day event. If you haven't registered yet, better hurry. There are only a few seats left.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from recognized horticultural experts, shop our Marketplace and tour Neumann's historic Convent Gardens. To register, call 610-690-2655. For more information, visit our web site or email: Linda Barry.

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

By guest blogger Mary Concklin, Horticulture Extension Educator, PSU-Montgomery County

Gardening with kids is fun and rewarding, as you watch their excitement when seedlings poke out of the soil. Since many kids are impatient (and I know some adults like that!), keeping them interested is easier if fast germinating seeds are used. Some seeds and their germination times include:

Vegetables
Cantaloupe, 4-6 days
Cucumber, 4-6 days
Lettuce, 3-5 days
Tomato, 6-10 days
Squash, 4-6 days
Watermelon, 4-6 days

Flowers
Ageratum, 5-8 days
Aster, 8-10 days
Balsam, 6-8 days
Celosia, 6-10 days
Cornflower, 6-10 days
Cosmos, 5 days
Dianthus, 5-7 days
Marigold, 5-7 days
Pansy, 6-10 days
Petunia, 6-12 days
Phlox, annual, 6-10 days
Portulaca, 6-10 days
Painted Tongue, 8-10 days
Scabiosa, 8-12 days
Snapdragon, 7-12 days
Sweet Alyssum, 4-8 days
Violet, 6-10 days
Zinnia, 5-7 days

This is also a wonderful opportunity to teach children the different parts of the plant. The picture below is of a germinating bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, and shows the first plant parts that will be seen.

The hypocotyl is the portion of the recently sprouted stem located between the top of the root and the cotyledon. The cotyledon is the modified leaf that comes out of the seed or embryo. The first true leaves are smaller versions of the adult leaves and appear after the cotyledons. Plants that have a single cotyledon are called monocots. Dicots are plants that have two cotyledons.

Examples of monocots include grasses, lilies, orchids, amaryllis, iris, corn, wheat, sedges, garlic, bromeliads, asparagus and palms. Examples of dicots include deciduous trees, flowering bushes and vines, broccoli, cabbage, peas, beans, carrots, celery, parsley, rosemary, thyme, tomato, potato and pepper.

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

Ahh, Spring! That wonderful season when a gardener’s thoughts turn to developing a plan to outwit deer with cunning tactics and clever gadgets.

As I was cruising the web for new methods of keeping the munchers at bay, I found this sobering fact: A single deer consumes 2,000 pounds of plants and acorns each year. A single deer? 2,000 pounds?? How many gardens is that? Yikes!

My next search landed me on the Audubon Society’s website, where I read, “Ecologists warn that damage may become permanent and forest biodiversity and sustainability will be forever reduced if aggressive measures are not taken to control deer populations.”

You may be one of the lucky few who haven’t had to contend with ravenous deer. Then again, you may have already found out the hard way (as I have) that deer don’t restrict themselves to woodland banquets. They also invade home gardens. What can a desperate gardener do? Well, there are a number of steps we can take to protect our precious plants. Check out my June 8, 2007 & June 12, 2007 blog entries, Coping with Deer (to find the entries, type coping with deer in the search box on the right).

And consider writing to your township, county and state legislators to express your desire for the creation and implementation of responsible, science-based deer management.

In the meantime, go to Deer Resistant Plants to find out what deer don't like to eat.

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website

by Nancy Simons, Delaware County Master Gardener

In the tradition of community advisorship, Penn State Master Gardeners have taken on another project in Media.

Misa House is a residential facility for emotionally challenged women in transition. Residents learn independent functioning skills such as personal hygiene, shopping, and housekeeping. In 2004, the Master Gardeners were approached by Holcomb Behavioral Systems administrators of the facility, to help set up gardens and landscaping as part of a therapeutic as well as a learning process for them.

The men’s facility, Holcomb House in Aston, was the forerunner of the program. Since then, the male residents have tended their crops and reaped the rewards of their efforts. A year later, Misa House, the sister-house in the program joined in the development of its own gardens.

Residential Coordinator Fred Davis is proud of the successful programs residents of both houses have established. “They take pride in what they grow as they see the process developing,” he said. “From the planting, the growing, the tending, to the table – they are involved in every aspect of the gardening process.”

Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.

UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS

Registration required for all events except Arbor Day. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website