Seeding Season at Last

The date has finally arrived to begin my seeds indoors.  The last average frost date here is May 15, so counting backwards I find the magic "weeks prior to transplanting outdoors"  when I can start my petunias, tomatoes, cilantro, etc.

This year I am attempting red begonias for the first time.  These are a special, super duper strain that should reach 2-3 feet and bloom all summer.  However, they begin as teeny, tiny seeds that need to be started 14 weeks before going outside.  March 4, I dropped the size-of-a-pinhead seeds on to seed planting medium and set the tray on the dining room table in front of a south facing window.  They need light to germinate, so they weren't covered with anything but plastic wrap to trap the moisture build up from the 1/4 inch of water put in the bottom of the tray.  I always use a soilless, pre-mixed growing medium. Such mixes are generally made up of peat, perlite and vermiculite along with some nutrients. These mixes are for the most part free from disease, insects and weed seeds.

At about two weeks sprouts started showing.  Out of 45 seeds, 26 are up.  Everyday I see a few more and give them words of encouragement.

This week I'll start cilantro, but next week is fanny farmer week when petunias (4 kinds and colors) and tomatoes (3 varieties) need to be started.