How To Start Vegetable Or Flower Seeds Indoors?

In most northern climates, gardeners have long known about the benefits of using seeds to start their own vegetable and flower plants. Not only can you choose the exact plant variety you want to grow in your garden, but you also will be able to maintain theorganic growing conditions that may not exist from commercially-grown plants. Generally, only the most common flower and vegetable plants are available at your local garden center during the Spring of the year. Growing your own plants can provide you with a truly unique and enjoyable garden.

The most common problem experienced when starting flower or vegetable seeds indoors is the occurrence of the deadly damping off disease. Damping off is a fungus disease that attacks both seed and seedlings. The fungus which is present in soil cannot live in Mosser Lee's NoDampOff™ seed starter. Damping off prevents the seed from germinating and may be noted when the tiny plants wilt and die for no apparent reason. Mosser Lee's NoDampOff™ will assure you a healthy, vigorous and disease-free plant.

1. Completely saturate the contents of a bag of NoDampOff™ with water. You can open the bag from the top and allow water to slowly flow into the bag as the moss becomes completely saturated. Alternatively, put the moss in a bucket and slowly pour water into the bucket until the moss becomes completely saturated. You may have to squeeze the water into the moss. Remember to wear gloves when handling mosses, plants and soils.
2. Place the moss paste into a container 1 1/2 - 2" deep. A 12" plastic flat, which can be obtained at a garden center, works quite well.
3. Pour out all excess water from the container.
4. Sow the seeds sparingly on the wet moss and cover with a sprinkling of dry NoDampOff™ to the thickness recommended on the seed package.
5. Cover the container with plastic or glass to lessen evaporation and retain heat, and place it in a window with bright but indirect sun light (a north or north-east window is best). It should not be necessary to water the moss until after the seeds have germinated. For seeds that have very slow germination, a small amount of water may be necessary if the moss dries out. If watering is necessary, take special care by watering along the sides of the container so that the seeds do not wash out.
6. Remove the cover when the seeds have germinated and before the plants come in contact with the cover. Move the plants to your sunniest window.
7. When the plants have grown their second set of leaves, transplant into individual containers or set out into your garden. Since NoDampOff™ has very little nutritional value for plant development, it is necessary to fertilize your plants with mild liquid fertilizer such as Schultz, Miracle-Gro, or Peters.
8. You may transplant from your flat into individual peat pots or keep in the flat until you are ready to plant the seedlings directly in your garden.
9. Plant each seedling in your garden with the moss around the roots as the moss will rehydrate when you water your garden during the year.

HINT: If your plants have reached a height to plant in your garden but your garden is not ready, you can "suspend" growth by eliminating the fertilizer from subsequent waterings. Remember, NoDampOff™ contains no nutrients and most plants can be sustained, but not grow, with normal watering.