February 10, 2012
WSU Ferry County Extension
350 E. Delaware Ave. #9
Republic, WA 99166
(509) 775-5225 x1116 phone, (509) 775-5218 fax
http://ferry.wsu.edu
Growing Your Own Food in Ferry County - “Starting Your Own Vegetables”
By Ann Miller, WSU Ferry County Extension Master Gardener Coordinator
Sunshine, melting snow is promising spring is on its way and I have been receiving seed and plant
catalogs for months now. How about you? Are they flooding your mailbox? Enticing you to order with
a “$20–$25 worth of product free” coupon? Or do various seed companies offer delay payment? With all
the choices and such enticements, which one do you trust?
This WSU Extension website has a listing of several C-series Handouts which cover recommended
Catalogs and Nurseries at www.spokane-county.wsu.edu/spokane/eastside/:
C013 is Nurseries & Catalogs for Open Pollinated, Old and Heritage Seeds;
C014 is Catalogs/Nurseries for Perennials, Trees, Shrubs, Flowers and Vegetables;
C015 Tree Fruit/Nursery/Catalog List;
C016 Catalogs and Sources for Berries and Other Small Fruit.
For those who are unsure or feel unstable in pruning their fruit orchards there is also a listing of
Certified Arborists C084. Nursery and see company names, addresses, phone numbers,
even websites for a few, are listed. I like to purchase pre-stamped postcards,
include a note for them to add me to their catalog listing with my contact
information. As you review the catalogs, and decide the ones you
treasure the most, an informal call will discontinue those you
don’t. For those that are computer happy to do their ordering, a
quick Google search will update your website listings.
Your seeds, plant starts, and bare roots are arriving. It’s time to
bring out your starter pots. Do remember to sterilize your preused
pots, clean the pots first and simply emerge them in a container
of
bleach/water mix (using 1 to 9). Biodegradable peat trays are also a
favorite. Or
for thriftier ideas, use disposable household containers (milk
containers),
paper or foam cups. Making your own starters with newspapers, is as
simple as one-twothree…Everyone has newspaper lying around. I usually cut the paper down the middle. Then cut each
page into three strips, horizontally. You can order a Paper Pot Maker, making 3” pots from numerous
seed and plant catalogs. Wrap your strip of newspaper around the press, fold the bottom under and twist
into the base. See Photo for example. An unused vitamin bottle, an empty soda can, anything small, round
with a bottom could be used to make your pots. Tape the bottom fold under using masking tape and once
your plant is tall, hardened off, ready to drop into the ground, the whole pot is very eco-friendly
biodegradable.
One part peat moss and one part vermiculite is great for starting seeds. When they are ready to
transplant into larger pots combine one quart vermiculite and one quart peat moss adding one tablespoon
dolomite lime along with two tablespoons of 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 fertilizer. The primary nutrients are listed
as a percent of total fertilizer weight: N-P-K, which stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus (phosphate), and
Potassium (potash). So the first series 5-10-5 is 5 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus and 5 percent
potassium.
Okay, so what does that all mean? Nitrogen makes up most of our atmosphere by 78% and is necessary
for all living things. I won’t bore you with the details of how it breaks down and is absorbed by plant life,
but safe to say it is essential for plants to grow. A component of DNA and a constituent of fertilizers in
the form of concentrated phosphoric acids, phosphorus’ phosphates are used by living cells to transport
cellular energy. Now when it comes to potassium (potash) there are high concentrations within plant cells,
especially fruits. These high levels are necessary to replenish in your soil with this rewarding
nutrient. When potassium is isolated from potash, is associated with low amounts of sodium. So why is
dolomite lime mentioned to add to your soil mixture? Many good things about lime, it raises the pH of
acidic soil (in-other-words, less acidic soil), improves water penetration, rich in calcium and magnesium
for plants, and lastly, but most importantly it helps uptake the previously mentioned plant nutrients (N-PK).
Artificial lighting is necessary using fluorescent lights, especially for transplants. There are different
choices of tubes on the market now…which are geared for growing indoors. Especially if you don’t have
a south wall to place your starts, remember to turn them off at night, for they still need time to
rest. Continuous lighting will be stressful on your plants. Check out Seed Starting C104 for Step-by-Step
Procedures for staring seeds indoors.