LESSONS

ON PROPAGATION

PROPAGATION is the process in which plants are grown from seeds or cuttings.  Most vegetable propagation will be started by seed.  GERMINATION is the development of a plant from seed to seedling.  The act of planting a seed is the process of propagation and the act of the seed sprouting is the process of germination.  

Once seeds are saved, they remain in dormancy until they are woken up through propagation.  In order for this to happen, seeds will require a growing medium, warmth, light, and water.  Follow the steps below to get started on your Freedom Garden!   

WHAT DO YOU NEED:

• Seeds

• Container - seed starting trays or recycled egg cartons, cans, or bottles cut in half

• Potting mix or soil

• Watering can or vesicle 

• Masking tape or popsicle sticks

10 STEPS TO START PROPAGATING YOUR FREEDOM GARDEN:

1. Gather your seeds!  Choosing seeds can be the most exciting part of growing! It is the first official step we take in realizing our Freedom Garden dreams.  Whether you already have seeds, saved seeds, or are planning on buying seeds, choosing the right seeds to be planting is dependent on your climate and immediate ecology.  If you are looking to buy seeds, here are a handful of our favorite and trusted seed resources:

1. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

2. Kitizawa Seed Co.

3. Johnny’s Selected Seed

4. Truelove Seeds

5. High Mowing Organic Seeds
   

2. Plan your Freedom Garden!  Before you start planting, observe your surrounding growing conditions and get an idea of the scale and capacity of your Freedom Garden.  How much space do you have access to for growing?  Will you be growing directly in soil or in containers?  Do you have good access to sunlight?  Is there easy access to water?  All of these factors will help dictate what you can successfully grow in your Freedom Garden.  

3. When do you start planting?  This will vary depending on where you are growing and will also differ between crop varieties.  A good place to start for figuring out a planting schedule will be to look up when your last expected frost date* is for your region.  Then for each crop you decide to grow, look up the days to maturity/germination*.  Count back the number of days to maturity from your last expected frost date to get an approximate date for when to start those seeds. 

4. Starting seeds indoors? Outdoors?  For those who are planning on growing outdoors, starting seeds indoors will help you extend your season so that you have plants that are ready to be transplanted as soon as the weather is favorable.  Indoor conditions are also a lot more stable and consistent than the sometimes fluctuating outdoor temperatures.  

However, I would not be afraid to direct sow some cold tolerant crop varieties right outdoors if you are able to.  Some cold tolerant vegetables include kale, lettuce, beans, peas, carrots, radishes, turnips, and beets.

5. Find the right container!  Now that you have a general game plan for your Freedom Garden, it’s time to plant!  You can start seeds indoors in almost any container, as long as it is clean and has good drainage.  Egg cartons, cans, or bottles cut in half are great recycled options!  Just make sure to poke holes at the bottom of the containers of your choice for good drainage! Drainage is a key factor in growing vegetables.  You want the soil or growing medium to be able to retain moisture but not to the point where roots start to rot.  So finding a good balanced growing medium and making sure that you have proper drainage in your containers is key!    

6. What is a good balanced growing medium?  You ideally want to start seeds in a potting mix or seed-starting mix as opposed to starting in 100% soil.  Potting mixes are usually a blend of some soil, compost, and other natural materials such as vermiculite, perlite or peat moss.  A combination of all of these natural materials will yield a good balanced and well-drained growing medium to start your seeds indoors.  You can find pre-made potting mixes online if you have access to it.  If not, then find some dirt! Seeds are resilient and want to grow into plants as much as you want them to! 

7. Let’s plant!  Fill your container up with your growing medium, making sure that the container is nicely filled to the top.  Poke indentations in the soil to mark where you will plant each seed.  It is important to be aware of how deep you are planting each seed since seeds vary in size.  A good rule of thumb to follow is to make sure that you are planting the seed at minimum as deep as twice its length.    

Remember to label your container with masking tape or a popsicle stick so that you can easily identify your seedlings once they are ready to move outside.

8. Water! The first watering of your seeds will be critical!  This is how you wake up your seeds from dormancy.  Make sure that you are soaking your seeds the first time you water them.  This will be the most moist that the container will ever be.  Every time you water after, you want to make sure that the seedlings are properly watered but not overwatered.  The growing mixture should not be at 100% moisture at all times.  You want to find a good balance.  

9. Germination!  This is the process that turns your seeds into seedlings!  The critical factor for germinating seeds is heat, not necessarily light.  Find the warmest area in your surroundings to house your newly planted seeds until you see green sprouts start to pop!

10. Find your seedlings a temporary home!  Once your seeds have sprouted, they need light to continue to grow successfully!  Find the sunniest area in your surroundings and house your seedling babies there until they are ready to move outdoors!   

* KEY VOCABULARY:

Frost Date - The frost date is an approximate average date of the first or last light freeze that occurs in the Fall or Spring and varies by region

Days to Maturity/Germination - The number of days it takes for a seed to germinate and grow to maturity