Since I'm a newbie at planting from seeds, I'm just "googling" for "how to" instructions. The instructions below were taken from the Vegetable Gardener blog.
Hot water helps seeds to sprout About the only aspect of growing parsley that can cause trouble is starting the seeds. Parsley has a reputation for being difficult to start, and many herb books include an adage about parsley going to the devil seven times before it sprouts. To help them along, I pour hot water over the seeds and let them soak for 24 to 36 hours. The water softens parsley’s tough seed coat to make germination easier. I start my seeds the first week of March, and it takes two or three weeks for them to germinate. After they’ve soaked, I pour off the water and briefly drain the seeds on a paper towel to make them easier to handle. I fill 1-1/2-in. plastic cell packs with a seed-starting mix and while the seeds are still moist, I spread five to ten of them on the surface of each cell. Because it’s imperative that the soil remain moist, I loosely cover the planted seeds with a clear plastic bag, leaving the end open for air. When the seeds have sprouted, I remove the plastic and put them under fluorescent lights. After the plants have sent up their first true leaves, I thin each cell to the strongest plant by snipping its cellmates with scissors. Snipping prevents soil and root disturbance that could result if I pulled out the other plants. For the rest of the instructions, check out Vegetable Gardener blog. (Post update from a few days later...) So, I kinda skipped the part of the instructions above about putting the seeds in soil. They're still sitting in the wet paper towel. It's funny how confused I am and how complicated growing parsley is for me. I'm distracted by the mid-March snow that keeps surprising me. I can't seem to get outside to get the potting soil because I have so many questions. Do I use potting soil or some other type of non-amended soil? Do I really need a grow light, or can I just stick them in the kitchen window? If I need a grow light, what bulb do I buy? I've been asking the Internet, but every answer seems dependent on a list of variables. It's such a simple task I guess I don't want to screw it up by being impatient and doing it wrong. I finally googled "is it worth starting herbs from seed?" and the internet said "No" and the internet said "definitely!" I have oodles of seed packets and buckets of stubbornness and determination. This is going to happen. Indoor Herb Garden for Beginners Forum on Garden Web
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I'm assuming I won't wake up to any more "surprise" snow and that my world will be inundated with the sights and sounds of spring, very soon. As a matter of fact, I heard a happy bird singing a morning tune today and cracked my bedroom window a bit. After morning coffee, I snuck off to the garden store to peruse the available, seasonal flowers. I committed to the following:
Stay tuned. |
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