Seed Starting Tips

 The first tip is.......it's too early for 98% of homegrown crops, for Minnesota zone 4 anyway. Seeds come in all shapes, sizes and needs. Two variables most of them have in common is moisture & nutrients. Most properly stored seed will be viable for many years. Seeds should be stored in a dry, cool, dark place. Preferably in a screw top container to keep out the moths. If during the planting process the seeds have gotten wet, dry out completely before storing so they don't mold or rot. Even leaving seed packs in the sun while planting the garden can cause condensation inside the packets.

 The above diagram, shows how the radicle (root) starts before it emerges from the soil. This is likely when seeds die. The root is so tiny, it can't search far for moisture. So if you plant and never water, it may not be the 'seed was bad,' it was the bad gardener! Keep moist (not soggy) until you see germination, then back off on the watering to 2-3 times a week. Planting seeds in the garden is called "direct seeding." Most vegetables do best with direct seeding like; any vine crop, any root crop, sweet corn. Some are best with transplants because our growing season is short, so we need the head start. Crops that are good to start as transplants: peppers, tomatoes, herbs, broccoli  &  most annual and nearly all perennial flowering plants.   

Starting transplants can be tricky. Most tomato & peppers take 6-10 weeks from seed to garden. Some perennial plants take 3 months or more from seed to a viable transplant. What usually goes wrong? The list is long.......where do I start?
Moisture: most seeds need to be kept moist in seed tray or flat, missing one day of watering can be critical.
Dark or Light: some seeds need darkness - covered with media (soiless mix) and some need light -uncovered laying on top of the media.
Scarification: some seeds with a hard seed coat need to be 'scratched' or 'nicked' before they can absorb enough moisture to germinate.
Stratification: this is a process of chilling in the fridge or freezer, or applying heat for a certain period of time before seeds will be able to germinate.
Soil: always start seeds in a 'soiless' media, usually comprised of peat moss, bark, perlite & vermiculite
never use soil from the garden. Potting soil better than garden soil, but not as good as a seed starting mix.
Lighting: Critical to sturdy healthy plant growth. Window sills are not enough. I know... maybe you have used them for years but at the plants suffrage! Lightening in the form of fluorescent is best. Lights should be kept at 4" above  the plants, so either you need to raise and lower your lights or the seed trays as the plants grow. Inadequate lights will cause plants to stretch, creating long wimpy plants. Correct lighting will create short stocky plants that will be able to tolerate your outdoor conditions better. In the above diagram you can see a perfect example of 'etoliation.' Yes, turn the plant and tomorrow it will stretch the other way, this is your key indicator the light above it is in adequate. Research your plant growth rates before combining in the same tray. For example; zinnia grow rapidly & dianthus very slow. The problem is getting the the plant tray correctly spaced under the lights when one plant type is 3" tall and the other hasn't poked it's head out yet.
Vegetable seeds and most annual flower seeds are the easiest to start. Perennial flowers can be more tricky with one or more of the requirements above. Usually when plants or seeds seem expensive - there is a reason why, lots of 'behind the scenes' work, and typically the more difficult to germ, the fewer seeds that actually do. So for instance, I have planted sometimes 100 seeds of something challenging, and end up with 10 plants. Not a good ratio for the seed cost, care & shelf space it took up. Through the years I have developed a good working knowledge of who is more challenging than I want to deal with, and I instead buy the plants from a wholesaler, leaving those details to others!