HOW TO GROW 
SEEDS 
When sown outdoors, most seeds should be scattered 
over well pulverized ground then covered lightly with 
a layer of finely pulverized soil or sand. Large seeds 
should be covered about twice their thickness. Keep 
ground moist during germination and while plants are 
small. Thin if plants are too thick. 
If seeds are started in boxes or flats, be sure that the 
bottom of the flat provides good drainage. The soil 
should be made up of equal portions of leaf-mold (or 
peat), sand, and good garden loam. This should be 
screened to remove any hard lumps, stones or other 
coarse material. Wet the soil, preferably with boiling 
water the day before planting. When the soil has dried 
out sufficiently to permit planting, loosen the top slightly 
and plant seeds, not too close together. Barely cover with 
light soil, then firm the ground with a smooth board. 
Cover the top of the flat with a newspaper or cheese- 
cloth. If the ground is moist at time of planting, it will not 
be necessary to water at planting time. Too much water 
is apt to cause damping off. The soil should be kept 
“moist” not “wet.” When the seeds begin to come up, 
gradually lift the paper or cheesecloth to permit air and 
light. 
DAMPING OFF will occur only if flats are kept too wet 
or in a greenhouse without proper ventilation. Water- 
ing with a weak solution of clorox, about four to six per 
cent, we have found to be the best cure and preventive. 
The plants should be transferred to other boxes when 
they begin to show the second pair of leaves. Prepare 
the soil as when seeds are just planted, but add a little 
well decayed manure to stimulate the growth. Trans- 
plant to open ground when the young plants are two to 
four inches high, depending on the natural growth of 
the various plants. 
When seeds are sown directly in the ground in dry 
climate, it will be necessary to use a very light covering 
of peat moss or other good mulch to hold the moisture— 
otherwise the small plants will perish for lack of top 
moisture. 


*CARL SALBACH* 
