On Pattie’s first attempt at starting seeds she had instant success thanks to the guidance of Peaceful Valley employee, Janet (since retired). Here’s how she did it:

“The most important thing I did was to use Quickroot Soilless Potting Mix. Because it is a sterile seed-starting mix, it prevents damping-off, a soil borne fungi that rots seeds before germination. It is very easy to work with and smells good too!

“I put the Quickroot into Speedling Trays. I used my index finger to poke a place in the middle of each speedling cell to place the seeds. Using the nitpicker,  I was able to place one (sometimes two by mistake) seeds in each cell. The nitpicker is made to remove the transplants from the Speedling trays, which it does without damage to transplant roots, but it also can be used as a hand seed dispenser.

“Because Quickroot contains little nitrogen, apply Omega 6-6-6 according to instructions, as soon as the plants’ true leaves appear.  Once the plants become big enough to transplant, I did so either directly into the garden, or into bigger pots, depending on the variety. I had over 95% germination. In the end I gave away many, many starts.

“From time to time, I have tried various methods for starting seeds, but this method using these materials worked wonders.”

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