Thanks to talented fellow MG, Annelise McCay, (inspiration behind the 17 school gardens in Fairfield,CT) for her quick recipe for seed starter mix. It's light and easy to put together: fine vermiculite, some sphagnum moss for nutrition, and powdered cinnamon to discourage pests. Gather some egg cartons, cut into cups, or, make your own seed pots with newspaper. Fill with the planting medium. See seed packet instructions. Poke a seed, or several, into the "pot", water gently from a spray bottle, sit on a dish in a sunny window or under grow lights. When the seedlings have a pair of leaves, they are ready to greet the earth. Just pop into the prepared garden soil. No need to remove from the little pot. It will decompose and the tender roots will stay undisturbed and will thrive. This can be done in classrooms now for the fun of sprouting seeds. Lettuce seedlings, for example, could be harvested for "micro-greens" within a few weeks. Otherwise, the idea can wait until spring.
