How to Grow Vegetable Peas for the Backyard Garden

June 5th, 2011


How to Grow Vegetable Peas for the Backyard Garden

Interested in growing peas this growing season? Do you have the urge and want to get your garden growing as soon as possible this year? Are you sick of the cold weather and your ready for spring to start? I know I am…

Well vegetable peas are very hardy, so lucky for you, smooth peas can be planted as soon as the ground for your backyard garden can be worked.

Often times these peas can be planted by the last of March, even in the Northern States. In the Middle States and in the South smooth peas can be sown in the fall to give an extra early crop.

An example of an early pea or smooth pea and also described as Dwarf Peas is Little Marvel which matures in 60 days after planted. These pods are not large but are packed tightly with very flavorful peas.

Many people have a fondness for certain a type or variety of peas, so they plant their favorite variety in succession every ten days up to the middle of June. This type of practice is more time consuming and tiring. A better practice would be to plant early(dwarf), medium early(half dwarf), late(tall) peas at the same time.

Wrinkle peas, which have a better flavor then smooth peas would be your medium early and your late peas, since even these peas can actually be planted in the ground some time before the danger of frost is over, it makes more sense to plant them around the same time as the early peas.

An example of a medium early peas would be Thomas Laxton which requires 72 days to mature from planting. An example of late peas would be Alderman which matures in 80 days or Telephone which matures in 87 days from planting.

Your early peas, like Early Marvel grow to about one and a half feet high and require no support. Your medium early and late do require some type of support, especially Thomas Laxton, which grows about three feet high and Alderman and Telephone which grow about five feet high.

How to Plant peas:

Peas should be planted in soil that has been well broken up or cultivated. Peas should be planted in trenches about ten inches wide and from two to three inches deep scattering the peas over the bottom of this trench.

By doing this you provide the proper environment for the pea vines to become self supporting to a certain extent and most likely won’t dry out quickly.

Some growers like to make double rows about six inches apart. After your peas have been planted you should take care to firm the soil over the seeds by using your feet or the flat end of your hoe.

If the soil you are planting your pea seeds into is dry do to poor rain or because your are planting your peas late in the season, then it is a good practice to soak your seeds in luke warm water over night or wet down the ground in the trench before you plant the seeds.

Quick germination of your peas is essential in order to get an early crop, and if it is early spring when you are planting your peas, then you are likely to have moist soil. So firming the surface of the soil over the peas should bring the soil particles into close contact with the seeds and you should have no problems with the peas germinating.

Peas are a cool weather vegetable and as long as the soil you plant these seeds in is reasonably rich your seeds should germinate fine and by providing plenty of water for your pea vines, they should grow fine and peas require plenty of water.

Supporting your Peas:

Stakes at the beginning and end of the row with strings attached to them and at ten foot intervals will provide plenty of support for your pea vines. You may also run chicken wire between stakes attached with twine.

Picking your Peas:

When picking your peas, make sure you use two hands. Grab the vine with one hand while the pods are removed with the other, otherwise if you jerk the pea pods off the vine you will end up damaging the plant.

Try to pick your peas when they are young, if you wait till they get old, then your peas will be tough and flavorless. Try to serve your peas a soon as possible after being removed from the garden, otherwise you will not be able to appreciate the freshness of your peas from the backyard garden.

This type of freshness you won’t find in the market so take advantage of fresh peas from your backyard vegetable garden.

This article on How to Grow Vegetable Peas for the Backyard Garden is brought to you by www.backyard-gardening.com

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    Indoor Vegetable Gardening

    November 21st, 2010

    Indoor Vegetable Gardening

    Some who love gardening might find it frustrating when cold months come. But having an indoor vegetable garden is an option that some are not aware of. We just need to be creative because during these months you can still continue your joy of vegetable gardening. Having an indoor garden has its limitations; you can’t plant pumpkins, sweet corn and squash. But you can plant some leafy crops, tomatoes and other root crops.

    In selecting a container for your indoor vegetable garden, attention to detail is essential. Choose a color that will compliment your home. Make your indoor vegetable garden blend with your living space. Check the exact measurements so that you won’t end up buying containers larger then you need. You can use decorative metal pails, clay pots and even plastic jugs. You can also create an indoor vegetable garden where you can let your vegetable plants grow throughout the year. Choose vegetable plants that aren’t seasonal.

    In selecting the best plants for your indoor vegetable garden, reserve time for visiting the local nursery and explain to them your plans and you will be amazed on how willing they are to help you. They will offer you different varieties of plants. Make sure to ask them how to plant them because some plants requires a different process of planting.

    Make sure to prepare the soil, it should have enough nutrients for your plants. Regular soil doesn’t have enough nutrients so you need to purchase special soil for indoor gardening. Check the temperature and moisture of the soil. Don’t over-water the plants, just water moderately.

    Container gardening is best because you can position your vegetables in the best light exposure. Some vegetable plants to consider for container gardening are cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, short vine cucumbers and squash, spinach, Swiss chard, leaf lettuce, miniature cabbage, eggplant, green onions and most of the Herbs.

    Next, you should decide if you will be starting from seeds or plants. If you are just a beginner, I suggest that you start with plants rather than seeds. This will take less of your time to get your indoor vegetable garden started and established.

    Starting with vegetable seeds requires more of your attention and can be more frustrating sometimes if they don’t become established right away. If you choose to start with vegetable seeds, then I would suggest looking into well know seed catalogs that specialize in vegetable seeds, such as Parks seeds or Burpee seeds just to mention a couple.

    Be sure you allow yourself enough time for your indoor vegetable garden, otherwise you won’t be able to appreciate the benefits you will reap in the harvest of your fresh all natural vegetables for your kitchen table.

    Vegetable gardening is rewarding and healthy at the same time, why not extend your gardening hobby indoors after the out door vegetable gardening season is over. Just think cold days and snowy nights won’t effect your vegetable gardening pleasure, especially when your garden is inside.

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    Bug Proof Your Tomatoes Naturally

    April 19th, 2010

    Bug Proof Your Tomatoes Naturally

    If you have always thought that going totally “Green” was an expensive project, think again. While living and gardening in Northeast Nebraska, an article that referred to research conducted by the University of Nebraska appeared in a local paper. It sounded so unbelievably simple that not trying it would not be an option for any serious Gardner.

    The research stated that one simple procedure used on each tomato plant a week after transplanting would cause it to release a defensive chemical reaction and make the plant naturally bug proof and unpalatable to the insects that normally attack tomatoes.

    This chemical reaction is normal for the wild relatives of our domesticated tomato plant in nature if it is stepped on or damaged in any way. It is two-fold in nature in that it gives off a noticeable odor once activated, and causes insects to find the leaves and stems of the plants unpleasant to taste. However, being naturally bug proof, this does not affect the taste of the ripe tomatoes.

    Personal trials with this have proven those results multiple times. One year in Nebraska, when there was an infestation of locusts so bad that even the trees were not immune to their onslaught, the treated tomatoes in the garden had small holes in them where they were tasted, only once, and abandoned by the locusts as they passed over the garden. Most of the other plants in the same garden were stripped to mere stubs, but the tomatoes still stood. Jealous neighbors peering over the fence could no longer contain their curiosity about what had left only the naturally bug proof tomatoes with leaves still attached, though riddled with tiny holes.

    Suffice it to say that the disclosure of the simple, secret trick that left those tomatoes bug proof and relatively untouched left the neighbors with mouth agape.

    So, what is this huge “secret” you might wonder. Here is the simplest Eco-friendly bug deterrent you have ever heard of. No chemicals are used in bug-proofing your plants. All you need are your thumb and forefinger.

    About one week after transplanting the tomatoes, and all evidence of shock have disappeared from them, simply grasp a lower leaf between thumb and forefinger and squeeze hard while rubbing until you can smell a strange odor. The leaf will be limp and mangled, but it must be left on the plant to encourage the whole plant to produce the chemical reaction. The mangled leaf will eventually dry up and fall off on its own.

    Believe it or not, this works very well. To be certain that your tomatoes are truly “care-free,” and naturally bug proof, try to find varieties that are resistant to the diseases in your area and you will never have to put a single pesticide or other chemical on your tomatoes.

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    Vegetable Gardening as a Hobby

    March 12th, 2010

    “Vegetable Gardening as a Hobby”

    One of the more popular and healthy hobbies today is vegetable gardening. As a matter of fact, 1/3 of the population is currently engaged in this pastime.

    Vegetable gardening isn’t a difficult task. To begin with, even your little children can try this hobby because of the simplicity of the rules that must be followed in order to fully enjoy this pastime.

    The first step in vegetable gardening as a hobby is choosing the right spot to plant.

    You don’t need a wide space. Instead, what you should consider are the following: choosing the site, deciding what to plant, and laying out the garden site, and preparing the site using seed and/or seedlings.

    When choosing the site, do remember the following: make sure that your garden is near your house so that the vegetables are fresh when gathered; make sure that your plants will receive enough sunshine; the proximity of water sources (faucet for example); and good soil.

    In deciding which seeds to plant, it’s best to consider which vegetables will grow with the kind of environment that you have. For example if you live in New England, the date you could actually start to plant would be later in the season then someone planting in the South.

    This means you need to pay close attention to the amount of growing time a plant needs from planting the seed in the soil to when that plant is ready for harvest. These directions can be found on the actual seed package in days.

    If you purchase seedlings, meaning you have young plants ready for immediate planting into your backyard garden, then you can save yourself anywhere from three weeks to about a month ahead of time for your first harvest.

    Some times you are better off paying a little more money on seedlings to save yourself more time and less work for the growing season.

    Limit yourself to just a few varieties of vegetables this year, especially if this is your first year planting a vegetable garden. This way you can concentrate on nurturing your vegetables and not become over burdened by planting too many varieties of vegetables.

    There are two kinds of garden layouts. First is row cropping. In row cropping, the plants are arranged in a long line. One of the advantages of row cropping is that it is easier to cultivate because hoes and tillers are used on the long straight rows.

    The disadvantage to this type of planting is, you end up wasting space and this minimizes how many vegetables you can plant in a given space of your garden.

    On the other hand row cropping, for the hobby vegetable gardener, enables you more space for working around your new vegetables. Especially if this is your first year giving vegetable gardening a try.

    Row cropping will enable you to experiment with the variety of vegetables you choose and allow you to experiment with different ideas with out being perfect on how closely spaced, how straight, or how far apart, your vegetables are once they grow and become established.

    The second kind of garden layout is Intensive cropping. It makes use of several techniques in close planting such as planting in bands from one to four feet across and dividing the space into four sections with spaces between them.

    This type of planting is a bit more labor intensive and does not give you that extra space for working around your vegetables.

    Intensive cropping maximizes your vegetable garden space. You will be able to plant more vegetables per square foot garden. This means you will need to really stay on top of your weeding and thinning out of plants as they grow and become established.

    This will reduce the chance of your vegetables becoming overcrowded and choking each other out. You will have less room for experimenting but if done correctly, you will have a larger harvest in return.

    Why not take up vegetable gardening as a hobby this year? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain in knowledge, and a healthier life style by starting your first backyard vegetable garden this year.

    If you find that you are so successful this year and you harvest more vegetables than you know what to do with, don’t worry, you can always can your vegetables this fall.

    Just think of all those fresh vegetables you and your family will be able to enjoy throughout the fall and winter season after such a successful growing season.

    For those who would like the idea of fall vegetable canning this year, but are not sure how to can vegetables, feel free to download my free fall vegetable canning ebook on this site.

    So I challenge you, take up vegetable gardening as a hobby this year and reap the benefits of a healthier life style, a chance to get out of the house and away from your busy life of always running around, and a chance to appreciate what mother nature has to offer.

    Take the time to learn about the plants in your vegetable garden and come harvest time, you will be rewarded ten fold.

    The harvest you gain will be equivalent to the amount of time you are willing to put into growing and nurturing your plants. But the most important points, be creative, stimulate your mind enjoy your new healthy hobby.

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    Tools for Backyard Gardening

    February 22nd, 2010

    “Tools for Backyard Gardening”

    The minimum amount of tools a backyard gardener should use to do all of their work would be a rake, a spade and a hoe.

    Even a large garden can be taken care of with these three elements. Although it is not wise to restrict yourself to these three garden tools alone for your backyard garden, because several other tools will go far to minimize your time and labor.

    The average backyard gardener has only an hour or two each day for their work and must make every moment count.

    The brief list of tools provided below might be well worth adding to your existing primary tools.

    A wheel cultivator with extra attachments, which some garden shops still may carry, is convenient and saves more time allowing you to work your backyard vegetable garden much quicker and with less exertion than using a hoe.

    A scuffle hoe, a spading fork, a trowel for transplanting, a hand fork, a round point shovel, a mattock for dealing with rocks and roots, a hose, a soaker or sprinkler and a garden line used for laying out rows in the garden.

    In addition you should have a wheel barrow or lawn cart to add to your collection of tools, especially if your
    backyard vegetable garden is a large one, for moving heavy loads or carrying your garden supplies.

    Power equipment such as a rotary tiller may be used but is not necessary for the average backyard garden, but may be rented for the few days each year that it is needed.

    If you do decide to use a rotary tiller, then I would recommend the rear tine tiller type with front self driven wheels.

    This helps prevent the jumping forward motion of the rotary tiller that is so often a characteristic of a front tine rotary tiller, with stationary wagon wheels providing no control of the tiller in your backyard garden.

    By using a rotary tiller with rear tines and front self driven wheels, this provides you with better control of the machine, allowing you to adjust the depth of your rear tines into the soil from 2″ to 10″.

    This provides more aeration into the soil creating a healthier medium for your backyard vegetable garden, making the soil more workable for your hand tools and easier to manage reducing your time and labor.

    When purchasing tools, always buy tools based on good quality. The extra expense you pay now will be well worth it to you and cheaper in the long run. Well made tools last longer, are more reliable, and are easier to use.

    Maintaining your tools is just as important after buying your tools. Always clean off soil and mud after each use and make sure to lightly oil the tool before putting it away.

    An occasional painting or coating of linseed oil will help preserve wooden parts of your tools and help you enjoy many years of successful backyard vegetable gardening.

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    Building and Using a Cold-Frame.

    March 29th, 2009


    “Building and Using a Cold Frame”

    A cold-frame is almost as important as a hotbed. The two should always go together. It is simply a frame of boards constructed like that of the hotbed, and set over a quantity of rich soil into which the seedlings from the hotbed are transplanted when they have attained some size.

    This frame should also be fitted with a sash for the newly transplanted seedlings. The sash should be lifted on all pleasant days, to give the plants inside the benefit of fresh air, and thus harden them for the time when they must go into the ground outside.

    At night and on all cold days the sash must be closed to retain the necessary degree of warmth. A little chilly weather will often injure the plants quite as much as a touch of frost would.

    In sunny weather be sure to open the cold frame before the heat of the sun, by concentrating on the glass from becoming too intense for the young plants. The admission of fresh air will counteract all danger from this source.

    The temperature in the cold-frame should range between 60 and 65 if one would grow strong and healthy plants, and of course one wants to grow nothing but strong healthy plants.

    It will readily be understood from what has been said that both hotbed and cold-frame will require considerable amounts of attention. They can not be expected to take care of themselves after being built. They must be regulated according to the weather.

    Air must be admitted whenever it is possible to do so without injury to the plants, and cold drafts must be avoided as one would avoid the plague. It will be necessary to consult the thermometer a good many times a day. That is what must be depended on more than anything else in the management of a hotbed and cold-frame.

    In the north the first of March is quite early enough to start a hotbed for the growing of very early vegetables, and a month later for plants intended for general garden use.

    It is not advisable to have plants remain in either the hotbed or cold-frame so long that they become weakened by too long continued heat. Injury of this kind can only be prevented by the proper admission of fresh air, and the regulation of the temperature as already advised.

    I make mention of this again because it is something that no gardener should ignore, and I can’t help emphasizing this fact and how important it is.

    Do not take the trouble to start any of the ordinary vegetables, which mature during the latter part of summer in the garden, in the hotbed. They will come ahead rapidly enough if planted in the open ground, where they will be much easier to care for.

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    How to Construct a Hot Bed for Backyard Gardening

    March 8th, 2009


    “How to Construct a Hot Bed”

    The making of a hotbed frame is a simple piece of carpentry. At the back it should be about eighteen inches high. If it is six feet wide there should be a slope of six or eight inches towards the sun. This would make the front ten or twelve inches deep, according to the slope decided on.

    The slope is one of the important things to consider, for the sash should be just the right angle to receive the fullest possible exposure from the sun. If too flat, or too upright, you fail to get the warmth desired. Therefore be sure to adjust the angle giving you the optimum benefit of the sun.

    Bevel the back and front of the boards of the frame, so the sash will hug closely and fit snugly all around. Care should be taken, in putting the frame together, to have every joint perfect, otherwise poor joints and ill fitting sash will allow heat to escape more rapidly than it is generated, thus making the hotbed a failure.

    If more than one sash is used for each frame or section, a sturdy piece of wood should run from the front to the back so the pieces of the sash can rest on the sturdy piece of wood where they meet. If large pieces of sash are used, you will find them to be quite heavy, therefore the frame and its cross-strips should in turn be be made of strong construction.

    It pays to take the time to do the job right for a good hot bed frame will last for many seasons if well constructed and properly cared for after it is emptied of its seedlings.

    It often happens that we have severe weather after we get the hot-bed in operation. In such cases we must cover the sash with something that will prevent frost from forming on the glass and radiating cold down upon the delicate young plants. Strips of matting, old carpet, straw, or blankets, will work well in preventing damage to these young plants.

    If the weather is bright and warm, it will be necessary to allow a little bit of air into the hotbed for the seedlings during the middle of the day; but do not lift the sash too much, and be sure that no cold wind can blow in upon the tender plants.

    To facilitate this part of the work, it is a good idea to have the sash hung with hinges, at the back of the frame. If this is done, the sash can be raised or lowered without slipping out of place, as they will be quite likely to do, if simply placed over the frame without fastening.

    When sowing seed in the hotbed, cover the seeds lightly with soil and press the soil down enough to make it somewhat firm, but do not pack it solidly. Water can be applied, as needed, with a hose having a spray nozzle. Never use a stream of water when watering plants in the hotbed, as this will wash the soil away from the roots of the plants.

    If the glass becomes covered with moisture, after watering or from evaporation at any time during the day, lift the sash a little to allow the surplus moisture to pass off, and clear the glass so that the rays of the sun will shine on the plants freely.

    This article on How to Construct a Hot Bed for Backyard Gardening is brought to you by www.backyard-gardening.com

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    How to Start a Fruit and Vegetable Garden

    February 27th, 2009

    “How to Start a Fruit and Vegetable Garden”

    Vegetable gardening can be a very rewarding experience. But if you’ve never had a vegetable garden before, the task can seem overwhelming. Here are several easy ways to start your first fruit or vegetable garden.

    First, some vegetable gardening basics. Most vegetables need full sun, well-tilled soil, and the right fertilizers to bear fruit (or vegetables). Using the wrong soil enhancements will cause your plants to produce leaves and flowers, but little fruit. Most vegetables need long and deep water – water the roots, not the leaves. Pick your harvest regularly to encourage more fruit or vegetables. Finally, know when to plant, and when to harvest. This information will be found on the seed packet or the plant container. As you gain more experience, you will be able to rotate crops based on how early they mature.

    One of the easiest ways to begin to grow vegetables is in a container. Buy your plant from a good nursery – don’t try and start with seeds. Select a planter large enough to hold the full grown plant, and fill with potting soil made for vegetables. Follow the directions on the plant container for watering and sunlight needs. Plants that do well in containers include tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, and peppers.

    Seeds are usually more difficult to start a vegetable garden with than plants. But, there are some seeds that are easier to germinate than others. Carrots, lettuce, and peas, beans are all easy seeds to plant and harvest in your vegetable garden. You can plant the seeds directly in the ground, and keep them well-watered until they sprout. Thin according to the package directions, and harvest at the proper time.

    Another easy way to start a vegetable garden is to pick a few easy vegetables to grow, and start with plants, not seeds. You will need to choose an area of your yard that receives at least six to eight hours of sun light.

    Prepare your vegetable garden by breaking up the soil with a rototiller or a cultivator hand tool depending on the size of your garden. Add organic material such as compost if your soil has a lot of clay, mix in some sand and peatmoss.

    Now, decide which plants you will start your vegetable garden with. Once you know how big the mature plants will be, then you can figure out how many vegetable plants you can grow in your vegetable garden according to the space you have prepared. Vegetable and fruit plants that are easy to grow include tomatoes, squash, peppers, herbs, cucumbers, and strawberries.

    So you are interested in growing a fruit garden. Start by choosing the type of fruit you know you will enjoy for years to come, read up on these variety of fruit and make sure they will grow in your environment were you live. For instance: Apple trees, Peach trees, blueberry bushes, black raspberry bushes, raspberry bushes and strawberries grow well in the North East. Trees and shrubs can also be an easy way to start fruit gardening. Keep in mind these varieties require different soil conditions and proper spacing to allow for proper air flow and healthy growth.

    Blueberries require a very acid soil for healthy growth, especially high bush blueberries. Raspberries require large amount of space and once established will spread very quickly.

    Start with one fruit tree or if you prefer, start with a couple of raspberry bushes or blueberry bushes, help them get established then see how these plants produce for you. If your fruit trees or fruit shrubs do well then move on to another variety. Plan ahead of time knowing that in the long run you plan on adding more fruit trees and fruit shrubs to your fruit garden leaving ample space for future fruit plants.

    The benefits of growing your own fruit plants, once they have become established, is you won’t have to worry about planting new ones every year. Your plants will continue to produce fruit for you time after time provided you maintain your fruit garden on a regular basis. Be sure to prune, water and fertilize when necessary.

    The time you spend correctly planting these plants in your fruit garden and maintaining them will more then pay off for you in the years to come.

    There’s nothing better than fresh from the garden produce, and hopefully these ideas will help you start an easy vegetable (and fruit!) garden.

    This article on How to Start a Fruit and Vegetable Garden is brought to you by www.backyard-gardening.com


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    Creating a Hot Bed

    February 23rd, 2009

    “Creating a Hot Bed”

    A well-constructed hot-bed, well cared for, will enable the gardener to have vegetables of certain kinds nearly a month earlier than he can hope to have if he depends on the garden for them.

    The location of the hot-bed is a matter of considerable importance. It should be on a soil that has good drainage, in a place well sheltered from wind, and fully exposed to the sun. It should also be near the house, for convenience in giving it frequent attention.

    Let me say, right here, that the idea that almost anything in the shape of a pile of manure with a few boards about it and a covering of sash will answer all the purposes of a hotbed, as well as a more carefully constructed arrangement would be considered wrong.

    To accomplish successful work you want to avoid cutting corners. Otherwise you will be creating a recipe for failure before you even get started.

    A make-shift hotbed or cold frame is not one in which you will be likely to grow good plants,but will be a constant source of annoyance to you, and will very likely be the cause of entire failure in the growing of seedlings for early planting out. Therefore build with a view to successful results.

    Fresh horse manure or cow manure, mixed with litter from bedding, is the material most generally made use of to furnish the heat required in the hot-bed. A quantity of this material is spread on the site selected for the hot-bed, covering a space somewhat larger than the bed itself is expected to be. Spread it in layers a few inches in depth, and tramp down each layer before another is added.

    When the pile is eighteen inches or two feet in depth, finish off by rounding it over in such a manner that it will shed rain, or cover it with a waterproof cloth. Leave it in this condition for a few days till fermentation sets in. This can be told by a warm moisture which will be seen rising from it. The mass should then be well forked over,
    shaking out the long straw, as this is done, and made into another compact heap, as at first. In two or three days it will give evidence of further heating.

    After this it is likely to be in a condition for final disposition in the bed. As the manure is now thrown into shape, pack it down well, making it as uniformly compact as possible. It is quite important that the foundation should have considerable solidity, as you will soon discover that a heap of loose litter amounts to next to nothing for hot-bed purposes.

    There should be not less than two feet of this material. The frame, which the wise gardener will have constructed in advance of the season, should now be put in place, and fitted with sash. Bank up well outside the frame with coarse manure, firmly packed down. Allow the sash to remain in place until strong heat is generated.

    When this begins to decrease and the thermometer does not register more than 85 or 90, cover the manure inside the frame with about six inches of the finest soil you can obtain. When this is done, the bed is ready for use.

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    Starting Vegetable Seeds in Your House

    February 8th, 2009

    “Starting Vegetable Seeds in Your House”

    The only way to have very early vegetables is to take time with both
    hands by the reins and start seeds indoors while the ground is still
    cold.

    In the Northern States it is especially important to make an early
    start, when starting seeds in your house, if vegetables like tomatoes,
    eggplants, cauliflower, early cabbages, celery and peppers are desired.

    Of course there is some advantage in having a hotbed, but its operation
    involves too much skill and requires too much attention to make it
    suitable for use in the backyard garden.

    Starting seeds in your house using your kitchen space is a much simpler
    matter, and the results are likely to be satisfactory if the started plants
    can be set in a cold frame later.

    Garden shops use what they call flats, which are merely shallow
    boxes the right size to be handled easily, and about two inches
    high. Anyone can make good substitutes for flats by obtaining a
    few old boxes at the grocery store and cutting them down to the
    right size.

    The boxes should be filled with good garden loam, with which a
    very little sand has been mixed. Or sterile planting media such
    as vermiculite.

    If soil is available, then it is advisable for you to put the boxes
    of soil into the oven of the kitchen stove until it has become
    thoroughly heated. This will kill the weed seeds and save you so much
    trouble later on. However It is not recommended that you bake the soil
    too long.

    When starting vegetable seeds in your house, you will find some seeds are
    very fine and only need to be pressed into the soil, and a little sand then,
    can be sprinkled over the seeds. Furrows for the larger seeds can be made
    with the point of a pencil, and should be about an inch and a half apart.

    Many beginners have difficulty in watering their seed boxes after
    the seed has been planted. One plan is to set the box in a pan of water
    and let the water soak through from the bottom.

    A much better plan, when starting seeds in your house, is to get a piece of
    tissue paper, just the size of the box, and lay it on the soil. If water is then
    applied lightly to the paper, it will gradually soak through and the seeds will
    not be washed away.

    There will be no need to remove the paper, from youe seeds that have been
    started in your house. The paper will have become so thoroughly water
    soaked by the time the little plants appear, that they will easily push their
    way through.

    It is best to keep a clear cover over the box so light can shine through
    until the seedlings started in your house, emerge from the soil, the box
    can then be set in a warm place like the back of your stove.

    The clear cover may be removed once the seedlings have burst through the
    soil and the box can then, be placed in a sunny window.

    As soon as possible the little plants should be thinned out so that they
    will not touch. Once your plants have made their first true leaves, or in
    some cases even earlier, they should be transplanted to other flats, or
    better still, to paper pots which can be set close together in any box.

    The principal advantage of using paper pots for your vegetable seeds in
    your house is so the plants can be set into the ground, when large enough,
    without disturbing the roots. The paper pots do not need to be removed, for
    they will eventually rot away, and while they remain in the soil, the sides will
    also form a barrier to keep away any cutworms that could endanger any
    started plants.

    If you have a cold frame which can be used through April,then tomato plants
    and pepper plants may be started as early as the first of March indoors.
    All the other seedlings can be started after the fifteenth of March.

    If you keep your started vegetable seedlings in the house too long,
    the plants are apt to become spindly. They will make better growth in a
    cold frame which can be opened on warm days.

    For the beginning backyard gardener who has only a very small garden, will
    probably buy started plants, and perhaps this is the best plan for the
    beginning backyard gardener.

    This article on How to Start Vegetable Seeds in Your House is brought to you by www.backyard-gardening.com

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