Sprouting Pumpkin Seedlings

Even without a greenhouse, gardeners can sprout their own seeds indoors instead of buying plants later in the season.

As the snow melts and Spring approaches, gardeners everywhere are itching to work outside. The colder the clime, the longer they must wait. Starting seedlings inside is fun, rewarding, and in the long run less expensive than purchasing plants later in the season.

Supplies Needed

• Tabletop greenhouse,
• Good quality potting soil,
• Pumpkin seeds,
• Spray bottle with water,
• Wooden or plastic bowl,
• Optional: Jiffy pots.

A tabletop greenhouse is an inexpensive investment that, if well taken care of, will last for numerous growing seasons. It consists of a bottom tray, a set of individual seedling cups, and a clear cover. Gardeners can opt to use plastic seedling cups or Jiffy pots. Jiffy pots are biodegradable; the entire pot is put in the ground when the plant is ready to be outside.

Pumpkins take a relatively long time before harvest, anywhere from 120 to 150 days depending upon the variety. To have pumpkins in time for Halloween start the seeds indoors as early as April, depending upon where you live.

The Method

Start with healthy, viable seeds that were prepared for this season. Do not use old seeds. Make sure the seeds do not sound hollow.

Use a seed starter mix or high quality potting soil.

Seedling pots are very small. Plant one pumpkin seed per seedling pot.

1. Soak pumpkin seeds in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for a couple of hours.
2. Fill each tiny pot almost to the top with potting soil.
3. Gently press one pumpkin seed per pot into the soil, and add another inch of soil on top.
4. Water the soil well.
5. Place the seedling pots into the tabletop greenhouse tray, and fix the lid.
6. Spray with water every day.

Condensation will form on the inside cover. This is natural and good, but it is still necessary to check the soil every day to make sure it is moist.

The cover of the tabletop greenhouse is vital to successful germination. Pumpkin seeds like best a temperature of 80 to 85 degrees F. Some gardeners use a germination mat, which is a heated mat placed under the tabletop greenhouse. However, many tabletop greenhouses work well placed on a warm kitchen shelf or windowsill.

Care for Seedlings

Little green leaves will burst forth from the soil in about a week. If it has been ten days, and nothing has emerged from soil, go over the steps and try a second planting.

Baby pumpkin plants need lots of sun, so place them in a Southern window. The clear tabletop greenhouse cover will continue to keep them warm, but it is no longer absolutely necessary, and soon the plants will become too big for it. Use it while you can.

Continue to water the seedlings, but every other day. When the plants are a week old, you may add a little liquid fertilizer to the water to feed them.

Time to Transplant

When the roots of the baby plants are coming out through the bottom of the pots, it is time to transplant. Hopefully, it is now past your last frost. If not, either transplant into larger pots, or put a protective cover over the plants in the ground.

Plant seedlings a foot or two apart. Remember, they will get much bigger. Plant pumpkins in a warm, sunny spot.

When it is time to transplant the pumpkin plants in the ground, think about companion planting. Companion planting is simply placing plants that help each other in the garden next to each other. Pumpkins are good companions with other squash, melons, and corn.

Safe Soap Insecticide for Tomato Plants

Soapy water, herbs and spices make a green pest control recipe that has beneficial effects for tomato plants.

Tomatoes are a relatively easy crop and a great crop for beginning gardeners. That being said, many uninvited guests will find and destroy a tomato garden if left unprotected. Aphids, caterpillars, mites and beetles are only some of the enemies that must be kept at bay.

Spray Soapy Water on Tomato Plants

Home made soapy water spray should be on every organic gardener's list of necessary tools. Start with a natural, organic, liquid castile soap. Dr. Bronner's Peppermint is an excellent choice, but any biodegradable liquid castile soap will work well.

The soap must be biodegradable so that it will break down easily in the soil and not hurt the roots of the tomato plants.

Mix only 2 tablespoons of the castile soap into a quart of water in a bucket. While this will work in and of itself, there are ways to make it more efficient.

Roots and Spices to Repel Insects

Make a tea with herbs, roots, and spices with repellent characteristics. Choose from among:

• Hot peppers
• Garlic
• Ginger root
• Horseradish root.

Chop them up and and place in a mason jar. Cover them with boiling water and allow to steep overnight. Use this tea as part of the quart of water in the soap recipe. Because the food in this recipe may spoil, do freeze any of this tea that you do not use within a week.

The strong smells and hot spice will repel some tomato pests. The soap in the recipe smothers and dehydrates insects that dare to come close to the tomato plants.

Soap vs. Detergent

Soap and detergent are two different things. Soap is a naturally occurring salt caused by a chemical reaction between fats and oils and sodium hydroxide. Pure soap is biodegradable.

Detergents are made with petroleum based oils and will kill your tomato plants.

Cheap Pest Control Sprays

There are natural pesticide sprays on the market, however, a thorough reading of the ingredients indicates that they are easy and cheap to make at home. One brand lists the main ingredient as "potassium salts of naturally occurring fatty acids." That means soap. As long as the soap is organic and biodegradable, it will do the same job. Soaps full of chemical perfumes or preservatives will kill plants.

Using Soapy Water in the Garden

Spray this soapy water recipe on tomato plants daily. This recipe is gentle and non-toxic; therefore, it may be safely used right up until harvest time.

Using beer in the garden is another tool in the organic gardener's arsenal. Beer is a natural fertilizer that helps to control pests and is safe to use in organic tomato gardens.

The University of California's Pest Management Program website has a plethora of information about tomato pests, fungi and diseases.

To maintain a healthy, organic vegetable garden with a bountiful tomato harvest, use soapy spray, beer, and companion planting techniques. Enjoy organic tomatoes grown without poisons and chemicals this season.