Starting Seeds
Why would you want to start your own seeds?  Isn’t it a hassle?  There are many reasons for growing your own seeds – beyond the rewarding experience:  It is less expensive to start from seed than buy plants from your local nursery.  It is a fun to watch the progress of the seeds.  There is a greater selection to choose from with better varieties.  You can grow the seeds on your schedule – with your garden in mind!  Plus – if you grow your own food, you know exactly what went into it (or didn’t).  You can’t get much healthier than that! 

Steps to successful seed starting:
1.  Pick a container
 - Try and old six pack or 4” pots
 - Egg cartons make great seed starters
 - Dixie cups are an inexpensive solution
 - Mud flats work well
 - Seed starter trays, like Earth Plug Trays, are the simplest solution.  They come with ready-to-go Earth Plugs. 

2.  Seed Starting Medium
 - Earth Plugs are an excellent rooting or seed starting medium that consists of composted tree bark that is inoculated with microorganisms.
 - Purchase a light, soiless potting mix or make your own:  combine equal parts of Peat or Sphagnum moss, Vermiculite and Pearlite.   

3.  Pick your seeds.  Looking for Vegetable seeds?  We have a great selection of organically certified and heirloom veggie seeds.   

3.  Sun, Water and Warmth
 – Find a nice, sunny spot. Your seeds need 12-14 hours of light to grow.  Put them in a southern window or green house if possible.  Take them outside on nice days.
 - Water is critical for a seeds success.  Be attentive and don’t let them completely dry out.  They want to be moist, but not too wet!  If the planting medium starts to grow algae or smell, they are too wet.  Seeds like food too…Water them with a weak fertilizer (½to ¼ the quantity listed on the package).
 - Keep the seeds warm.  Keep them inside and don’t allow them to freeze.

 Make sure that you make a hole in the bottom of your chosen vessle.  The water must drain for success!

Basic Pruning - 6 Step Technique
Pruning a wide variety of plants in the garden can be a daunting task, but by using a few simple techniques you can be cutting like a pro! Many of the questions that we get from homeowners are about pruning in the garden. People are either too afraid to cut a plant improperly or not careful enough when they go on the rampage. So we have developed a few simple techniques that you can use to prune almost any plant or tree.

1. Dead & Crossing Start any pruning project by cutting out any dead wood as well as broken or damaged branches. Then cut out any braches that cross physically, or cross backwards through the center of the plant.

2. Up & Away For good healthy growth, and uniform shape, the majority of branch tips should face up and away from the center of the plant. You can achieve this by removing any branches that are growing down, horizontal, crooked or across the center of the plant. Additionally, look for bud sites when you cut, and choose to cut at buds that face away from the center of the plant.

3. Fingers not Fists Repeated pruning at the same location, as often occurs with hedges, create fist shaped balls of tiny branches. This type of pruning compromises plant health because it undermines natural growth patterns forcing all of the growth to occur on a thin layer of leaves around the edge of the plant. This leaves the center of the plant susceptible to pests and disease. The tips of your branches should like long open fingers, not fists. You can achieve this by selectively pruning branch tips with hand pruners or loppers, rather than using hedge shears.

4. Longest to Shortest This method is useful for controlling lanky branches, and controlling uniformity. As you prune, snip back the longest branches or tips so that they are among the shortest in the vicinity. This encourages fresh growth and boosts the overall leaf density of the plant.

5. Look for a Bud Every plant will show you where it wants to be cut, if you look closely enough. Nearly every plant you will encounter will have bud sites, nodes, or leaf sprouts along its branches. Just ahead of these is where you should make your cuts. Leaving too much stem or branch ahead of the bud creates dieback and opportunity for disease. Your cut should be made just above the bud at a 45 degree angle with the bud on the tall side of the angle.

6. Take a Step Back As you prune, take occasional breaks to step back and check your progress. The change in perspective will allow you to have another look at the plant to make sure you didn't miss anything and to insure that it is shaping up nicely.