ABOVE,^ RIGHT
:^
JUL
IADE
ME
NTE
VA/GETTY
I
MAGEShe recommends plastic trays that have
been washed with warm, soapy water
and disinfected with a 10% bleach
solution to prevent spreading disease.
Fill the tray with a commercial
seed-starting mix of peat moss and
vermiculite, and then sow the seed at
the depth recommended on the packet.
“For the seed to germinate, it needs
good seed-to-soil contact,” Richard
says. “And make sure they’re not too
crowded.” Properly spaced seedlings
are easier to transplant later.
Heating Up
Warmth and humidity aid germination.
“You need to keep the seed consistently
moist,” Richard says. After sowing, he
waters the tray before stretching clear
plastic food wrap across the top and
securing it with tape. (Some trays are
sold with clear plastic domes to create
this greenhouse effect.) He then places
it by a heating vent, or you can also use
a heating mat specifically for plants.
How^ to^ use^
newspaper^to^ make^ b
iodegradableplanting^ cu
ps.1. Cut^ four^ la
yers^ of^newspaper
into^ a^7 - inch^ squa
re.2.^ Fold^ in^ t
hirds,^ then^turn^ and^ fol
d again^ to^make^ a^ nine-
square^ fold.3.^ Angle-fol
d each^ corne
ron one^ side^ a
nd^ staple^ it.^Repeat^ the
process^ on^
the^opposite^ sid
e.4.^ When^ s
eedlings^ are^ready^ to^ tra
nsplant,^ slice
afew^ holes^ in^
the^ paper^ an
dplant^ the^ e
ntire^ cup.^ Th
iswon’t^ distu
rb the^ roots,
and^the^ pots^ will
break^ down
.Fold^
newspaper
into^ these^
cute,^ simp
le
pots.^