Seed Sowing

Shine a Light – But Which One?

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By Emily Leahy, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Seedlings under LED lights
Seedlings growing under programmable LED lights. Photo by H. Zidack

The dead of winter brings a longing to spend time outside in the garden again. While this may not be possible yet, it is easy to craft your own growing space indoors. The elements of the outdoors that allow plants to thrive – light, warmth, and water – can all be brought indoors with a little creativity and the right resources.

Some steps remain unchanged. Still, refer to the plant’s label for guidance on choosing a proper container, water and nutrient needs, as well as temperature preferences. Guidelines on how much light the plant should receive can also be found on the label – but how can this be applied indoors?

One of the more challenging aspects to simulate, indoors, is an adequate amount of light. When outside, plants rely on the sun for light needed to carry out photosynthesis. This chemical reaction produces sugars which are used as energy in processes essential for the growth and maintenance of a healthy plant. While plants can still receive sunlight indoors through rays shining through windows, this often cannot act as an equitable substitute for unobstructed sunlight outdoors. This is where supplemental light sources in the form of grow lights come into play. Grow lights are specially designed with the purpose of emitting a wider spectrum of light wavelengths to enable photosynthesis. But with so many options available, how can you choose which is the best option?

Generally, there are two types of grow lights – bulbs and fixtures. Bulbs can be placed into existing light fixtures like lamps or overhead lighting. However, this can be unsuitable as it is difficult to control the distance from the plant and angle at which the light shines. Grow light fixtures are separate systems which can provide multiple plants with light simultaneously, offering a more even distribution. With proper setup, they can be positioned at an advantageous angle to provide plants with their preferred amount of light.

Next comes the question of which kind of light is appropriate for your plant – incandescent, fluorescent, or LED? It is important to determine beforehand the level of light which your plant prefers – high, medium, or low. Incandescent lights, while costing the least, are also the least efficient. 90% of their energy is released in the form of heat, while only 10% is light itself. While this makes them good contenders for low-light plants, they also require caution as they can provide plants with an overwhelming amount of heat.

Fluorescent lights are well-suited for plants requiring low to medium light. They emit the full spectrum of light, essential for promoting growth as they mimic natural sunlight. Most often they are seen as strips or tubes of light that can be affixed above plants, but they can also be purchased in bulb form. LED lights emit the full spectrum of light as well, while simultaneously emitting less heat than other bulb types. Yielding a high overall efficiency, LEDs can be customized with different colors/wavelengths of light to provide certain advantages for some plants. For example, blue lights promote vegetative growth, while red lights do the same for flowering and fruit growth.

Grow light setup
Different stages of growth may need different spectrums of light. Photo by H. Zidack

After choosing the most suitable kind of grow light for your plant, there are a variety of other tips helpful to consider. The type of plant not only determines the proper type of light to use, but also how much light should be provided. Supplying light 24 hours a day is not ideal as it can overwhelm the plant – remember the objective is to mimic the light conditions of the outdoors. Therefore, plants will require some hours of darkness each day.

Seedlings generally prefer 14-16 hours of light per day, as they necessitate the most encouragement for growth. 12 hours of light is suitable for herbs and other greens, while houseplants fall between the range of 6-12 hours per day – be sure to refer to the product label for any specifications on light preferences.

In terms of setup, lights should be angled to ensure a direct stream of emittance onto the plant in order to receive its full benefits. It is best to affix lights about 12 inches from the plant, although adjustments can be made as you see fit. Some indoor gardening systems are available that can be customized to fit specifications according to the type of plant being grown. It is also important to purchase lights that are rated to withstand humidity and moisture if they are being kept in a greenhouse-like environment.

Be sure to always refer to your plant’s label for its specific preferences for light and other growing conditions. With the help of grow lights, you can wait out the winter by bringing a little bit of the outdoors, indoors!

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center contributes to the Cooperative Extension mission of the University of Connecticut by connecting the public with research and resources provided by the University. For your gardening questions, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center - (877) 486-6271, visit our website at https://homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu/, or contact your local Cooperative Extension center https://cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations/.

This article was published in the Hartford Courant Feb. 15, 2025

Grow Vegetables – Save Money

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By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Lettuce planted in a container.
This lettuce was planted in a container. Photo by dmp2024

Anyone who grocery shops on a regular basis has likely noticed a higher tally at the checkout counter. The latest consumer pricing analysis from the USDA is predicting a 1.3 percent increase in food prices. While we can’t do much to lower the prices, one thing we can do is grow some of our own vegetables and herbs.

The investment in a small 100 square foot or so garden is not large, and one can be assured of healthy, high quality fresh produce. Vegetable gardeners can also control what, if any, types of pesticides are used on the plants. One source suggested that a $70 investment in plants and seeds could produce a harvest worth $600 or more over the growing season. Already having basic garden tools was probably taken for granted.

If yard space is limited or too shaded, consider renting a plot in a community garden, maybe teaming up with a friend trading garden chores for produce, or consider growing in window boxes and other containers. Even small areas provide opportunities to grow your own food. While a head of lettuce can cost $2-3 dollars at the grocery store, for that same amount one can often pick up a cell-pack of 6 lettuce plants and grow them out in a large container, or 6 square feet or so of garden bed.

Starting plants directly in the garden by direct seeding can also offer considerable savings. I picked up a package of mixed lettuce variety seeds for $3.25 that contains 500 seeds. This would enable one to grow multiple succession plantings for at least 2 or 3 years. If stored in a dark, cool, dry spot, many seeds last for at least 2 years if not longer.

Good candidates for direct sowing would be bush or pole beans, lettuce and other green leafy vegetables, radishes, peas, carrots, summer and winter squash, cucumbers, and corn. If they tickle your tastebuds, you can toss in turnips and parsnips.

Some vegetable varieties have greater cold tolerance than others so your peas, radishes, and many green leafy vegetables can usually be planted by the end of this month depending on the weather. In northern parts of Connecticut, it would be good if the soil warms and dries up a bit more.

Other types of vegetables are better to set in the garden as transplants, whether you grow them yourself or purchase them in cell-packs. The main reason for this is twofold. Certain plants, particularly in the brassica family, like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower germinate fine in warm household temperatures but like to be grown cooler than many of us keep our houses and if left in those warm temperatures grow long and leggy instead of short and stocky. So, it’s just easier to purchase healthy, stocky plants grown in a greenhouse to set in the garden or container, although the leggy ones usually catch up.

The second reason why some plants are better purchased as transplants is because vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and leeks have a long growing season – often 80 to 100 days from transplant until they produce harvestable crops. It makes more sense to plant 3- or 4-week-old transplants around Memorial Day so harvesting can start in late July or August. Contrarily, even though some winter squash and pumpkins might take 100 days or so to mature, I typically just direct seed them around Memorial Day because they seem to catch up with transplants, that usually experience a bit of transplant shock, pretty quickly so I don’t feel like I am gaining much by purchasing transplants and more importantly, the particular varieties I prefer are not always available as plants.

Fresh picked roma style tomatoes
This fabulous roma style tomato is an heirloom variety a friend brought from Italy. It makes a fantastic sauce! Photo by dmp2024

Regardless of whether you have a few containers to fill or a large garden, do some research before purchasing seeds or transplants. There are so many different cultivars available so look up variables like days to harvest, disease resistance, cold tolerance, productivity and more. Make notes on how they taste and any problems during the growing season.

When planning your edible plantings, also think about succession sowings, finding out what pest problems to be on the lookout for, last and first frost dates, mature size and space requirements, and days to harvest.

Feel free to contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center with questions on growing vegetables, herbs and other plants or if you have any other gardening questions, contact the UConn Home & Garden Education at (877) 486-6271 or www.homegarden.cahnr,uconn.edu or your local Cooperative Extension Center.

Tips for the February Gardener

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Tips for the February Gardener

By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Pothos with yellow leaves
Photo by dmp2024

February is a tough time for gardeners. Days are getting longer but the cold temperatures, and in many cases, snow, are keeping us inside. This is a good month to provide houseplants with a little TLC before the weather warms and the gardens beckon.

If possible, bring your plants one by one to the kitchen sink. Give them a thorough grooming by removing any dead or off color leaves. Trim back wayward or undesirable growth. Then give them a good rinsing under the faucet or use a wet cloth to wipe dust off of their leaves. For plants with hairy leaves, like African violets, a soft brush could be used to clean their leaves. Wash their saucers out before setting plants back.

Plants that have outgrown their pots can be repotted at this time. Usually, plants would be moved up to a pot that is an inch or 2 wider. Loosen or trim roots if they are growing in a circle or very dense. An all-purpose potting mix can be used for most plants but specialized mixes for plants like cacti and African violets are also available.

Your amaryllis has probably finished blooming by now. Cut off any spent flowers. Some people like to leave the stem until it yellows as it can photosynthesize but I generally remove the whole stalk after flowering. If you want plants to rebloom next year, the foliage needs light, water and nutrients to grow. Set your plant in a bright location and fertilize monthly starting in March. Plants can be moved outdoors after the danger of frost has passed either in their pots or set them into the ground in a part shady spot. Bring inside in mid-October and let the bulbs go dormant in a dark, warm area for about 8 weeks and then repot for another season of striking trumpet-shaped blooms. Some cultivars do not require a dormant period.

Check on any tender bulbs that you have in storage. Dahlias and tuberous begonias can shrivel if they dry out too much. They are usually stored in some barely moistened peat moss or wood shavings. Sprinkle with a little water if they are on the dry side. Also, this would be a good time to check on any winter squash, potatoes or other vegetables that you’ve been keeping. Use them up before they spoil.

Time spent perusing garden catalogs, either in print or digital format, is a great way to get through cold, winter days. When making out a seed order, don’t forget to note what seeds you have leftover from last year. Most seeds retain their viability for at least a year. It’s always a good idea to plan out the vegetable garden so you know what’s going to be planted where, and when. Last frost dates for your area can be found at: https://garden.org/apps/frost-dates/. The UConn Master Gardener program is offering a Garden Journal with tips on how to plan and maintain your flower and vegetable gardens and plenty of room for you to make notes. To order go to: https://mastergardener.uconn.edu/2024/01/30/garden-journals-available/.

Most of us recognize the benefits of buying local when it comes to produce and other Connecticut grown products but did you know we have at least 5 seed companies in Connecticut. They include Select Seeds (www.selectseeds.com), the Chas. C. Hart Seed Co. (www.hartseed.com), the Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre selling Baker’s Creek Heirloom Seeds (www.heirloommkt.com), John Scheppers Kitchen Garden Seeds (www.kitchengardenseeds.com), and New England Seed Company (www.neseeds.com). Be sure to see what they have to offer either online or at various retail locations.

If you need a floral fix to get you through to spring, stop by the CT Flower and Garden Show at the Convention Center in Hartford, Feb 22 -25. Visit the UConn Home & Garden Education Center’s booth for a free pH test (bring a half cup of soil) and answers to your gardening questions. A blooming time can also be had at Elizabeth Park’s Greenhouse Bulb and Plant Show, March 1 – 9. Since spring can’t be here soon enough, you’ll just have to go to where the flowers are blooming!

For your gardening questions, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu or contact your local Cooperative Extension center.