GARDENING WITH DAVE: Sprouting seeds display miracle of nature

The day after our last big snow storm a few weeks ago, I stepped out in the yard to see rows of tiny, butterfly-shaped leaves emerging from the slush. My first lettuce of the year had decided that, good weather or not, it was going to sprout.

It came as a surprise even though in the three years I've been planting a small kitchen garden spring has always been snowy and nasty and the lettuce has never failed to sprout.

Still, looking at a lettuce seed four times smaller than a grain of rice, just before you press it into the cold, dark spring ground, it seems almost cruel to expect it to survive. You start looking over your shoulder to make sure the People for the Ethical Treatment of Plants aren't around.

But hey, that's the miracle of life. Like fellow gardener/writer Henry David Thoreau said, "I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there and I am prepared to expect wonders."

In the dark ground, the seed drinks in moisture. The embryo, with tiny roots and leaves already formed, begins to swell. The root pushes through the seed casing into the soil, where it drinks in more moisture and nutrients. The little leaves start to burrow toward the light. About a week later, the first leaves flutter in the sun.

"Really? You don't need to start them inside or use special lights or anything?" a friend starting his first garden asked the other day.

Nope. Not if you want to keep it simple. I garden with the goal of producing maximum food and pleasure with minimum investment in time and money. To do that, you just need good seeds, good soil and a little encouragement.

First, the good seeds: You may have some seeds left over from last year, or given to you by a neighbor. Mother Nature doesn't include an expiration date, so how do you know if they're still good? Colorado's arid air is kind to seeds. Generally, if you're storing them in a dry, cool place in they'll last for years. But you'll want to test them. Put 10 seeds between two wet paper towels in a sealable plastic bag. Put the bag in a warm place (I use the top of the refrigerator) and wait a week. At least eight of the seeds should germinate in a healthy batch. If five or fewer do, the seeds are toast. Toss them and get a new pack.

Second, the good soil: A baby plant carries its first meal in its seed, so you don't have to feed it, but you do need to water, and water heartily. A newborn lettuce root may reach only a quarter inch into the ground. That means the top layer of soil has to be kept moist. Water every day (twice on hot days) until the plants grow secondary leaves.

Third, encourage the seeds: For the eighthgrade science fair, I microwaved a bunch of different seeds, then saw how it affected germination. The squash, radishes and beans all sprouted days earlier than the non-nuked control group. The heat must jump start the seeds. Ten seconds will do it.

Another way to warm them is by watering from a sun-warmed bucket instead of a cold shower from the tap. Fill a five-gallon bucket and let it warm through the day, then water in the evening. The water warms the soil, speeding germination and encouraging growth.

It is also time to start thinking about tomatoes. For a full explanation of growing good tomatoes on the Front Range, check out my blog,gazettegarden.blogspot.com.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0223 or dave.philipps@gazette.com