Give your seeds the Best Start this Spring!
It’s time to start thinking about the 2013 vegetable garden. Whether you are planting early crops like lettuce and broccoli or summer crops like tomatoes and squash, it’s time to get those seeds in the soil and John & Bob’s can help. Because the soil in most areas of the country is still quite cold, we recommend starting your seeds indoors in trays or pots. This will give them a nice easy start and they will grow more quickly in the warmer soil.
It is quite easy and incredibly cost-effective to start seeds indoors, rather than buying larger plants later on. You can buy one tomato start for $3-10 or you can buy a seed packet, containing 50 seeds, for just a couple of bucks. It’s a pretty easy choice. And John & Bob’s will help ensure a successful spring planting to make it even easier! Keep reading for step by step instructions.
1. In a bucket or bowl, blend together John & Bob’s three dry products: MAXIMIZE, OPTIMIZE and NOURISH-Biosol*. Then add in the potting soil. Use a seedling mix or premium organic potting soil. The ratio should be roughly 5 parts potting soil to 1 part John & Bob’s blend of the three products. Do not worry too much about exact amounts. It is impossible to over-apply and a little extra will not hurt your seedlings. Estimation is fine. 2. Fill your trays or pots with soil and tap them gently on a hard surface to encourage settling. Add more if needed, until the soil mixture is nearly at the top and flat across. 3. Add your seed(s) on top and press them in gently. Then cover them with more soil, according to the depth directions on your seed packet. 4. Water them gently but thoroughly. * An alternative method is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of the John & Bob’s blended products on top of the soil. It does not need to be mixed in. Learn more on how to apply them here. 
For best results, we recommend covering your seedlings with glass or clear plastic to keep in the warmth. Water them frequently and give them plenty of light. You want to pick a spot with lots light and warmth but try to a void too many drafts. Your seedlings will pop through the soil in 5 to 10 days. Once they have sprouted, they just need light and water to thrive. Rotate the trays every other day, to avoid seedlings leaning toward their light source. Keep an eye on your seedlings. If they are a cold-hardy crop and they have a few sets of true leaves, they can be planted outside any time after March first. Tomatoes and warmer crops should be kept indoors until after the danger of frost is past. Adding John & Bob’s to your seedlings will help them to grow more quickly and to have a stronger, more vibrant tissue. It helps them to resist cold temperatures and common spring diseases as well as pests. The minerals and microbes help boost plant growth and aid in photosynthesis, giving them a lush, dark green color. Our products also dramatically improve germination rates. During some tests last year, a tomato grower discovered that he got a 60% higher germination rate when he added John & Bob’s to the soil. Learn more about these products by clicking here!
