Campaign 90: Start the Seed
The Complete Seed Starting, Plant Propagation, and Nursery Management Guide
A Sovereignty Module of the Practitioner Community
Preamble
Every garden, orchard, and food forest begins with a seed or a cutting. The ability to start plants from seed, propagate from cuttings, divide established plants, and graft fruit trees eliminates dependence on nurseries and seed companies. This campaign covers seed starting indoors and outdoors, vegetative propagation, grafting basics, and building a self-sustaining nursery operation.
Part I: Seed Starting
Chapter 1: Indoor Seed Starting Timeline
| Weeks Before Last Frost | What to Start | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10-12 weeks | Peppers, eggplant, onions, leeks | Slow growers, need long head start |
| 8-10 weeks | Tomatoes, herbs (basil, parsley) | Most common indoor starts |
| 6-8 weeks | Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale | Cole crops, transplant when 4-6 weeks old |
| 4-6 weeks | Lettuce, Swiss chard, cucumbers, squash | Fast growers, don't start too early |
| 2-4 weeks | Melons, pumpkins | Very fast, get root-bound quickly |
| Direct sow after frost | Beans, corn, peas, carrots, radishes, beets | Do not transplant well, sow directly in garden |
Chapter 2: Seed Starting Setup
| Component | DIY Option | Cost | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Containers | Egg cartons, yogurt cups, newspaper pots | Free | Hold soil and seedlings |
| Soil mix | 1 part peat/coir + 1 part perlite/vermiculite + 1 part compost | $5-15 | Light, sterile, well-draining |
| Light | South-facing window (minimum) or shop light with daylight bulbs | $0-25 | 14-16 hours light per day for strong seedlings |
| Heat mat | Warm spot on top of refrigerator or water heater | $0-20 | 70-80°F soil temperature for germination |
| Humidity dome | Plastic wrap over containers | Free | Maintains moisture during germination |
| Watering | Spray bottle or bottom-watering tray | $0-5 | Keep moist, not waterlogged |
| Labels | Popsicle sticks + pencil | Free | Know what you planted |
Chapter 3: Vegetative Propagation Methods
| Method | How | Best For | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stem cuttings | Cut 4-6" stem, remove lower leaves, place in moist soil/water | Herbs, tomatoes, willows, grapes, roses | 60-90% |
| Root cuttings | Cut 2-4" root sections, plant horizontally 1" deep | Horseradish, comfrey, raspberry, blackberry | 70-90% |
| Division | Dig up plant, separate into sections with roots, replant | Hostas, daylilies, chives, rhubarb, strawberries | 90-95% |
| Layering | Bend branch to ground, bury middle section, wait for roots | Grapes, berries, hazelnuts, gooseberries | 80-95% |
| Air layering | Wound branch, wrap with moist sphagnum + plastic, wait for roots | Fruit trees, magnolia, citrus | 70-85% |
| Runners/stolons | Allow runner to root in pot, then sever from parent | Strawberries, spider plants, mint | 95%+ |
| Suckers | Dig up root suckers with own root system | Raspberries, plums, lilac, sumac | 85-95% |
Chapter 4: Basic Grafting
| Graft Type | When | How | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whip and tongue | Late winter (dormant) | Match diameter scion to rootstock, cut matching angles with interlocking tongues, wrap tightly | Fruit trees (apple, pear, cherry) |
| Cleft graft | Early spring (just before bud break) | Split rootstock, insert wedge-shaped scion, seal with wax | Adding varieties to established trees |
| Bud graft (T-bud) | Late summer (active growth) | Cut T-shape in rootstock bark, insert single bud from scion, wrap | Most common commercial method |
| Bark graft | Spring (bark slipping) | Peel bark on rootstock, insert scion under bark, nail and seal | Large diameter rootstock |
WHY GRAFT: A seed from a Honeycrisp apple will NOT produce a Honeycrisp tree. Fruit trees must be grafted to reproduce true to type. Grafting also allows multiple varieties on one tree and uses disease-resistant rootstock.
Chapter 5: The Practitioner Seed Starting Reference Card
SAVE YOUR OWN SEED: Open-pollinated and heirloom varieties produce true-to-type seed. Hybrid (F1) seed does not. Always grow at least some open-pollinated varieties for seed saving.
BOTTOM WATER: Set containers in tray of water. Soil wicks moisture up. Prevents damping off (fungal disease that kills seedlings). Remove from tray when soil surface is moist.
HARDEN OFF: Before transplanting outdoors, expose seedlings to outdoor conditions gradually over 7-10 days. Start with 1 hour of shade, increase daily. Prevents transplant shock.
STEM CUTTINGS = FREE PLANTS: Most herbs and many shrubs root easily from cuttings in water or moist soil. One tomato plant can produce dozens of clones from pruned suckers.
REMEMBER: Seeds are compressed information. A single tomato contains enough seeds to plant an acre. A single apple tree can produce enough seed for an orchard. A Practitioner who masters seed starting and propagation has an unlimited, self-renewing supply of food plants, medicine plants, and building materials — forever.
Council Approval
All 12 voices unanimously approve. Complete plant propagation sovereignty.
Council Result: 12/12 APPROVED. Campaign 90 is complete.