Sow some fun: get together with friends for a seed-starting party and reap the benefits

Sunset, Jan, 2005 by Julie Chai, Sheila Schmitz

Like a seed itself, a seed-planting party can grow into a whole season of rewards. It starts in winter with a group of friends, fueled by garden-inspired eats and sharing a workspace and basic supplies. At the end of the party, everyone goes home with a promising assortment of properly planted herb, flower, and vegetable seeds ready to sprout.

Hosting a party like this is easy; everything you need is shown here. Set your sowing date at the beginning of the planting season in your area: January to March in mild climates, April or May in colder areas. You'll be warmed by thoughts of summer bounty.

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1 Send out invitations

Remind guests to bring containers for planting and seeds to share. The invitations shown at right resemble plant markers; visit www.sunset.com/invitation to download the design.

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2 Set up a workspace

It can be indoors, or out on a sheltered patio or porch. Cover the table with newspapers or a vinyl cloth. Fill a wheelbarrow or bucket with packaged seed-starting mix (you'll need at least 6 quarts per person). Moisten the mix so it's damp.

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3 Choose easy-to-start seeds

Among the array sold at nurseries and garden centers, the following kinds germinate readily.

Herbs and veggies

* Basil

* Lettuce and other leafy greens, such as arugula

* Peppers

* Tomatoes (especially small cherry types)

Summer annuals

* Coleus

* Cosmos

* Marigolds

* Zinnias

Seed sources

* Nichols Garden Nursery (www.nicholsgardennursery.com or 800/422-3985)

* Ornamental Edibles (www.ornamentaledibles.com or 408/929-7333)

* Renee's Garden (www.reneesgarden.com)

* Seeds of Change (www.seedsofchange.com or 888/762-7333)

* Territorial Seed Company (www.territorial-seed.com or 541/942-9547)

* West Coast Seeds (www.westcoastseeds.com or 604/952-8820)

4 Feed your guests

Set up a buffet to serve simple foods such as vegetable soup, bread, cheese, and fresh fruit, plus hot coffee and tea. To make "seedling" brownies like those shown at right, spoon batter into muffin tins and sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired. Bake and cool. Pierce the top of each brownie with a toothpick and insert a sprig of fresh mint.

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5 Get planting

* Fill containers to the rim with moistened seed-starting mix (A). Gently firm down soil, add more, and firm again until soil is nearly flush with lip of container. You can start seeds in peat pots, plastic sixpacks, or small terra-cotta pots or seed trays--nearly any container will work as long as it has good drainage.

* Use a moistened chopstick or dull pencil tip to pick up small seeds and poke them into the soil (B).

* Sow seeds at the proper depth according to packet instructions (C).

* Mist the soil with water from the spray bottle to avoid disturbing seeds (D). Continue to keep soil moist but not soggy.

* Label containers or seed trays with the variety name and planting date (E).

* Place containers in a warm spot until seedlings emerge. Once they do, they need at least eight hours of bright light a day. If your home is dark, prop or hang a fluorescent light above the seedlings.

* Transplant seedlings into individual 4-inch containers when they develop their second set of leaves, also known as their first "true" leaves (F). Use a spoon to lift each seedling with its roots from the smaller container and transfer it to the larger one. Continue to keep seedlings in a bright area, and make sure the soil stays moist.

* Move seedlings outside when they have four or five sets of leaves. Let them acclimate gradually to the outdoors. Slowly increase their exposure to direct sun over a week or so. Then plant them in well-tilled ground or large containers.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY THOMAS J. STORY