Use Seed Planting To Hop Out Of Hibernation

As my almost 5 year old great niece would say, only 31 more moons until the first day of spring! Not soon enough for me after this brutal winter.  Getting a head start with seed planting is sure to improve my mood, save me money this spring, and help me get ready for a super growing season.  But now, my fingers need to feel the dirt!

Of course, you can wait until later and buy full flats of flowers or vegetables from your nursery or garden center but if you’re looking to trim your budget or you’re looking for a greater variety, consider starting seeds indoors. Growing your own plants from seeds is an economical choice especially if you’re planning to have lots of containers or flower beds, or a large vegetable garden.  And it’s also fun to watch them grow!

If you’re really taking an economical approach, you may be able to get some free empty flats from your local nursery after they start to transplant small seedlings into larger pots. If so, it’s a good idea to rinse the containers with a solution of 2-3 tablespoons of bleach in a gallon of water to get rid of any lingering bacteria that may be hiding in the recycled containers. Let them dry and then rinse with plain water before you start planting.

The last thing you want to do is use regular potting soil to start your seeds. Potting soil can be too heavy and doesn’t provide the proper drainage for seedlings. Instead, use a soil less mixture made up of sphagnum moss with vermiculite, and sometimes perlite.  (Or you can order premixed Germinating Mix delivered to your door!)

You may be excited about planting your own seeds this year but maybe you’re not eager to start completely from scratch.  Or maybe you’re looking for unique gardening gifts.  Either way, these seed kits and seed starting supplies make it fun and easy while improving your success factor (make sure you follow the directions found on each seed packet):

• These patented APS units (shown above)  are available with either 12, 24, or 40 growing cells.  Each provides a water reservoir for automatic watering and can be reused for years to come.  Many gardeners purchase different size kits depending on the plants they want to grow.  The APS-40 unit has small planting cells which are better for smaller seedlings while the APS-24 has larger cells which are suitable for faster growing tomatoes, peppers, or marigolds.  Order the complete system including the planting tray, reservoir, mat and greenhouse cover.  You just provide the seeds and the planting mix.
• The Deep-Root Seedstarting System (see graphic below) only has 15 planting cells but they are 50% deeper than other systems.   Therefore, providing more room for greater root growth.  (Complete system include the base, growing dome with adjustable vents, and planting tray.)

The timing for starting seeds indoors is important.  While some seeds should be planted 10-12 weeks before they are moved to the garden while other seeds have much shorter germinating cycles and will be ready to plant outside in 3-4 weeks. This  When To Start Your Seeds  article provides a lot of great information about how to time your planting schedule and offers tips for creating your own schedule suitable for your area.

For a more comprehensive guide with tips including temperature, light, moisture, humidity, thinning and fertilizing your seedlings, check out the Seed Starting Guide.

Unless you don’t care about getting your broccoli mixed up with your bachelor’s buttons, be sure to label your cells with plant markers.  You may opt for the low-cost popsicle sticks or maybe you’ll invest in some durable, rust-proof designs.

Starting from seed is a fun, economical way to grow annuals, perennials, and vegetables for your spring and summer gardens.  It won’t be long before all your neighbors will be admiring the fruits of your green thumb!  (And these seed starter kits make inexpensive, wonderful gardening gifts, too!)

P.S.  For more information about additional indoor light sources, read Grow Lights Shed New Light On Indoor Gardening.

Starting seeds indoors gets our green thumbs up!