Starting flowers and vegetables from seed is a great activity, especially when you just can’t wait any longer to get your hands dirty before spring. It’s an inexpensive project, lots of fun for the whole family and the varieties of seed available from multiple sources far exceeds what you can find locally.
It usually takes six to eight weeks for plants started from seed to be ready for outdoor planting. When you start seeds indoors, you have better control over the environment and can time your plantings to ensure they are not subjected to freezing conditions, which would kill tender seedlings.
Seed trays may be purchased but common household items are just as effective, such as small cups or bowls. I like the plastic containers that you get at the grocery store or from a take-out restaurant. They have a clear plastic lid, perfect for watching your progress and keeping moisture in.
For planting, use a seed starting mix that is “soil-less”. You can make your own, or buy ready-made products at any garden center. These mixes are light, and sterile. They are usually made up of a combination of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Avoid using garden soil. It is too heavy for tender seedlings, plus soil contains disease pathogens, which can kill your plants.
When sowing seeds, premoisten the mix so the seeds are not disturbed by water after planting. It should be about the dampness of a wet sponge. Assuming the container or tray stays covered, the mix should hold all the moisture the seeds need to germinate. However, not all seeds have the same germination requirements, so it’s best to refer to instructions on the seed packet or elsewhere for specific details.
Next, cover the trays with a plastic lid that allows light through but holds moisture in. Plastic bags work well. With adequate moisture, condensation will develop inside this tent or cover.
Supplemental lighting is important for best growth. A simple shop light consisting of two 40-watt florescent bulbs is perfect and very inexpensive. Place your tray or containers under the lights and positioned just above the container cover. The lights should stay on for about 16 hours each day.
Keep an eye on the seeds daily. As soon as you notice them sprouting, remove the cover. Too much trapped moisture could cause plants to rot. Placing a small fan nearby to keep air moving across the soil will help keep new seedlings disease-free.
Lastly, continue to add water as needed to keep the soil moist but not wet. Once the cover has been removed, soil will tend to dry out more quickly. Be sure to continue to raise your light, keeping it to within an inch or two from the tops of your sprouts. In about six weeks, the seedlings will be ready to transition into the garden.
Starting seeds indoors is just one more element of gardening that I find addictive and a great activity when not much else is going on in the garden. As a bonus, your seedlings will reward you with months of vivid colors, fresh produce and the satisfaction of knowing you had a hand in making it happen.
For more information, watch our episode! It’s all about starting plants from seeds.
Hi Pat. That soil mix came from mailorder, at Johnny’s Select Seeds. Here’s the link: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
It may be pricey to ship but it’s really good stuff. You can read about it online first.
Hi, watched the episode about starting plants from seed. I would like to know where {stores} that carry the “soil” mix that you used in this episode. Thanks, Pat ps I’m in Texas!
Shipping the mix is not very green – mix your own! Purchase Elliot Coleman’s book “The New Organic Grower” which explains the blocking tools, materials to use, and recipes (p 141) for the mixes, plus MUCH more. There is more than one recipe: one for starting seeds (mini blocks) and one for growing seeds on in larger blocks. The blocking mix is just the tip of the information iceberg here. I began using the book in 2003, using blocks to grow everything. I now mix my soil in a small cement mixer purchased used for under $100, develop school gardens, have private clients – all because of this book, and I knew very little about gardening in 03. There is so much info in the book it is overwhelming at first, but it will absolutely revolutionize your garden practices as no other reference can. Check Coleman out on several U Tube posts where he demos soil blocking, explains how to harvest salad veggies all winteri in an unheated environment in Maine’s zone 5 (I do this in Chicago), and more. U tube has several episodes where he explains processes. He is a wonderful teacher who loves to share. The episode “Eliot Coleman at VABF 2011 is 90 min long, and the audio on the first 11 min is impossibly garbled. SKIP the first 11 min, or you will go crazy, then begin watching. It summarizes the book, so you will have a good idea of how revolutionary these practices are.
PS, you must mix soil and use it fresh, not mix months ahead. Read, read, read, and enjoy! You must know more than you will ever learn by purchasing the mix. Coleman would want you make your own mix – really!!
You’re right Barbara. Eliot is a very hands-on guy for sure. And his books certainly reflect his enthusiasm and willingness to share his wisdom, so that others can do the same where they live too. I think he’s converted thousands of gardeners to making soil blocks to start their seeds, including me. We had the pleasure of spending a couple days with Eliot and Barbara at his home and farm in Maine a year ago to film an episode for our series. In it, we talk about the soil blocks while Eliot makes them. If anyone reading this wants to see more about this in action, here are a couple great links!
This link is our episode with Eliot. In it, there is a segment of him in his greenhouse, working with the soil blocks: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode301/
We also filmed an episode where I demonstrate in more detail how to make them using the same equipment Eliot uses. That link is here: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode315/