When you start seeds indoors for flowers and vegetables, you’ll find that growing from seed is easy and affordable. The benefits extend beyond your garden borders. Julie Thompson-Adolf, author of Starting & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Flowers for Your Garden, emphasizes that seed starting is not as hard as it seems. With the right knowledge, growing from seeds can be a rewarding experience.
How to Begin Gardening with Seeds
Starting a garden with seeds offers a greater range of plants to grow, many of them heirloom varieties that exist because of seed saving. You also have control of the crop from seed to harvest, an important consideration in organic gardening. When you start your edible garden with seeds, you’ll always know where your food comes from.
Advantages of Seed Starting:
- Cost-effective: At about $2 per package, seeds are an affordable way to grow a garden.
- Variety: Access to heirloom and specialty varieties not available as transplants.
- Control: Manage your garden from seed to harvest, ensuring organic practices.
Planning Your Seed Garden
Begin by making a list of your favorite flowers and vegetables. For new gardeners, it’s best to start small and expand over time. Consider how much time you have for gardening and choose plants accordingly. Most vegetables thrive in full sun, but some, like tender greens, prefer partial shade.
Tips:
- Start with a handful of favorites and expand each year.
- Know your location’s light conditions and select plants that will thrive there.
- Some seeds need special treatment before planting (e.g., nicking and soaking nasturtium seeds).
Preparing Seeds for Planting
You’ll need a good light source for growing seeds indoors. If the light is too far away, seedlings will stretch and become weak. Position the light source two to three inches above the seedlings and adjust as they grow.
Tip: All seeds sold at The Home Depot are non-GMO, ensuring safe and healthy gardening.
Timing is Everything
The key to successful seed starting is timing. Start too early, and seedlings will be leggy and weak; start too late, and you’ll miss the optimal growing conditions. For warm-weather crops, check the seed packet for “days to germinate” and “days to maturity.” Use your area’s last frost date to calculate the ideal seed starting date.
Seed Starting Steps:
- Pour soilless mix into a bucket and dampen with warm water.
- Fill pots in trays with the mix and tamp down to eliminate air pockets.
- Plant seeds at the proper depth; count on three seeds per pot for small seeds, two for larger seeds.
- Label containers and trays with the seed variety and planting date.
- Cover the tray with a humidity dome or plastic bag to retain moisture.
- Keep the seeds warm, using a heating mat if necessary.
- Once seedlings emerge, slightly vent the cover and remove it when true leaves appear.
- Provide adequate light and water.
Container Planting Tips
Seeds can be started and grown in containers, perfect for small spaces or urban gardening. Choose hybrid varieties bred for containers and ensure pots have adequate drainage. Edibles like peppers and eggplants can be ornamental as well.
How to Start Seeds Indoors
Starting seeds indoors involves a few simple steps. Begin by pouring soilless mix into a bucket and dampening it with warm water. Fill pots in trays with the mix, tamping down to eliminate air pockets. Plant seeds at the proper depth, usually three per pot, and label them. Cover the tray with a humidity dome and keep the seeds warm. Once seedlings emerge, provide adequate light and water.
Materials Needed for Seed Starting
- Soilless mix
- Pots and trays
- Labels
- Humidity dome or plastic bag
- Heat source (e.g., heating mat)
- Light source (e.g., grow lights)
Caring for Seedlings
Once seeds have germinated, ensure they get enough light, water, and nutrients. Position lights two to three inches above seedlings, adjusting as they grow. Water from the bottom to avoid damping off and use a water-soluble fertilizer once a week.
Transplanting into the Garden
Before transplanting seedlings into the garden, they need to be hardened off. Gradually expose them to outdoor conditions by placing them outside for increasing periods over a week. Transplant seedlings into the garden after the last frost date, ensuring they are well-acclimated to the outdoor environment.
Direct Sowing Seeds in the Garden
Some seeds can be directly sown in the garden when the soil temperature is warm enough. This method is suitable for crops like beans, carrots, and radishes. Check the seed packet for specific planting instructions.
Seeds to Start Indoors
- Vegetables: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, melons, squash.
- Herbs: Basil, parsley.
- Flowers: Zinnias, nasturtiums.
Direct Sow These Seeds
- Vegetables: Beans, beets, carrots, peas, radishes, corn.
- Herbs: Cilantro, dill.
- Others: Spring onions, turnips.
Saving Seeds for Next Season
At the end of the season, save seeds from open-pollinated or heirloom plants. Beans are the easiest to save—leave a few to dry on the vine, then store the dry beans for next year.
Building a Seed Starting Station
A seed starting station provides an ideal environment for seedlings. You can build a basic, sturdy frame with PVC pipe to suspend grow lights. This setup ensures seedlings get consistent light and are easy to manage.
Materials Needed:
- PVC pipe and fittings
- End caps, tees, elbows
- Grow lights, chains, power strip, timer
Steps:
- Cut PVC pipes to required lengths.
- Assemble the frame using tees, elbows, and end caps.
- Attach grow lights with chains.
- Plug the lights into a power strip and timer.
- Set the timer for 12-14 hours of light per day.
Conclusion
Starting seeds indoors is a rewarding way to garden, offering variety, control, and affordability. With the right timing, materials, and care, you can successfully grow a wide range of plants from seed. Whether you need the right planters, seeds, or potting soil, The Home Depot delivers online orders when and where you need them.
