Seed starting is an exciting and rewarding way to grow your own plants from scratch, but can often be overcomplicated. So let’s get back to the seed starting basics and cut out all the fluff…because gardening is supposed to be super fun, and good for my mental health. Starting plants from seeds is a great way to ensure that you have the exact plants you want in your garden, and also gives your plants a leg up because they are being started and learning to thrive in the the environment you plan to plant them in. But I remember starting my first plants from seeds and being a teeny bit overwhelmed by the specific soil mixes everyone said I needed, germination rates, and everything else.
The first step in seed starting is to choose the right seeds. There are many reputable places you can purchase seeds from, like a local nursery or a vast number of online seed companies, or you can save seeds from your own plants. Once you have your seeds, you start the germination process, which is getting the seeds to sprout and start growing. There are a few different methods you can use to germinate seeds, and we’ll get into it later, but the easiest is to plop them in some soil and watch them grow.
Then it’s time to care for your seedlings. For some of our plants, like our luffas, we start them in January and then have to watch the seedlings until June. This includes providing them with the right amount of light, water, and nutrients. As our seedlings grow, we will eventually need to transplant them into larger containers to give them more room to grow, as well as more nutrients in the soil. When your seedlings are strong enough and the weather is right, you can transplant them into your garden and watch them grow into beautiful plants.
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Getting Started with Seeds
Starting a garden from seed is super fun; you get to watch your little plant babies grow up into adults. It’s also so incredibly frugal. You don’t have to buy fully grown vegetable plants for $4 USD to plant out in your garden, when you can grow 100 seedlings for the same price. With a little bit of knowledge and the right supplies, we can grow a variety of vegetables, flowers, and herbs from seed.
Selecting the Right Seeds
When selecting seeds, it is important to choose a variety that is well-suited for our climate, growing conditions, and the amount of effort we want to put into the seeds. We can find this information on the seed packet, or online seed company description. I have yet to find an online seed company that doesn’t provide an in depth description. We should also consider the size of our garden and the amount of space we have available. Some vegetables, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, require more space than others, like lettuce and radishes. We typically plant with the expectation that fifty percent of our seeds will die. That has nothing to do with the seeds, or the plants, more along the lines of we get busy, or I travel for work, and the plants just don’t get the love they need.
Almost all of our seeds come from online seed companies, such as Botanical Interests, or Burpee. We found out really early on in our garden journey that EVERYTHING we want to grow is not ALL available from one retailer. When purchasing seeds, we should look for packets that have been stored in a cool, dry place and have not expired; some companies will even provide their expected rate of germination, which is cool.
Another thing to think about is consider buying organic seeds, which are free from harmful chemicals and pesticides. While we try to do this, it’s not always in the forefront of our minds; it’s more important to us that we GROW our produce organically without any added chemicals.
Saving Seeds from your Garden
In the last couple years, we’ve started saving some of our seeds and experimenting with them. I wouldn’t consider us experts on using our own seeds yet, but we’ve had fantastic luck with our saved zucchini, luffa, and butternut squash seeds, as well as some easily grown herbs like cilantro and basil. And last year we grew and saved about 1000 onion seeds that we are SO EXCITED to plant this spring. We don’t know if the seeds are for our red or yellow onions, but the experiment of parenting multi-generational plants is fueling our excitement.
Understanding Seed Packets
Almost all seed packets will contain all the important information that can help you successfully choose and grow your plants. On the front of the packet, you will find the name of the plant, a picture of what it will look like when it matures, and the variety. The back of the packet will contain information about the plant’s growing conditions, such as how much sunlight it needs, when to plant it, how deep to plant the seeds, and how many days until first expected harvest.
You should always read the information on the seed packet carefully before planting, especially if this is the first year you are planting a particular plant. Our rule is normally only one or two new plants a year, like last year was sweet potatoes. For those “special” plants that are new to us, we read the seed packet (or other information) forward, backwards, and sideways. This helps to ensure that we are providing our plants with the best possible growing conditions. We can also use the information on the packet to plan our garden and determine which plants will grow well together.
Seed Starting Equipment for the Frugal Gardener
When starting seeds, it’s important to have the right equipment to ensure success. But that doesn’t mean you have to fork over a fortune for your first year in gardening. There are many, many ways to reuse items around your house for the majority of your seed starting needs.
Choosing Containers
When it comes to containers for seed starting, there are a variety of options to choose from. Some popular choices include plastic trays, peat pots, and seed starting cells. Our absolute favorite way to start seeds has been the EPIC 6-Cell Seed Starting Trays. By the time these were launched, we were old-hat at gardening, and ready to upgrade. Prior to investing in our EPIC 6-Cells (and we got 4-Cells too!!), we were (re)using cardboard milk containers, old nursery pots, and takeout containers with holes drilled in the bottom.
The only problem with recycling or reusing odd containers, is as we scaled up and started 240 onion seeds, and 40 tomato plants, along with everything else, we just didn’t have the room for the odd containers. And they are easily destroyed. It was perfect timing, that Kevin and his team at EPIC Gardening launched these around the same time. The EPIC 6-Cell trays fit together perfectly, so we could get the 240 onion seeds in one universal bottom tray, and save so much space. Plus we could easily move the seedlings around, which happens quite a bit more than we thought it did.
It’s important to choose a container that is the right size for your seeds and that has adequate drainage to prevent water buildup. We recommend using containers that are at least 2-3 inches deep to allow for proper root growth. Bottom line, use what you have as you’re getting started, just make sure there are drainage holes and enough space to allow the plant to create some strong roots.
Using Grow Lights
While natural light is ideal for growing plants, it’s not always possible to provide enough light for seedlings indoors. When we started gardening and growing our own seedlings, we reorganized our entire living room. We moved the coffee table over to our largest window, and used baking racks and recycled boxes to create more surface area. That was the year that I grew about 100 anise hyssop seeds in recycled milk containers and the Boyfriend was wondering why I thought that was going to be a good idea.
But the next year, we really stepped up our garden production when we added grow lights. The awesome thing about these lights is that you can basically use any LED light for your plants, so the monetary barrier to entry is not that high. Plant lights provide the right spectrum of light for plants to grow and thrive. LED lights that are specific to seed starting might have some additional features like turning up or down the brightness, or being programmable to turn on and set with the natural sun cycle. I have no clue how the Boyfriend has set ours up, but they turn on every morning to wake us up will beautiful, artificial sunshine, and then without us even thinking about it they turn off at sunset. This is convenient too as the days start to become longer as winter turns into spring, and then summer.
When using grow lights, it’s important to keep them close to the plants to prevent the plants from stretching towards the sunlight and getting leggy, and to provide at least 12-16 hours of light per day.
Heat Mats and Humidity
Humidity domes and heat mats can also be really helpful when starting seeds, but are not necessary for most types of seeds when you are just starting out. Heat mats provide a warm environment for seeds to germinate, while humidity domes help to maintain moisture levels and prevent the soil from drying out. We’ve learned (from far too many experiences), that seedlings drying out almost always means death, they just don’t have the root and plant structure to maintain without that added moisture.
Inexpensive ways to get started with heat mats and humidity domes are using items like your radiators or heat vents to warm the area around your seeds. Of course, the closer the warmth is to the seedling, the better the germination, but I’m of the mindset that every little bit helps. We’ve only just started experimenting with a heat mat, and it has been super helpful for some of our seeds that we plant that don’t necessary naturally live in our climate or zone, like luffa. We’ve also not had the most spectacular luck growing rosemary from see, but the heat mat did seem to help with germination quite a bit last year.
Of the two, I think humidity does are way more useful. We’ve lost a lot of seedlings to our busy work schedules. The humidity dome helps to keep all the moisture lost from the soil can be absorbed back in by the plant, plus the domes add a consistency to the beginning stages of the plants life that really help them thrive. Before we got our humidity domes that fit on our universal bottom water trays, we were able to create a make-shift greenhouses by using mason jars for some of our plants. And one year we used recycled large plastic bags tied around the open metal shelving to keep at least some of the moisture in (and our cats from eating our baby herbs).
Start Seeds Indoors
When it comes to seed starting, the planting process is a crucial step in ensuring the success of your plants. We are imperfect and messy gardeners, so we normally choose a night, pour some wine, and make a giant mess on our kitchen floor to begin planting our seeds. Some seeds do okay being started outdoors, but it’s easier for us to start 99% of them indoors so that we can transplant them when have time AND the weather is right!
Preparing the Soil Mix
Before planting your seeds, it’s important to prepare the soil mix. A good starting mix should be light, well-draining, and free of weed seeds, chemicals, and pathogens. You can either buy a pre-made mix or make your own by combining compost with some materials for drainage and structure like rice hulls or coco coir. We do try to stay away from peat moss and vermiculite, but sometimes have limited choices based on our small, local area. Our local native plant nursery, uses rice hulls and let me tell you I want my seedlings to grow up like hers. They are absolutely beautiful.
One day….fail forward is our motto here.
Once you have your starting soil ready, moisten it with water until it’s damp but not soaking wet. It will likely absorb A LOT more water than you think. Then, fill your seed trays or pots with the mix, leaving about 1/4 inch of space at the top.
Sowing Seeds and Labeling
Once you’ve made a mess of your kitchen floor and unsuccessfully prevented your dog from jumping on your filled 6-cell seed tray (thank goodness ours are super durable, otherwise we probably wouldn’t have any left), it’s time to get planting. MY FAVORITE PART. It’s so organized, and thought out. Make sure you read the seed packet for instructions on planting depth and spacing, especially if these are new plants for you! As a general rule, plant seeds at a depth equal to twice their diameter.
Once you’ve planted your seeds, it’s important to label them. This will help you keep track of what you’ve planted and when. You can use popsicle sticks, plastic labels, or even masking tape to label your seeds. Make sure to include the name of the plant and the date planted at a minimum.
And while labels are important, I’m here to tell you that we’ve never once 100% knew what we were planting in the garden. Oh, we had general ideas, but our labels have come off, gotten lost in the repotting, gotten lost, faded, or broken…every single year. One of these years we will get it right and know exactly what every plant is.
Caring for Seedlings that Germinate
Once your seeds have germinated, it’s important to care for the seedlings properly to ensure they grow into healthy plants. This is the plants infancy, the most important and crucial part to setting your plants up for success. But don’t worry if you fail them here, most of them are at least a little forgiving..and you can always start more seeds!
Watering and Feeding
Seedlings need regular watering to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. We recommend using a watering can or spray bottle to water gently and avoid disturbing the delicate seedlings. It’s important not to let the soil dry out completely, but also not to overwater because this can cause root rot. We recommend checking the soil moisture level regularly and adjusting your watering schedule accordingly. We’ve taken to using a spray bottle for our little babiest plants, and then use our water can as they develop larger root structures and thicker stalks.
In addition to water, seedlings also need nutrients to grow. We don’t add anything to our seedlings as most of the important nutrients are in our compost that makes up about three-quarters of our starting soil mix. Adding fertilizers to your baby plants can often be too much for them, so it’s just easier for us to use good soil to star their lives in.
Providing Adequate Light
Seedlings need plenty of light to grow into healthy plants. Natural light is best, so we recommend placing your seedlings near a south-facing window or under an LED light if natural light is not available. Our seedlings grew just fine in a large south facing window in January-March a couple years ago, so maybe try this year with natural light and as your grow more next year, gift yourself (and your plants) a grow light.
It’s important to monitor the light levels and adjust the distance between the seedlings and the light source as needed to ensure they are getting enough light without getting burned, and that it’s not too far away and making your plant babies reach.
We recommend providing 12-16 hours of light per day for your seedlings. Seedlings can utilize more light (when gifted judiciously), than what’s recommended. Our spinach that we start inside probably gets about 12 hours of light until we plant it outside, but outside we put it in a spot that only gets about 4-6 hours of daylight (the shade helps with the summer sun). If using a plant light, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the recommended distance and duration of light.
Transplanting and Acclimation
When your seedlings have grown to a certain size, and it is the appropriate time for them to go in the garden, it is time to transplant them. The timing is very dependent on your gardening zone, last frost dates, and if your plant has its true leaves (second set of leaves). Transplanting seedlings is really easy if you let them acclimate to their natural surroundings: sunlight, wind, and temperature…kinda like how you would acclimate a goldfish to his new tank. In this section, we will discuss two important aspects of transplanting: hardening off seedlings and transplanting to the garden.
Hardening Off Seedlings
Before transplanting our seedlings, we need to harden them off. Hardening off is the process of gradually acclimating our seedlings to the outdoor environment. This process helps to prevent transplant shock, which can cause our seedlings to wilt or die.
To harden off our seedlings, just gradually expose them to outdoor conditions. We can start by placing them outside for a few hours each day (normally around noon to begin with), gradually increasing the time they spend outside over a period of several days. This should expose our seedlings to direct sunlight, wind, and fluctuations in temperature, while letting them get used to life outdoors.
Transplanting to the Garden
Once your seedlings are hardened off, it is time to transplant them to the garden. YAYY!! Before transplanting, we need to prepare our garden beds by loosening the soil and adding compost, as needed. We should also make sure the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
When transplanting your seedlings, the most important thing to remember is to leave the roots alone as much as possible. You should dig a hole in the soil that is slightly larger than the root ball of our seedling and then gently loosen the soil around the root ball to encourage the roots to grow into the surrounding soil.
After transplanting, you should water your seedlings thoroughly to help them establish their roots. And consider providing support for tour seedlings if they are tall, top-heavy, or have gotten a little leggy.
Final Thoughts on Seed Starting Basics
That’s it. You are well on your way to mastering the basics of seed starting, and I can’t wait to hear about your excitement about growing your own food this year. Even if it is just one plant! Seed Starting is essential for any gardener looking to plant a thriving garden. By understanding the basic needs of the seedlings like soil, light, water, and temperature, you can successfully germinate and nurture your seeds into healthy plants, saving lots of money as well. And I’m telling you, growing your plants from seed is so rewarding. Additionally, by selecting the containers that give their plants what they need, and providing proper care, gardeners can set themselves up for a bountiful harvest. Whether starting seeds indoors or outdoors, following these basic seed starting principles will lay the groundwork for a successful growing season and a beautiful garden.