With spring just around the corner, now is a perfect time to get seed starting indoors and get a jump start on the season. Starting your garden from scratch by sowing seeds is not only the most cost-effective way to garden but the most rewarding too. Growing something from seed and harvesting tasty produce that’s free from chemicals and pesticides is a feeling of joy and pride. Knowing that YOU did it successfully without breaking the bank growing healthy, organic food.
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Listen to the podcast episode or read on to find out about seed starting.
Are You Scared Of Seed Starting?
You might be feeling a little intimidated by starting your garden from seeds but rest assured that if you stick with it, you will succeed!
Failures, plants dying, seeds not germinating are all normal when it comes to gardening! We’re working with the natural world after all and the only way that you will truly fail is to not try.
How you care for your seedlings and plants sets your vegetable garden up for the coming season. Caring for seeds is pretty straightforward if you understand that there are 3 main things which plants need that are:
- A growing medium like a seed starting mix
- Water
- Light
Now that doesn’t seem so bad right?
There are so many benefits to starting a garden from seeds like it is waaay cheaper than buying starts and seedlings at the nursery or big box store and my favorite reason, there are so many more varieties to try and grow!
So, are you ready to dig in and get your seeds started?
What Seeds Can You Start Indoors?
There are some seeds you will want to start indoors, especially if you have a short growing season. Starting seeds indoors helps your plants to have enough time to grow and produce a harvest before the frost arrives. Some plants need to be sown directly outside in their growing position because they do not transplant well. Plants like carrots or rutabagas (swedes) fall into this category. You might see the phrase direct sow outdoors on your seed packet. This means that you need to sow the seeds into the garden bed outside where these plants will grow.
Plants which are typically started indoors include:
Plants started indoors are ones that have a long growing season before you get a harvest. Usually, seeds are sown a few weeks before your last frost in spring. For example, tomatoes are about 6 to 8 weeks before your last average frost. If you live in a cooler, short season area, you would be looking at starting them at about 8 weeks before your last frost.
Read The Seed Packet
Your seed packets are a wealth of information! Just about everything you need to know about starting your seeds is detailed on each seed packet. Information on your seed packet should include:
- when to start seed indoors
- proper planting depth
- spacing
- days to germination
- ideal germination temperature
Most seed packets will tell you if you can get a head start by sowing seeds indoors and when to transplant them outside. Pay attention to specific instructions about covering or not covering the seeds with soil. For the best germination, some seeds need light, while others need to be covered with your seed starting mix.
Sow your seeds into your seed starting containers following the directions on the seed packet. You might need to add more seed starting mix to accommodate the lower level after tamping down. Water your seeds in by using a spray bottle to gently add moisture without spraying the seeds away!
Growing Medium
One of the best pieces of advice I can give when it comes to starting seeds is to invest in a good quality seed starting mix. One I have had great success with is Jiffy Natural & Organic OMRI Listed Seed Starting Mix. It is easy to find online and in local big box stores. And it’s OMRI Listed, meaning it is suitable for organic growing! It’s also affordable for an organic seed starting mix.
It is best to use a new seed starting mix each season. Using old potting mix or mixing up the leftover seed starting mix from seed trays can introduce diseases to your baby seedlings. As can using soil from the garden. Set your seedlings and yourself (including your wallet!) up for success and use the new seed starting mix to help ensure strong healthy seedlings.
Pre-moisten your seed starting mix before filling your containers. I empty the seed starting mix into a clean TubTrug
Easy Growing Mediums
If you are busy (and who isn’t these days?) then you might want to consider using compressed discs of peat or coconut coir to start your seeds. The little discs swell with water like those compressed flannels or washcloths from the late 80s, early 90s (does anyone else remember those in England??). The discs swell up and provide an easy to handle single sowing container that is easy to transplant into the main garden bed. The ones you will see the most of in the big box stores and online are the Jiffy greenhouse kits like Jiffy 36 Peat Pellet Professional Greenhouse (36 mm pellets). These are great for sowing brassicas like cabbage or broccoli but have been a little hit and miss for me when growing tomatoes or peppers.
Seed Starting Containers
Your containers need to hold the seed starting mix and be able to drain water so your seedlings are not too wet. Containers for seed starting can really vary, from reusing yogurt pots and cups through to seed trays, there’s a seed starting container to suit your needs and budget.
I use module seed trays with have anywhere from 36 to 72 individual cells to sow a single seed into each module (or cell). This gives the seedlings room to grow without having to compete for root space with another plant. Plastic module trays and greenhouse kits are reusable each season but will need washing with hot soapy water to remove any pests or diseases which might damage your young seedlings.
You can also use biodegradeable peat pots or even make your own paper pots
Fill your seed starting containers 3/4 full with the moist seed starting mix. Then gently press out the air pockets in the seed starting mix in the containers. This is called tamping, tamping down or tamp-down. It helps to establish a healthy root system for your seedlings.
Encouraging Germination
When you start your seeds, it’s important to keep the seed starting mix consistently moist, particularly in the winter and indoors where humidity levels are low. Your seed starting mix needs to be moist but not soggy or waterlogged. Overly wet soil will have problems with mold, algae and even moss growing on it!
To help germination, cover your seed-starting flats or containers with the clear plastic dome that you get in the greenhouse kits or use a piece of plastic wrap to prevent moisture evaporation. The plastic dome helps warm your trays a little and keeps the moisture in helping your seedlings germinate quicker.
Be sure to check your seeds every day and remove the clear plastic dome or plastic wrap as soon as the first sprouts emerge. If the growing medium looks dry, mist it with water from a spray bottle.
Temperature
Most seeds germinate best when the soil temperature is 65°F (18°C) to 75°F (24°C). In a cooler home or greenhouse, you can put your seed starting trays or containers onto a seed heat mat
Once the seedlings are up and growing, they prefer cooler soil temperatures and good air circulation. Running a small fan on the lowest setting near your seedlings will help keep them cool and discourage diseases like damping off.
Provide Light
Seedlings need light to grow and for most people, there are three options for light:
- A sunny windowsill
- A grow light
- A greenhouse or cold frame.
An unheated greenhouse or cold frame is not going to cut it for seed starting your warm-weather crops if you live in the north. This is because it won’t be warm enough for the seeds to germinate.
A sunny windowsill may not provide enough hours of daylight for your young seedlings. You’ll need at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight for your seedlings a day. I use LED grow lights
If your plants are leggy (tall and spindly), they are straining for more light. Place your seedlings closer to your grow lights if you are using them or provide more light if you are using the windowsill or greenhouse. Grow lights should be just an inch or two above the seedlings at all times for maximum rooting, shooting, growth, and warmth. You might need to rotate your seed trays each day for even light exposure. If you don’t provide more light, your spindly seedlings will be weak and are more susceptible to breaking, pests, and diseases.
Watering Seedlings
Once your seeds have sprouted, you need to let the seed starting mix surface dry out briefly between waterings to reduce disease and encourage strong root growth.
The best way is to water seedlings is from the bottom up. Pour a 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) layer of water in a large tray and place your seed starting trays or containers into the water. The seed starting mix will wick the water up from below and the plant roots will be encouraged to grow down in the search of water.
Feeding Seedlings
Inside every seed is a little energy bank that contains all the nutrition needed for germination. Once the seed sprouts and they develop their first true leaves, your baby seedlings need a consistent supply of nutrients for healthy, vigorous growth. Water your seedlings once a week with a weak compost tea or natural liquid fertilizer. If you don’t fancy making your own then try an OMRI listed organic seaweed fertilizer or fish emulsion.
Potting On
Seed starting mixes don’t usually contain additional nutrients to feed your seedlings. The seedlings will need to be moved into bigger containers and fed to maintain their growth. This process is called potting on.
To pot on your seedlings, you will need to pre-moisten your potting mix just like you did with the seed starting mix. Next, partially fill a container with potting soil (I like to use this one
Try to move the seedling only by gently holding their baby seedling leaves that they had when they first sprouted and avoid holding delicate seedlings by their stems which can easily break.
Fill the container with more potting soil then water your seedling in well and place them back into the light so they will continue to grow.
Thinning Seedlings
Once your seeds have germinated you might find that seedlings are growing super close to each other or you have more than one seedling in a module. You will need to remove the weaker looking seedling so that the strongest seedlings have more room to grow. This is called thinning or thin out. It creates better airflow around the seedlings, reduces diseases and helps to avoid overcrowding and tangled roots.
If you are a new gardener, the best way to thin out your seedlings is to cut the weaker seedling with scissors at soil level then remove the bit you cut off.
Mimic Life Outdoors
In the great outdoors, young plants have lots of things thrown at them to develop a strong plant. The wind and rain help to develop strong roots and stems. You can recreate this indoors to build strong, sturdy plants that will thrive when it comes to transplanting outside.
- Place a fan on low to blow over the plants periodically to mimic the wind. This also helps cut down on some diseases too!
- Run your hand over the leaves and the tops of the plant or gently shake the tray to mimic the wind if no fan is available.
- Use a spray bottle to mist over your seedlings to mimic rain. Be sure to let the soil and plants dry before misting again. So you don’t encourage diseases to take hold of your baby seedlings.
Hardening Off
Transplanting your seedlings straight outside can be quite traumatic to your plants if it happens too abruptly. This can cause transplant shock and plants can die from it or take 4-6 weeks to recover from it before they get growing again. Stressed out plants are more likely to be hit by pests and disease. So do like The Raconteurs’ song and be steady as she goes when it comes to transplanting.
The way we do this is by gradually exposing our seedlings to life in the great outdoors and acclimatizing them to temperature changes and the elements over 10 days. This is called hardening off.
You need to choose a spot in your garden where it isn’t in direct sunlight and somewhere that your seedlings won’t be battered by prevailing winds. A cold frame is perfect for hardening off seedlings as the sides provide shelter from the elements. Take your plants outside to this sheltered area for 2 hours on the first day. Bring them back inside by the mid-late afternoon.
Increase the time they are outside by 1 to 2 hours each day over the next few days. By day 6, keep them outside but cover them during the night using a cold frame or frost protection. Don’t skimp on the time it takes to properly harden off your plants! I promise it will be worth the effort. When your plants settle in and thrive in the garden rather than dying or taking a month or more to recover.
Transplanting
Transplanting seedlings is when you plant them out into their final growing position in the garden bed. To reduce unnecessary stress on your plants, plant the seedlings in their new home on a calm, overcast day. Pay attention to the seed packet if the plant can be transplanted before or after the last frost date. In general, warm weather crops like peppers, tomatoes, okra etc need to be transplanted 2 weeks after the last frost.
Follow these steps and you will be well on your way to a thriving organic garden this season!
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