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It's a cold and rainy day today in the middle of January, which means it's a perfect day to start seeds for my spring garden! A lot of people don't think about their gardens until the spring, at which time they will run to the local nursery to pick up seedlings and compost.
Why Start Plants From Seed?
One main reason why people will start their plants from seed is that there are many more varieties that you can grow from seed. When you buy plants from the store or nursery, you are limited to whatever they carry (which are usually generic plant varieties). In my experience, I see a lot of plants (especially at the big box stores) that are not even suitable for my climate.
There are so many more options when you grow plants from seed. I love heirloom and unusual varieties of plants (for example, this year I will be growing bitter melon) that only can be purchased from seed.
Another reason why people start plants from seed is that its much cheaper than buying seedlings.
The third reason is that it gives you more control over the plant's growing conditions. You can ensure that the plant was started in healthy soil and is disease free. You also can control when the seed is started and when it is transplanted into the garden. When you buy plants from the store, you are limited to whenever they get that shipment of plants and this might not always be at the right time for your area.
Where to buy seeds?
My hands down favorite place to buy seeds is Baker Creek. Even when I have purchased plants from them, they have always been extremely healthy. They carry only heirloom seeds (historical seeds that can be saved and replanted year after year) while many other seed suppliers carry hybrid seeds. Hybrid seeds are not bad, but they will require you to purchase new seeds once the packet runs out or expires.
Other places I recommend are Seed Savers Exchange, Annie's Heirloom Seeds, High Mowing Seeds, Southern Seed Exchange, and MIgardener.
How to Create a Seed Starting Space
The first thing you want to consider is the location of where you will set up your seed starting station. Some people will start seeds in the garage or basement, but often those places can get pretty cold which will affect germination. If you do choose an unheated location, you will want to put in an additional heat source or else many seeds won't germinate properly (especially warmer weather crops).
I personally start seeds in my laundry room which is at room temperature or slightly above that due to the washer and dryer running daily. This setup gives me high germination rates while remaining out of site.
Lighting
You can start seeds in front of a sunny window, however there is a higher chance of getting leggy seedlings (seedlings that grow weaker, tall and thin, and stretch towards the light).
I prefer to grow seedlings on a sturdy shelf with grow lights to get the healthiest plants. The shelf allows me to fit more plants vertically in my small laundry room, and it has locking wheels so I can easily roll the shelf outside when it is time to harden off seedlings (more on that below).
The shelves are adjustable so as the plant grows, I can adjust the height so that the plants are at the right height underneath the grow lights. You want the lights to be about 2-3 inches above the plants.
It's recommended to keep the grow lights on for 14-16 hours and then let the plants rest overnight. I have my lights on a timer to make things easier.
Heat
Each plant is different in terms of what temperature it needs to germinate. But many plants successfully germinate around room temperature. If you are starting seeds in a location that is below room temperature or you are trying to germinate a heat loving plant like peppers, I would recommend using germination heating mats to improve germination rates.
Soil and Pots
There are different methods to starting seeds (like the soil blocking method) and different homemade seed starting mix recipes out there, but I really like to keep it simple by using plastic pots and Happy Frog or Fox Farms potting soil. Sometimes I will add in a little bone meal, blood meal, and/or worm castings (especially for plants that take a long time to grow from seed), but I don't typically have issues using just this potting soil.
I've used other seed starting mixes and potting soils in the past and ended up with a shelf full of seedlings with nutritional deficiencies that eventually died on me, so I'm careful about the soil I use.
Most plants I start in a 6 pack cell, but for some plants that grow large quickly (like tomatoes) I will start them in a 4 inch pot and eventually move them into a 6 inch pot. It's a good idea to have a few different sized pots on hand. I place my pots in a 10x20 seedling tray.
Why not start all the plants in larger containers? The answer is: you want to maximize the space you have on your grow shelf, so it makes more sense to start them in smaller containers and then move them into bigger pots later if they run out of space.
Watering and Fertilizing
Most of the time, the best way to water seedlings is what is known as "bottom watering". This is when you pour a centimeter of water into the bottom of the seedling tray. The soil in the pots will absorb the water through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
This is better than pouring water on top of the soil because it reduces soil erosion, displacing the seeds, and water splashing on the plants (which can spread disease).
Also, make sure to not over or underwater the seedlings. You will know the seedlings need to be watered when the top layer of soil dries out. This should be about 1-2 times per week.
When I am first starting seeds, I like to gently spray water on the top of the soil to prevent the soil from drying out. Using a humidity dome, plastic bag, or plastic wrap can help hold in moisture until the seedlings germinate (then you will want to remove it).
Once the seedlings have their first set of true leaves, I fertilize them every two weeks with a seaweed fertilizer until they are planted outside.
Ventilation
It's a good idea to have an oscillating fan (on low) on in the room where your seedlings are. This not only improves ventilation, but it also helps to strengthen the seedling stems because it mimics wind.
If you see green algae or mold on your seedlings, just simply remove it. Sprinkling cinnamon on the soil can help keep the growth at bay. Reevaluate your watering and ventilation practices.
This is the end of part 1 of my seed starting guide. I wanted to create an in-depth resource, so I had to split it into two digestible chunks. Now that you've learned the basics of creating a seed starting space, head over to part 2 where I discuss planting, transplanting, and hardening off!
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