Seed Starting

The most wonderful time of the year! What’s that? The beginning of garden season. Well, for me anyway. Is there anyone else who feels the same?

Seeds are arriving from my favorite seed companies. Pretty much every store displaying trees, shrubs and seed packets gets me in the planting mood. My first and second set of seeds have arrived.

I chose my seeds from companies dedicated to selling GMO free. Another criteria was that the seeds be heirloom. I want to be able to save these seeds and hybrid would not work for saving. So, the seed companies we are fond of are Baker Creek Heirloom, Sow True Seed and MI Gardener. They meet all my criteria. As far as price goes Baker Creek and Sow True Seed run about $2.50 for their seed packets. MI Gardener seed packets are .99 cents per seed packet, but their seed selection is smaller.

The excitement for seed starting must be contagious because everyone wants to help! Maybe it’s just the playing in dirt that gets ’em anxious to help. Either way, I am more than glad to involve the kids in gardening.

The supplies we used to start our seeds include: Jiffy Organic Seed Starting Mix, Seed Starter 72 Cell Mini-Greenhouse and/or Pro-Hex Seed Starting Tray, and seeds.

Let me share with you the process we use for seed starting:

Step 1: Clear off dining room table (if this applies to you…it does here!)
Step 2: Unwrap your seed trays
Step 3: Choose which seeds you want to start as seedlings. Root veggie seeds and corn need to be sown directly in the ground. Tomatoes, herbs, flowers and peppers are great for starting indoors. I have seen greens and squash(es) started indoors but have read it’s best to direct sow in ground. I haven’t decided which way I will go with these…maybe I’ll try a few indoors so I can see what works best for us.
Step 4: Fill the bottom tray with 1/4 inch of luke warm water
Step 5: Fill trays with seed starter mix
Step 6: Using your finger, make 1/4 inch deep hole in the starting mix
Step 7: Place 1-2 seeds in each hole and cover
Step 8: Spritz the tray until mix is moist (use luke warm water)
Step 9: Label the trays/rows
Step 10: Cover with clear top (included with kit) & place in a sunny window

We check the seeds every day, spritzing with a spray bottle when the mix begins to dry. Also, keep a check on the water in the bottom tray. So far, we have celebrated the appearance of broccoli and lots of tomatoes! YAY!!

The last tidbit I want to share on the topic of starting seeds is using a garden journal. Document the date you start each seed, recording the progress and flops. Recording, no matter how minor it may seem, will be a great help come gardening time next year.

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Have a blessed day!