Seed Starting

            For many gardeners, now is the time of year where you make your pilgrimage to the local nursery and start looking at what you will be planting this year. You’re looking for tomatoes and peppers and onions and broccoli whatever the nursery has that is established. And you will pay for that convenience. But what if I told you that for a fraction of the cost, you could have far, far more plants in your garden? In fact, you could have more than you can handle.

Starting your plants from seeds is a time-honored way of getting your garden going early. I remember reading a article a while back that pointed out how in the winter months we gardeners are just itching to get back to work outside. Well, unless you have a greenhouse, you probably just waited on the sun. It really isn’t necessary.

You’re going to need a few things depending on where you are going to start your seeds. If it is in your house, then you will need something like a Jiffy Greenhouse for $5. You can start 50 plants in one flat with this particular one. However, there are all manner of seed starting flats out there and if you really look around, you can get them cheaper. Mine are just like this except they have plastic cups instead of paper so I can re-use it for several years. Others even come with a peat pellet so you don’t have buy soil.

You do need to be careful where you put the flats, though. They have a clear plastic top to trap the heat and if there is too much heat, you will fry the plants (I can personally attest to this). Also, you need to keep the soil moist, but not “soupy.” I put mine outside under a covered patio with a grow light over the top. On a warm day it some of the tiny sprouts very quickly. If you know it’s going to be warm, you will want to take the plastic tops off.

Now you need seeds. You can get seeds anywhere this time of year, but you want to be a tad discerning. You can get them at your local nursery or you can order them from a seed company. It really just depends on what you want. A lot of vegetable seeds are only a couple of dollars for several hundred seed. You can $4-5 bucks for one plant and $2-3 bucks for 100-200 seed. See the savings there? Sure, you will not likely need that many seed, but they will usually keep for a few years in a warm, dry place like a coffee can with a lid. Or, go ahead and grow too much. The neighbors and your friends will love you for it.

If you want organic or Heritage seeds, you will likely have to order them online. I like to use Burpee. Never had a problem with them and their online product catalogue is fantastic.

Make sure your seed can be started indoors. Some plants, like carrots or potatoes or beans, like to be directly sowed into the ground. Transplanting a plug with these plans disturbs the roots too much and they give out on you.