Seed Starting Indoors - Get a Jump on Your Spring Garden

2 Materials
$120
2 Hours
Medium

It’s time to start thinking about Spring, about garden planning and about seed starting. Here in Minnesota, Spring is a ways off, but that doesn't stop me from getting really excited about the prospect of green and growing things. Some of you lucky gardeners that live in milder climates may have already began starting seeds indoors.


I’m not going to say seed starting indoors is easy, because it’s not. So if you see “10 Easy Steps" referring to seed starting don’t believe it. Well okay, the actual process of putting some seeds in dirt is easy, but once the little babies start sprouting, they need lots of attention on a daily basis. My advice to those of you who have never done seed starting is to start with one or two trays your first time. In trying to keep it as simple as I can, here are some basic step-by-step instructions for seed starting indoors.

Supplies:

  • Seeds
  • Seed Starting Potting Mix – if you’re trying to do this on the cheap, don’t skip a good seed starting potting mix.
  • Pots – Side note here, I do not like peat pots, for me they dry out way to fast. I’ve used both plastic and peat pots and I have much better success with plastic. I use pots that are big enough to allow the roots a little room, so I don't have to transplant the seedlings into bigger pots before moving them outside. If you’re just starting out, you can use yogurt containers, plastic or Styrofoam cups. Just make sure to poke holes in the bottom of your container for drainage.
  • Trays to hold the pots – I like the ones with the domes. The dome acts like a little greenhouse and it helps to retain heat and moisture to give your seeds a good start. Really get the domes, you’ll be glad you did and you can reuse them for several years.
  • Proper Lights – sorry a sunny windowsill just won’t cut it. You’ll end up with leggy seedlings that will flop over. My set up consists of cheap shop lights with hanging chains.
  • Shelving
  • Power Strip with a timer, or a separate timer.
  • Fluorescent bulbs. I just use the cheap ones, really nothing special and I've started many, many seeds indoors and had great success with just the regular fluorescent bulbs.
  • Fan (I use an oscillating one).
  • Fertilizer
  • Plant Tags and permanent marker.

Steps:

If you’re a beginner, start small and choose 5 or 6 flowers or veggies to start with. Some really easy seeds to start indoors are tomatoes, cucumbers, marigolds, zinnias and nasturtiums. Don't start them to early though.


Timing – so this step requires a little math.

First of all, you’ll want to know the last frost date for your zone. If you don't know, google it. Don't know your gardening zone, you can look that up here.


Next look at your seed packet and it should tell you when to start your seeds. For example: I live in Zone 4b so my last frost date is somewhere around May 1st. The seeds that I’m starting say to sow indoors 8 weeks before danger of frost has past. So counting back 8 weeks from May 1st, I come up with March 6th. So, I will start these seeds sometime in the first week of March to have a few days to harden them off before planting them.


Set up your light station - You’ll want to have chains attached to your lights, so that you can adjust the entire light. Your seedlings will need at least 16 hours of light per day. I never remember to turn the lights off and on, so very early on in my seed starting venture, I knew I would need a timer.


Mix the soil - Follow the instructions on your bag of seed starting mix to prepare the soil. Most mixes need to be mixed with water. Don’t get your mix to soggy, or your seeds will rot before they have a chance to germinate.


Add soil to your pots - Fill your pots with soil, leaving a little room at the top for the seeds and soil to bury them. Pack the soil down to eliminate air gaps.

Planting the seeds - Follow directions on the seed packets as to what depth to plant the seed. A good rule-of-thumb is the smaller the seed, the more shallow it needs to be planted. Some teeny tiny seeds don’t even require a covering of soil. I usually plant 3 - 4 seeds per pot. After the seeds have been dropped, go back and cover them with soil. Use a plant tag to label your seedlings.


Covering your newly planted seeds - Cover your trays with plastic domes, or plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. I usually wait until the seedlings almost reach the top of the plastic cover before I remove the clear plastic dome.


Once the lid is removed, make sure to check the seedlings every day. I start watering with a spray bottle and just mist the soil. Once the seedlings are bigger and their roots are established, I water them with a small watering can.


Fan – As soon as all the domes come off, I get my oscillating fan on low and get it blowing on the seedlings. This helps to mimic wind, makes them strong and helps to avoid any diseases.


Adjusting your lights – I keep my lights just a couple of inches from the tops of the seedlings. You want them close enough so the seedlings don’t stretch for the light and get leggy. As your seedlings grow, your lights will have to be adjusted frequently.

Thinning your seedlings - I hate thinning my seedlings. So I have to keep telling myself that it’s better to have one strong plant than to have a bunch of scrappy weaklings. To thin, I simply snip the weakest seedlings with a pair of tiny scissors and leave two or three to thrive.


Hardening off - Once your plants are ready to go outside, it's a good idea to harden them off. After being in a controlled environment, they need to adjust to being outdoors. To harden off, simply sit your plants outdoors for a couple of hours at a time each day, extending the time a little each day to toughen them up. Start out putting them in a shade location and increase their sun exposure a little each day. However, don't leave the plants in full sun or they will definitely fry.


It's so gratifying to grow flowers or vegetables from seed. After the initial purchase of your lighting, shelving, trays and pots, the cost is minimal. I encourage you to give seed starting indoors a try. For a more complete tutorial and supply list, please be sure to check out my post, Seed Starting Indoors on my blog Gingham Gardens.

Suggested materials:
  • Seed starting pots and trays   (Amazon)
  • Shop lights   (Home Depot)
Joanna - Gingham Gardens
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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