MUCH ABUNDANCE FROM A LITTLE SEED
It's time to start some seeds!
I always eagerly anticipate this time of year when it starts to get a little warmer outside and my garden is calling my name. So while I wait until the ground is warm enough, I can still get digging in the dirt by starting my seeds indoors.
It's a simple process and can save you lots of money. Buying and starting seeds is way cheaper than buying the plants at the local store. If you haven't already, place your seed order today! Many companies ran out of stock last year after COVID hit and more people started growing their own food during the pandemic. (That was one good thing that came out of being quarantined.) I ordered from http://www.territorialseed.com this year and have been pleased with the quality of their product in the past.
My setup is pretty simple. I have wire shelving in my garage to hold all my seedlings. I bought a shop light from Home Depot and added two fluorescent lights, which hung under the shelf. You can also find tons of grow lights in stores or online, which provide both warm and cool shades of light. The trick to using these lights is to keep the light within one to two inches of the top of the plant. If the plant has to stretch too far to get to the light, the stem will become "leggy" and not able to support future plant growth.
I reuse 2"x2" plastic nursery planters that I have saved over the years, but you can use things around the house like empty toilet paper rolls cut into 3" sections or biodegradable peat pots. These small pots go into a larger plastic tray with a plastic dome to catch the water runoff and create a greenhouse effect. I found this fairly inexpensive kit on Amazon. You can purchase seed growing potting mix or make your own from compost, perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss. Plant your seeds according to package directions, keep soil moist and away you go! You should see growth in 5-7 days on most plants.
Note* If your garage is below 60° like mine is, I also use heat mats under the plastic trays, as most seeds need the soil at 60° in order to germinate.
In the next few weeks I have tons of seeds to start like peppers, 10 varieties of tomatoes, cilantro, thyme, basil and even watermelon.
What are you going to plant? I'm excited to hear!
