Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors-A Primer
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Depending on what you’re planting this year and how far ahead of the normal harvest curve you want to be, you should be starting seeds indoors by now. A product which is excellent for first timers is Burpee’s Ultimate Seed Starting System.
I’ve used this off and on over the past few years (it’s a tabletop mini greenhouse) and had great success with it. Very simple to use, clear directions, ready to use out of the box.
One note of caution: Be careful when you transfer your seedlings from the pods in the Burpee greenhouse to peat pots or rounds. I planted two or three seeds in each pod to insure germination, but when more than one seed sprouted, in my desire to keep as many seedlings as possible, I separated each seedling and transferred it to its own round pot. Big mistake, as the stress on the stems and roots from doing this resulted in weak or dying plants a week or two or three later. Your best bet is to transfer each individual pod “as-is” to its own peat pot or round pot and thin the plants later as they become better established.
When you transfer your seedlings into larger pots, use a potting medium. It’s very important to NOT USE GARDEN SOIL, as it may contain fungus, parasites, etc which can adversely affect your seedling’s growth. You must use a soiless mix for best results – the seedlings will grow like mad with the proper mix.
Light: It’s always recommended that you place your newly germinated plants in a South-facing window for best results, but like most things in gardening, this is just a guideline. In fact, I use a Northeast facing picture window and it works brilliantly. If you want to get more involved, you can always buy some grow lights and keep the plants lit up anywhere in your home.
Water: Remember to not over water your seedlings – they only need water when the top of the soil has started to dry out – over watering leads to mold and fungus in the soil (and on your peat pots) and will stress and otherwise weaken your plants.
Starting your seeds early is a time-consuming process, but well worth the effort, as you’ll be harvesting tomatoes, peppers, parsley, basil, broccoli, cucumbers, etc weeks before your neighbors!
See my earlier post on seed starting with reference charts on when exactly to start seeds indoors.
Thanks for sharing. This project is a great way to introduce kids to something new. They become excited about watching the plants grow indoors and once you plant them outdoors, you’ve got little hands to help you cultivate!
Gladys Taber said it best with: A garden is evidence of faith. It links us with all the misty figures of the past who also planted and were nourished by the fruits of their planting.
Just found your blog! Thanks for all the great information. I’ll look forward to reading future posts.