Starting Garden Plants From Seed

I love to garden! There is nothing more satisfying that planting tiny seeds and nurturing them until they produce lots of beautiful produce. I also love to can the produce out of my garden. In order to have enough produce to eat fresh and preserve for the cold winter months, I need to plant tomato and pepper plants on a grand scale. I usually plant between 20 - 24 tomato plants and 28 - 30 assorted pepper plants. HELLO SALSA! Buying this many plants at the local nursery can get a little bit pricey. To offset the cost, I have learned to start my plants from seed. It is actually quite simple.

 

You will need a few supplies:
 

1. Containers to plants the seeds in
2. Potting oil or Seed Starting Mix
3. Water
4. Seeds
5. Markers to identify the variety of your plants
6. Clear container to create a green house

Seeds should be started six to eight weeks before you want to plant them in your garden. I live in Zone 5. I usually plant most of my garden Memorial Day weekend. The frosts have passed and the days are warm enough by then.

Egg cartons are great for starting seeds in (they can be planted directly into the ground because they are biodegradable). Just poke a hole in the bottom of each well with a large nail for drainage.

Plastic yogurt cups are a wonderful, too and free. Just poke a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage. Peat cups are also good and usually cheap. Watch the clearance tables at the end of the summer. You can nab them for next to nothing. I also have saved the black plastic pots from previous years trips to the green house. Lots of times if you can get them for free by asking a salesperson at the nursery if they have any they are going to throw away. If so stock up and save them for later.

 

Watch for sales on potting soil or seed starting mix. I usually use potting soil, but sometimes starter mix is cheaper. Just make sure the soil contains a fertilizer to feed the plants as they grow.

 

 

Fill each of the pots with soil. Fill them clear to the top. Water the soil until it is damp. The soil will settle a little bit. You only want the soil to be 1/2 inch below the rim of the pot, so that the seedling will be able to get plenty of sunshine. If it settles more than that add in a little more dirt.

 

Next place two seeds on top of the damp soil in each pot. Push them down gently about 1/4 inch and cover with the damp potting mix. You are planting an extra seed in case one does not grow. If they both grow simply pull out the smaller of the two plants. Make sure to mark what each variety of plant is! Believe me all tomato plants look alike. I use wooden craft sticks (a.k.a. popsicle sticks). Just write the variety on the stick with permanent marker (non permanent ink runs if the stick gets wet).

 

 

I like to cover my seeds with a clear plastic cover. This creates a green house effect, keeping the germinated seeds warm and helps retain moisture. You can buy plant starting kits anywhere they sell garden seed and plants. I am cheap so I sometimes use leftover bakery and large (Costco size) deli containers.  As the plants grow you can prop up the clear lid. You don't want the plants to touch the lid it will stunt there growth. Once your seedlings are about 3 inches tall and leafing out, you can remove the lid. Also, notice the shelf in front of the French door. That particular window gets sun from about 1:00pm until the sun sets; making it the perfect warm, sunny place for little seedlings to grow. The shelf is metal which also helps keep the plants warm. Plants will grow towards their source of light, so turn your plant around if they are leaning to much. That way they will continue to grow straight.

 

It is very important that the soil remains damp, but not overly saturated while the seeds are growing. The soil should feel wet, but not ooze moisture. If it is crumbly it is too dry. Misting them daily with a spray bottle is a good idea, until they are 2 -3 inches tall. Then you can gently pour water around the plant 3 - 4 times a week.

 

Now just sit back and wait impatiently for all of your tiny little seedlings to start popping through the soil. You should see them 7 - 10 days after you have planted them.