Are you anxious to start playing in the dirt in your garden? I know I am! Warm weather always gives me the itch! One of the ways that I overcome the desire to place tender little plants outside too early is to start seeds inside. This helps me get my “fix” to see green after a long, dreary winter, and gives me a head start in my garden when the soil temperature rises enough that I can plant outside. Using a few “free” containers and some potting soil, you can easily start seeds inside and enjoy their happy greenery before transplanting outside in a few weeks. 🙂
You can purchase seed starter kits at home improvement or farm stores, yet there isn’t a need to do so. We actually use “recycled” plastic clam shell containers from the grocery store. You know the ones…spinach, leafy greens, and fruits come in these little beauties. We simply add a little potting soil to the bottom of the clean containers, plant our seeds, and place them on our Indoor Growing Station to let the magic happen.
If you have a large set a windows, you could set up a small table and allow your plants to hang out there. I don’t have room for that in our living room, so we use the Growing Station in our basement. If you’d like to check out plans for how we built our growing station for around $30, click here. I am really enjoying the flexibility it has provided!
Seven tips when starting your seeds:
- Be sure to follow planting instructions on the back of each seed packet for depth and spacing. Once seeds sprout, you can pull the shoots if they are too close together.
- Use popsicle sticks to label seeds. It’s easy to forget where certain seeds are planted.
- Keep the soil moist, but not too wet. Allowing the seeds to sit in really dry or really wet dirt will cause them stress and they could die.
- Be aware of the amount of light your seeds are receiving. Vegetables want a lot of light, at least 14-18 hours per day! I found a great article here for more information.
- Transplant seeds to larger containers once they become too large for the plastic containers. I like to use the containers that can actually be placed in the ground and eventually dissolve. This limits transplant shock.
- Involve your kids! I have found that very few kids have actually worked in the dirt and planted food they are going to eat. By allowing your kids to be involved, you are teaching them a life skill and giving them an appreciation for their food supply.
- Have fun and enjoy the new little pieces of nature you are creating! Seeing new green shoots emerge from the soil is not only exciting, but I believe watching plants grow and change is calming. It returns us to our roots…no pun intended. As a society, we expect instant gratification. Planting and tending to vegetables and herbs helps to slow us down, bring us back to the simpler things in life. 🙂
The little seeds I planted two weeks ago already look happy and healthy! They are well on their way to being ready to plant outside in a few short weeks. I encourage you to start seeds indoors this growing season. Using the recycled plastic clam shells, it’s inexpensive and a super healthy way to work more veggies into your diet. You’ll be ready for your summer garden in no time and harvesting healthy vegetables and herbs before you know it!