I’m sure you’re aware, but food prices have gotten crazy. Because of that, something my partner and I have been focused on is upping our gardening skills and improving our setup. Previously, we’ve been half-hearted about our gardening endeavors. Until now! We’ve prioritized becoming more self-sufficient in the hopes that we can eventually get to a place where we have decent harvests. As a result, we’ve done a huge garden reno using some second-hand stuff we were lucky to get and now that it’s all together – and spring is here – we’re well on our way to supplementing our food with homegrown produce!
As we go through this journey of trying to grow more seeds than we’ve ever grown before, I thought there must be others who also want to save on their grocery bill, get some outdoor time, and want access to quality produce. So I’ve written a complete guide so you can learn (and I can remember..) all there is to starting seeds. Perfect for anyone looking to get into this with little starting cost. Let’s get into it!
Benefits of starting seeds indoors:
Starting seeds indoors can be extremely beneficial, for many reasons. First, it helps with timing. Essentially, starting seeds indoors gives the plants a head start so you’ll be able to get better yields. That’s because they’ll have the maximum amount of time in their ideal growing conditions when the time comes. That alone is priceless because the plants were able to grow a sizeable amount before their season which lets you harvest sooner. So the plants can grow larger and have better harvests or flowering periods if you start them indoors.
The benefits don’t stop there! Not starting seeds outside allows you to space the plants out better which will let them grow more optimally. That’s because when you start seeds outside in the ground you may eventually need to remove or move plants. Since conditions and growth can vary, the odds of your seeds growing in perfect grids is unlikely. So each plant can have ample space for its roots to spread and enough nutrients, sun, and water without having to compete with other plants. Plus, spacing seeds can be tricky in itself… I’ve lost track of many seeds before sadly.
Also, starting seeds indoors is perfect for small gardens, home gardens, and places without much yard space. That’s because you can be more strategic and ensure all the garden space you do have is used by viable seedlings. Plus, the alternative to starting seeds indoors is using starters or starting seeds in a greenhouse. For us small-time gardeners, indoor starting is ideal as you get the benefit without needing a ton of extra space and materials. Furthermore, it’s a cheap way to grow a variety of plants. Seeds are more inexpensive than starters but, of course, require a little more effort.
Materials:
1. Seeds
Seeds can be found in a number of places like garden supply stores, grocery stores, hardware stores, and even online. You can also sometimes get viable seeds from produce you buy at a grocery store, but that’s less dependable than buying a packet of seeds.
2. Seed starting mix
A high-quality seed starting mix gives you the best chance of successfully growing good produce. In the past, I’ve had some success using soil from my garden but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this. It’s great if you don’t want to spend extra money or have some stuff that needs to get used but isn’t foolproof at getting stout seedlings. Instead, I would recommend this recipe from The Seed Sage because it works well, is cost-effective, and there’s a lot of great information about what makes a good seed starting mix. You could also buy pre-made stuff like this Down To Earth mix or this from Gardener’s Supply Company. For transplanting to larger pots, a regular potting mix will work just fine.
3. Spray bottle or mister
Being able to control the amount of water you’re using is key, so I recommend using a spray bottle. This helps you water only as much as you need and helps eliminate water and soil spillage risk. I’ve repurposed an old toner spray bottle but you could use just about anything as long as you can adequately control the water. You could even poke a couple of holes in a drink bottle lid if you don’t have a spray bottle to repurpose! If you have a watering can and want to use that just be mindful that too heavy of a water flow can be messy and move the seeds around.
4. Containers to start the seeds
To start your seeds you’ll need individual containers for each potential seedling. Using containers that separate each seed is important because the roots may grow into each other if you sow them in one bigger pot. Just make sure there are at least a couple of drainage holes in the bottom of whatever container you’re using. You can even poke some holes in the bottom of whatever container you’re using if it doesn’t have drainage.
You can buy trays with individual compartments, reuse old trays if you have bought something like flowers or starters from a garden store previously, or upcycle food and take-out containers. If you do buy some trays, I encourage you to choose an option that can be reused each season! Most trays you can buy aren’t disposable, even if they’re plastic, and can be reused many times with proper care.
5. Water tray
This is a tray that’ll catch excess water and prevent spills. It also makes it easier to carry seed trays when you go to expose them to the sun. You can thrift cookie sheets and trays or go to a garden supply store for these. I’ve even repurposed old bins to hold my seed trays and it works well. Keep the seed trays on this and dump the excess water outside as needed.
6. Space for the seed trays
Shelving is helpful, although in the past I’ve just kept my seedlings in spots that I could. I’ve used space on the ground, windowsills, my desk, and coffee table so honestly if you’re committed you can make it work no matter the space you’re able to allocate. If you have an empty shelf or space for a shelf it does make organizing and watering super easy though.
Recommendations for starting seeds:
1. Don’t start too early.
Despite one of the benefits of starting seeds indoors being that you can start your plants early, it is possible to start too early. Starting too early can cause the plants to get root-bound! That makes it hard for the plant to survive getting transplanted since some roots will, inevitably, get torn up. So, I suggest you check your seed packets to determine the best times to start your growing endeavors on a case-by-case basis. Most, if not all, seed packets will give you a time window of when is best to start and I highly recommend erring on the more conservative timeline.
It’s definitely better to start later rather than sooner in this case! So, if your seeds say to start indoors between, say, 6-10 weeks before warm weather, aim for the 6-week starting point. If you have more finnicky frost times or more unusual weather patterns (thanks climate change!), then just keep an eye on the weather and use your best judgment. As with all new skills, this’ll be a bit of a trail and error thing but like I said, the more conservative approach is typically best.
2. Store seeds properly.
That is, store leftover seeds in an airtight container or jar. It’s extremely important that there’s no moisture when you’re storing seeds. Moisture can cause bacteria (i.e. mold!) to grow which ends up damaging the seeds. So make sure your seeds are dry and in a good container then store them in a cool, dark place.
I also suggest labeling the containers and listing what’s in each for ease of use. This helps keep things organized and makes it easier to use your seeds up promptly since seeds can be harder to germinate the older they are. It’s good to avoid buying bulk seeds for this reason too. You can always let your plants flower and get seeds from your own plants, so there’s no need to overbuy.
3. Stay away from “compostable” seed trays.
There are peat or fiber trays that claim to biodegrade in your garden and I wouldn’t recommend these. These products make it so you don’t have to remove the plants once you’re ready to transplant them but aside from that they don’t perform how they should. In my experience, these don’t break down well, sometimes barely break down at all, and are more trouble than they’re worth! Plus, these types of trays can restrict plant roots.
Some say you can gently tear off portions of the tray to allow for the roots to spread but I think this is unnecessary and can risk you tearing up the roots. If you take proper care of your plants before transplanting you should be successful in growing even the most delicate of plants without needing these types of trays. In the end, these compostable trays are just a poorly performing product you’ll have to repurchase so choosing a reusable option is better and more cost-effective.
4. You can plant multiple seeds in each tray.
If you’re worried your seeds are old or that you won’t be successful in germinating them you can plant like two to three seeds in each individual compartment. Yeah, you’ll use more seeds, but you’ll increase the chances of getting viable seedlings. If multiple seeds germinate, just cut off all but the healthiest leaves once the plants have developed true leaves. This way, if you’re unsure of how well the seeds will germinate, you’ll have better odds of your efforts coming to fruition.
5. You don’t need to cover your seed trays.
Covering plants is helpful to keep the soil moist, but isn’t necessary. If the conditions in your home are really dry you can reuse something like clear produce bags and tent the trays. This helps avoid buying more plastic and it works just as well to keep the moisture in without blocking light. If you do decide to cover your plants only do so before the seeds have emerged. If you continue to cover them after the seeds have emerged, fungus can easily develop!
6. Supplementing with artificial light produces hardier plants.
Most seeds don’t need light, but seedlings do. Using lights to supplement natural light is helpful and will lead to stronger plants, but it’s not an absolute must. If you don’t want to invest in new lights just utilize natural light and the light you already have in your house. Obviously, things like grow lights and LEDs are more powerful and allow you to place the light closer to the plants, but I don’t think it’s needed for true beginners. In the end, a combo of natural light and cool white light is best, regardless of what specific methods you use.
If you are interested in supplementing with artificial light, you don’t even need to buy specific grow lights (unless you want) because LED lights are a great option that works just as well. But, like I said, if you don’t want to buy lights for starting seeds in general you can get by if you’re strategic. Using lamps or indoor overhead lights that your home already has can work too, the point is plants need light to grow but artificial light isn’t as harsh as the sun. Plus, keeping your seedlings by windows can be a little too cold for some of the more sensitive plants!
Step-by-step indoor seed starting guide:
1. Plant the seeds.
Following the seed packet timing, first, fill your trays or containers with your soil mix. Then, moisten the soil with water. If the soil gets compacted, add more soil and moisten again until the container is filled. You want the soil to be damp but not dripping! If using a peat moss soil mix, you can mix all of your soil with some water in a large bowl or container until it’s moist to ensure everything has moisture since peat moss can be finicky with water.
Once your soil is damp and your trays are filled, make a gentle depression in the soil and add your seed. Check your seed packet for the depth you need to sow the seed at, this varies and is important! Then cover the seed with more soil mix or leave exposed if surface-sown.
Also, note if your seeds need light or darkness to germinate. Some seeds don’t specify but those that do need this requirement met! If they need light then make sure to keep those seed trays in a spot that gets a lot of natural light or that has good indoor lighting. If they need darkness you can keep them somewhere dark, cover them with newspaper, or even tent with cloth.
2. Label your seeds!
I cannot stress this enough, labeling is more important than you think. Even if you think you’ll remember where you planted each seed type, you won’t (trust me, I’ve been there…). Unless you’re only planting one seed type, label your containers. I suggest labeling each container or individual starter (if you’re mixing varieties within the same tray) with a tag using permanent marker so the writing doesn’t get rubbed off. I like repurposing old plastic containers or drink cartons to make tags and you can reuse those by wiping the names off with isopropyl alcohol for next season.
3. Keep the soil moist.
You want to make sure the soil stays moist at all times! You want the top of the soil to feel damp but not drenched. Too little water and the seed won’t germinate, too much water and the seed can rot. This is why a spray bottle is perfect because you can keep misting as needed but will avoid putting in too much water.
4. Keep seeds in a warm place.
Seeds need soil to be warm enough to grow but not enough that it dries out the soil. So, keep seeds in an area that is warm but not excessively hot. For this reason, keeping your seeds right by the windows isn’t ideal depending on where you live. Some people use heat mats to help the soil stay warm, but I’ve never used these and have been successful, so I don’t think it’s necessary.
5. Cycle the light.
Once the seeds have germinated, they’ll need light to continue growing. Most plants need at least 12 hours of light each day at this point, but they also need darkness to develop properly. So, make sure they get enough light during the day and then turn the lights out at night.
6. Transplant the seedlings when needed.
Once the seeds have germinated and they’ve grown into proper seedlings, they may outgrow the containers they’ve been in. Once that happens, it’s time to transplant them into larger containers. It’s better to do this sooner rather than later, so if you’re thinking your seedlings have outgrown their containers but aren’t sure just make the decision and move them. If you wait too long you risk them getting rootbound and stagnating their growth.
To transplant, get a bigger container, add moist soil mix to the bottom of the new container, carefully move the seedling to the new container, and gently pack more soil around the seedling ’til it’s secure.
Be mindful of the roots when you’re transplanting though! Roots are delicate and are one of the biggest reasons for seedling death. If the seedling is pretty solid in the container you can gently press the sides of the container to dislodge the soil. Then you’ll be able to gently remove using gravity or a seed tag, or other tool to help support the seedling as you remove it.
7. Don’t forget to “harden off” if planting outside.
A couple of weeks before planting your seedlings outdoors you’ll start the process of “hardening off” to help the seedlings get hardier. By being started indoors, they haven’t experienced the natural elements and upon planting outdoors they can be quite delicate. Leaves can wilt and stems can break so periodically exposing them to the elements helps the plants get accustomed without stressing them out too much. This is a must if you plan to move your plants outside! If you plan to keep them as indoor plants, then you don’t need to do this.
To harden off, start by keeping the seedlings outside away from harsh sun and wind for a couple of hours. Each new day, gradually increase the amount of time you let them stay outdoors and the amount of direct sunlight they’re exposed to. By the end of that couple of weeks, the seedlings should be able to withstand being out in complete sun and fully in the natural elements until you’re ready to plant in the ground.
Natural conditions can vary a lot though so be mindful. You can bring the seedlings back inside if the temperatures drop too much at night and you can also try to shelter them from wind if you’re experiencing more than just a breeze. If you want more detailed information about hardening off plants, this guide is helpful.
8. Plant!
Once your seedlings have grown a decent bit and have hardened off, you’re ready to plant in the garden. Do so when the sun isn’t at full peak and when you aren’t experiencing intense weather. Transplanting in general can be stressful for the plants regardless of how careful you are, so you don’t want to make that worse by subjecting them to harsh conditions right off the bat. Also, it’s normal for some leaves to wilt after you’ve transplanted. Even plants that have been hardened off can experience this, the difference is they will recover in a short period.
To plant outside, make sure your soil is moist then dig a hole for your seedling. Generally, the hole should be as big as the seedling’s root ball, but you can dig a hole about the size of the container you were using if you’re worried about digging too small of a hole. Remove the seedling from its container and gently place in the new hole. Surround the seedling with more soil and gently press the soil down to secure it in place. Repeat with your remaining seedlings then admire your hard work!
Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get better harvests and increase yields, even on a small scale!
Indoor seed starting gives you the ability to grow a variety of plants with better payoff and less costly materials. It’s a fun hobby, a great way to appreciate nature, and allows you to be a little more self-sufficient. All you need are seeds, soil, water, light, and a little patience. You’ll have a booming garden and delicious produce in no time!