Seed Starting Tips For a Successful Vegetable Garden

Starting your plants from seeds is significantly more cost effective than buying starts from the nursery year after year.  Yes, there are initial set-up costs, which completely vary based on how elaborate a system you want to create to start seeds, but after that, it really is just the cost of a packet of seeds.  

Moreover, most gardens don’t require using the entire packet of seeds each season, and with the proper storage, you can save seeds from year to year {or save your own} with even deeper savings.

Seeds

First, you need to acquire yourself some seeds.  These days I use seeds from Botanical Interests, Baker Creek and Johnny’s simply because I have found they have a great selection, they produce really hardy plants, and the quality of their seeds are awesome.

Start by ordering seed catalogs {or browsing online catalogs}.  Make a list of everything you want to grow and research the varieties.  This is your chance to grow heirlooms that you would never find in your grocery store.  

Pay special attention to their growing requirements, though, to make sure they will work well in your region.  RESIST the temptation to go nuts ordering.  😉

Order what you need, make a note of what you’d like to try in the future.  Sign up for their emails and special offers, because at some point during the season, most seed companies will offer free shipping.  You can also buddy up with a friend to hit their standard free shipping minimums.

Grow Lights

If you don’t have a convenient or good source of natural light streaming into your home, seriously, seriously consider grow lights if you plan on starting your plants from seeds.  

You don’t have to get a fancy schmancy ones like I have, though they have more than paid for themselves.  You can start with a small can light with a grow bulb that you can purchase at Home Depot {or the like} and see the difference for yourself.  

I really believe that this is the reason a lot of plants fail when starting from seed–there just isn’t adequate light {in most cases} to start some plants on window sills.  They end up all spindly, and never really produce as well.

Containers

You can save containers from nursery purchases from previous years and use those {just make sure to get them a diluted bleach/water rinse first}, use yogurt containers, egg cartons, purchases grow trays, grow bags, or make your own seedling pots.  It really doesn’t matter, just so long as they have proper drainage.  

If you start super early, you’ll want to transplant your seedlings indoors to bigger pots once before you transplant them outside {this is particularly true of slow growers like tomatoes and peppers}.  Have the larger sized containers on hand and ready to go.

When to start seeds

The seed packets will give you a “days to maturity” estimate.  In my experience, you want to tack on a few extra days to that, because it always takes a little longer.  Also, that days to maturity really should start about the time you transplant them outside.  

The stress of transplanting usually sets them back a bit.  If you directly sow, you can start your day count when you see green poke through the ground.  

I typically follow those basic rules of thumb for my planning–sometimes, I get lucky and get a crop earlier than expected, but I do it mostly to avoid running out of the proper kind of weather for the plant to finish maturing.

Take notes

Really nerd out during the seed starting process.  You think you’ll remember which plants liked water, heat, or did better with this or that. You won’t.  Take notes, so that next year, you don’t have to learn the lessons again.

Check your plants a couple of times a day

Some plants suck water, and some containers do not hold water.  Checking your plants multiple times a day allows you to monitor their watering needs.  

Of course, you don’t want to keep them drenched, but in general, if you push your finger into the dirt up to the nail bed and it is dry, it’s time for a drinky-drink {even if that does mean twice a day on occasion}.

Harden off your plants

There is no sense in babying your little seedlings all the way to the point of them being ready to plant only to kill them in the transplanting process.  Seedlings started indoors are used to being pampered.  

The spring breezes, fluctuations in temperature, and soil change will stress. them. out.  It’s best to get them acclimated the best you can by hardening them off.  It’s like toughening up your kids, only your plants won’t talk back. 😉

Those are all the basic tips I can think of for any of you toying with the idea of starting your garden from seed this year.  Do any of YOU have any more quick tips? 

Keep calm and garden on, 

~Mavis