Needs some tips and help to start seeds indoors? Not sure when to plant your seeds? What plants truly benefits from starting indoors versus directly in the garden?
If you’re new to the gardening game there can be a lot of questions when you first start out. Let’s answer a few of them here! How to start seeds indoors is one of the most commonly asked.
Starting seeds indoors for beginners
What seeds to start indoors depending on zone?
The colder your zone, the more likely you’ll want to start seeds indoors since the growing season will be shorter. We live in Spokane Washington, which is a zone 6 (find your zone with this handy map) which means starting seeds inside mid to late February works out great. We generally get to move plants outdoors the beginning of May.
Can you start seeds indoors without a grow light?
Starting seeds indoors is one of the most cost effective ways to grow a garden, and you don’t need a grow light to do it. Place the growing containers next to a window that receives indirect sunlight. The room should be a comfortable consistent temperature of around 65 to 75 degrees.
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benefits of planting seeds versus purchasing starts
Depending on your gardening budget, you could use starts instead of seeds. Starts are plants that are a few months old and have been hardened off and acclimated to the outdoors. If you purchase them from a local nursery (which I recommend) they are already grown specifically for your area and will transition easily into your garden bed.
If you’re gardening more for fun, or just getting a few plants to enjoy the produce over the summer, starts may be the way to go. However, starts are significantly more expensive than a pack of seeds. One start can range from $2-$6, (unless you can get a deal on a pony-pack which is a smaller set of 6 starts) where a pack of seeds is usually around $3. Just a few things to think about when planning your garden.
If you’re planning on using starts, also be aware that the variety and choices for produce and flowers will be limited to what you nursery decides to carry.
When to plant directly into a garden bed
Some vegetables don’t work well being transplanted. It’s best to plant these directly into the ground when all chances of frost are past. Some of these are:
- Radishes
- Turnips
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Beets
- Lettuce
- Bean
- Corn
This is also true with some kinds of flowers. Poppies and more delicate floral needs to be planted in one spot and stay there.
What you need to plant seeds indoors
You want to purchase a basic seed starter set that includes:
- Seed cell inserts
- Seed trays to place your cells into and water from below
- Humidity dome
- Fertilizer
Most gardening stores will carry these packs, and you can also grab this one at a great price off Amazon.
Seed tray packs:
Besides the seeds, that’s about all you’ll need to start growing healthy plants indoors! For the most stunning flowering plants, make sure to check out Floret Flowers. Her prices are good and her variety is amazing.
Planting Instructions:
Fill planting cells with a quality seed starting mix
Don’t skimp on this step. Dirt from outside won’t provide the baby plant with as much of the needed nutrients to thrive in its first few weeks of life and could stunt the growth. This could result in a plant that doesn’t yield or bloom as much as it could have. This is a great option for soil.
Water before adding seeds
Make sure to throughly wet the soil before planting seeds. Once seeds are planted, you’ll water from below, filling the tray under the cells 1/4″ to 1/2″ deep with water until you see the dirt turn to a dark brown. Once it begins to lighten you’ll know it’s time to water again.
Constant water under the cells could product root rot, so make sure that the bottom tray is dry about 15 minutes after watering cells. If not, dump remaining water out.
Plant seeds according to packet instructions
A common mistake is to plant the seeds too deep. I use the end of a pen to push down the soil and place the seeds into each spot. Seed depth rule of thumb is to plant each seeds down two time the length of the seed itself.
Cover dome and place in a warm location by a window with indirect sunlight
When seeds begin to sprout, prop dome open. This prevent the dirt from molding.
When to thin
In each cell I plant at least two seeds. After first true leaves appear (Not the initial baby leaves, but the first leaves that appear after those), pull up all except the strongest seedlings in each plant cell (this is the hardest part for me!!!)
To begin hardening plants to the outdoors, once they are a few weeks old and have true leaves, place outside in shade for several days. Bringing them back in at night. Gradually expose to full sunlight.
When to fertilize
After the first set of true leaves appear, and after you have thinned the cells, mix fertilizer (I used this last year with great results) at 50% strength into the water and water plants from below like normal.
When to transplant seedlings
Another rule of thumb is once the plants have at least two to three sets of leaves, they can be transplanted to larger pots or directly to your garden bed. You should have been hardening off your seedlings for over a week at this point, and all chance of frost are gone. Gently pop plants out of individual cells, placing them in a prepared garden bed after risk of frost is gone. Make sure the base of the plant is completely covered by garden soil. Water thoroughly.
Another trick is to transplant the seedlings to the garden on a cloudy day. This avoids shock.
Need more gardening tips and help?
Need more help with gardening? Grab your free garden planning printable here and map out your garden goals today!
Considering adding chickens to your garden area? This is a common addition to a healthy and productive garden! Check out this article here for help and resources!
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