As a beginner to intermediate gardener, you know that the best way to get a head start on spring is by starting your garden during winter. As a home gardener with a few years of gardening experience under my belt, who is taking a social media class from Northwestern University through Coursera.com, I found two articles that offer tips on how to get your gardening on early by seed starting indoors.
Fine Gardening posted an article about indoor seed starting by Adrianna Vargo called 10 Seed-Starting Tips. The article goes into depth on the importance of giving the seeds the best conditions to create healthy seedlings, including storing seeds in a cool & dark location & tamping the seeds into the soil when planting. The author states that the seeds must come into contact with damp soil in order for them to germinate. She also recommends wrapping the plant containers with plastic wrap in order to keep the moisture level constant. The importance of keeping the soil warm, between 65-75 degrees, is also encouraged.
The Spruce also has an article about starting seeds indoors titled, How to Successfully Start Seeds Indoors, written by Kerry Michaels. This article stresses the importance of giving the seeds enough light by using grow lights for 12-16 hours a day. She goes on to say that self-watering systems are the best way to keep seeds moist. Using sterile soil/containers is also mentioned, as well as using a liquid fertilizer & placing a fan on the seedlings to create strong stems. Finally, she recommends reading the seed packet, especially regarding when to start the seeds indoors in relation to the average last frost date.
Drawing on these two articles and my own experiences with seeds, I have listed three action items that you should take if you want to grow strong & healthy seedlings indoors.
- Find your Frost Date – Search for the average last frost date in your area & count back from there to find out when you should start your seeds.
- Keep Soil Moist – Make sure your soil is moist by using self-watering systems & greenhousing your containers.
- Use Grow Lights – Keep your seeds under a grow light for 12-16 hours a day for optimal light conditions.
Starting today, find your last average frost date, keep your soil moist & use grow lights & your indoor-to-outdoor garden will thrive.
Has all this seed talk got you itching to buy some seeds & get them started this winter? Read my plant & seed catalog review to get a good idea of what’s out there & who is offering it.
Hello, my name is Megan and I am an avid home gardener who loves to try out new plants as well as stay true to my tried and tested favorites. I created this blog to give gardening advice and provide inspiration to beginner to intermediate gardeners. I am taking a social media course from Northwestern University on Coursera.com. Please feel free to connect with me on Twitter and Instagram.
The Plantiful Gardener 