Starting seeds indoors, simplified

Do you want to start growing some seeds indoors but not sure where to start?  There is so much information out there, it’s overwhelming.  Here’s a simple version to get you growing!

Why do I start seeds?  

I am not a cold weather person, by February I am done and ready for warmer weather. Starting seeds reminds me that spring and warmer weather is on the way and it's cheaper than a tropical vacation.

I have a large garden and buying all the plants would be really expensive, seeds are relatively inexpensive.

I love the diversity of plants I can grow from seeds, I’m not limited to the more common varieties that garden centers sell.

And, seeing a gigantic tomato plant grown from one tiny seed is really, truly amazing.

What do you need?

light 

This is the one piece of equipment I’d recommend buying.  Growing in a window is not ideal, even a sunny window doesn’t give the plants enough light and the seedlings will grow leggy in search for more light.  You can buy a grow light, or a few LED shop lights (this is what I have and they are inexpensive, energy efficient, and work well).

soil

Potting soil (Fox Farm Forest Ocean Potting Soil is an excellent one), seed starting mix, just not soil from your outdoor garden bed.

containers

Plastic pots, or reuse plastic food containers or solo cups (just wash well and punch holes in the bottom for drainage).  I haven’t had great luck with the biodegradable pots, I think it’s just too dry in Colorado, so I stick to plastic and just wash and reuse year after year.

seeds

You can find seeds anywhere this time of year, even in the grocery stores.  Find a few packets of seeds that you would like to grow.  Look at the information that tells you when to start the seeds, timing is really important!  If you start a tomatoes in January, you will have a tomato jungle in your house well before it’s safe to plant them outside.

extras 

I use a seed starting mat for germination, it just helps keep everything warm and speeds up germination.  As soon as the seeds sprout I take them off the mat.  It’s nice to have, but not necessary if you have a warm spot in your house.  I also use vermiculite (available at nursery centers) when planting.  After I plant the seed instead of sprinkling more soil on top, I sprinkle a good layer of vermiculite, it’s not necessary but I have had great results.

Time to plant

First I hydrate my soil.  Often new potting soil or seed starting mix is super dry and I find it much easier to wet it in a big batch than in small pots.  I put soil and some warm water in a big bowl and mix it up and let it sit for a while to really absorb the water.  Soil should clump up when squeezed in your hand, but should not be dripping water.

I fill my pots with the hydrated soil, make a few small holes for the seeds (small seeds need shallow holes, big seeds need deeper holes).  Drop the seeds in the holes, and sprinkle some soil on top, gently press down on the top of the soil to ensure good seed/soil contact, and it’s planted!

I cover my pots to keep the top of the soil from drying out and put everything in a warm spot.  To cover you can use cling wrap loosely over the top of the pot, a ziploc bag, or put the pots in a tray with a cover (reusing a large lettuce plastic box with lid from the grocery store works great).

I check my pots daily and once I see a sprout I remove the cover (and keep it off) and put the pot under the lights. If you are using a seed starting mat you should remove it or unplug it now. Seedling should be a few inches below the light (lower the lights are prop up the pots), and light should be on a good 14 hours a day.

If the soil looks dry, pick up the container - if it feels light then water it.  I find bottom watering to work the best.  Put the pot in a tray and fill the tray with a few inches of water, after 30 minutes dump out any water left in the tray.  After a month, if you are having to water daily, you probably need to put the plant in a bigger container with more soil.

If it’s your first year starting seeds, start small.  Just pick up few packs of seeds and give it a go. Happy growing! 

Need to get some supplies to start seeds? Bootstrap Farmer is one of our favorite places for trays, lights, pots - really anything you need to get started. And don’t forget to check out our Resources page for our favorite seed suppliers!