If you’re dreaming up a garden filled with fancy florals, fragrant fruits,and voluminous vegetables, you should get started with seeding! Starting your seeds ahead of peak growing season gives many plants the head start they need to thrive. Read on for all the seed starting tips you’ll need to have your best garden yet.
Planning to Start Seeds
Before you load your cart with seeds, you should plan ahead and get strategic about what seeds are best for you to start with the resources you have in your garden. Think about how you want your garden to look and what kind of harvest you want to reap. Consider what plants thrive best in your grow zone, how much space you have, the length of the growing season, and the individual needs of each plant you hope to grow. Don’t forget that tiny seeds can someday become massive plants, so be selective and strategic about what seeds you invest in!
Seed Starting Supplies
Starting seeds is a bit more involved than just sticking them into your garden soil and hoping for the best. Seeding supplies are necessary for growing your best new buds.
You’ll need to get some seed-starting mix. It’s jam-packed with all the nutrients your new seeds will need to start off strong.
A greenhouse kit is a convenient and affordable way to get started as it comes with plug trays, a planting medium like peat moss, and a plastic lid that helps keep heat and moisture in while your seeds germinate.
How to Plant Seeds
Most seeds will come with specific instructions or guidelines for when and how to plant them, including the time of year, amount, and depth.
A general rule for planting seeds is not to plant them too deep. If it’s too deep, the new sprout will die by spending its energy making its way to the soil surface to get light. Without light, it won’t survive. Check the individual seed instructions, but keep in mind that usually, seeds should be planted two-to-three times deep as the seed is wide.
Depending on the seed, it’s usually a good plan to plant more than one seed (but not too many!) Some seeds just aren’t viable, so it’s good to plant two or three just in case. You can always cull them later if you have multiple sprouts.
Starting your seeds ahead of peak growing season gives many plants the head start they need to thrive.
Seedling Care
Once your seeds are planted, keep them warm, like an incubator. They don’t need a ton of light at this stage, so on top of the fridge or similar space will work just fine. While they should be warm, they also need to be moist, so don’t let them dry out. Check your seeds every day. Feel free to spritz them with water to keep them in peak growing conditions. Once you see the first signs of life, move them into a cooler and brighter location. Sprouts will be fine in a location that is kept around the 60˚ F mark.
Moving New Seedlings
Keep an eye on your little seedlings, and when you notice two or more sets of leaves, you will need to play favorites and prune it down to just one set of leaves. While it may seem counterintuitive to prune, if you don’t, the new sprouts will compete for space and nutrients, and they won’t thrive.
Before moving your new sprouts to your garden or bigger pots, look for a spot that will suit the plant for the rest of its lifecycle. Check their light and water needs, and consider how big they will grow. For more sensitive seedlings, you should plant them somewhere where they will be shielded from wind and harsh weather.
Starting your own seeds is a fun and rewarding way to control your garden and the harvest you reap. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience too! If you’re looking to buy seed starting kits in Bismarck, come visit us. We’d love to help you have the best garden yet!
