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woman holding seeds in tray
19 Jan 2022
Gardening

How to Start Seeds Indoors

If you want to start seeds indoors, you will need a few supplies and a tiny bit of know-how. Depending on your weather (gardening always depends on this), you may be able to get away with minimal support, but we’ll see below.

First and foremost for your indoor seed starting, is determining what you want to grow from seed that transplants well. Some plants don’t transplant well, as their roots don’t like to be disturbed. For those plants, we always recommend starting them via direct-sowing in the garden.

A great rule of thumb is to always direct sow root vegetables, though a few other veggies are finicky too. As for flowers, you just need to read your seed packets and learn from trial, error, and flower farmers.

Vegetables to direct sow

  • Peas
  • Corn
  • Beets
  • Turnip
  • Radish
  • Carrots
  • Cucumber
  • Spinach
  • Celery

Flowers to direct sow

  • Sunflowers
  • Cornflower
  • Sweet pea
  • Cosmos
  • Zinnias
  • Larkspur
  • Alyssum
  • Coneflowers
  • Sage
  • Nasturtium
  • Aster

Now that those are out of the way, a majority of your vegetable and flower seeds can be started indoors, OR in special deep-rooted starter pots. I’ve seen some HERE, but still recommend direct sowing.

Step One: Getting Your Timing Right

To get started with your indoor seed growing, you’ll need to know when each vegetable should be sown based on your last frost date. Next, work backward for about 10 weeks. The seeds take about 6-8 weeks typically to germinate and then get large enough to transplant. You’ll then want to “harden off” your plants, taking them outdoors for about a week. Hardening off means taking your plants outside little by little. You start with about 2 hours a day, then double the next day, and so on until it’s been about a week and you can try an overnight (if it’s not freezing).

This timing and process give you nice and strong transplants that can go in the ground. Keep in mind that you want a nice steady temperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit consistently. Nighttime temps are a true indicator of Spring’s arrival.

Some plants need longer to germinate and get large enough to plant outdoors, so get to know your plants and read those seed packets/catalogs thoroughly.

Step Two: Your Growing Approach

Depending on how you want to start your vegetables, will determine your soil mix and supplies – slightly. You can either start your seeds in disposable trays, reusable trays, via soil blocking, or in self-watering seed trays.

One way to approach soil is to purchase seed starting mix, which is premade for you. HERE is some on Amazon.

If you want to mix your own soil, below is a recipe. I recommend you mix your own soil if you are soil blocking, as it takes a very hearty mixture to stick together. Soil blocking is the most sustainable approach and requires a soil blocker tool. It makes perfect little soil squares that you can place in a tray, with dents on the top of the soil block for your seed. Once you get the hang of this approach, it’s fast, fun, and economical. I have a video HERE where I show how to do it.

You can get a soil blocker HERE.

Seed Starter Soil Mix:

I used a 5-gallon bucket for my proportions, so that would be 3 buckets coconut coir, 1 bucket garden soil, and so on…

  • 3 parts coconut coir
  • 1 part garden soil
  • 2 parts perlite
  • 2 parts compost
  • 1 cup bone meal
  • 1 cup blood meal

Step Three: Supplies

Now that you know your approach, let’s get some supplies. You’ll of course need your trays and soil and seeds, but you may also want to get grow lights and a heat mat. Some seeds need heat to germinate well, like tomatoes. However, some don’t. Or, you may keep your house warm enough for the process to work. I’ve had success without heat mats because I had my seeds inside, though if you are starting seeds in your garage or a covered outdoor space, you’ll probably need mats. Heat mats HERE. Also, once your seeds have germinated be sure to remove the heat pad, as too much heat can cause legginess as well.

Grow lights are necessary if you’re unable to place your plants in a sunny window. If you have a window that faces south, getting about 6+ hours of sun, then you could be fine. Otherwise, I recommend using grow lights. You’ll want your grow lights to be adjustable somehow because they need to be about 6-12 inches above your plants. Plants grown too far from the light can get leggy, meaning they have long stems, and typically don’t survive transplanting.

As your plants grow, you adjust your lights so that the plants don’t get burned on the lights.

Grow lights HERE.

Step Four: Plant

It is now time to plant your seeds! You’ll want to plant according to the recommended depth, and you can decide if you want to place more than one seed at a time – I usually do and then thin later. Some seeds that are hard to germinate like to be soaked as well. I soak some flower seeds, and my pea seeds typically. You’ll want to water as often as needed to keep the soil moist. Most seeds need continual moisture to germinate, but beware not to drench the soil. Just even dampness.

Good luck with your indoor seed starting adventure, and check out some other blogs I have below:

Read THIS article about why I choose heirloom seeds

Check out THIS article about making a DIY indoor seed station

Watch THIS video about soil blocking

TAGS:indoor gardeningindoor seed startingseed startingsoil blocking
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Hi I’m Bailey

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Teaching you how to grow veggies in any space while show you how to live a garden-inspired life.

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Bold move, right? One of my girlfriends told me to do this and raved about the benefits (she always knows the good stuff - she’s that girl). But, I did some research too. 

One clove of raw garlic a day has myriad health benefits. Yes it has to be raw. You cut it and let it sit out a minute so the allacin can form which is the healing component in garlic. Then just take with water. 

It’s not just amazing for cooking, but also repairing us from the inside out and boosting immunity.

So, are you game for a clove a day?? I know, it seems cringey but you don’t even taste it - the upside is just too good!
•
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Bold move, right? One of my girlfriends told me to do this and raved about the benefits (she always knows the good stuff – she’s that girl). But, I did some research too.

One clove of raw garlic a day has myriad health benefits. Yes it has to be raw. You cut it and let it sit out a minute so the allacin can form which is the healing component in garlic. Then just take with water.

It’s not just amazing for cooking, but also repairing us from the inside out and boosting immunity.

So, are you game for a clove a day?? I know, it seems cringey but you don’t even taste it – the upside is just too good!

16 hours ago
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Growing food is so poetic to me (as you can probably tell) because it truly takes our hands and fills our hearts - our lives - with joy, resilience, and confidence. 

It’s also fun to see progress! This started out as an in-ground garden and has evolved immensely. 

Any garden design questions - leave them here 👇🏼
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Follow

I took this advice seriously 🌸

But “for real life” as my four-year-old says, the more I focused on turning my life into a heaven on earth, creating happiness with my own hands, the more I just felt so at home with myself.

Growing food is so poetic to me (as you can probably tell) because it truly takes our hands and fills our hearts – our lives – with joy, resilience, and confidence.

It’s also fun to see progress! This started out as an in-ground garden and has evolved immensely.

Any garden design questions – leave them here 👇🏼

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This is MY list of top 4 must-know things. It doesn’t have to be yours. But after years of guiding people through hardiness zones 3 through 10, I can tell you there’s a difference in each one when it comes to timing and temperament.

And then your very own microclimate will determine a ton. This is a personal thing that no one can really deeply help you with. Not even your neighbor. Every outdoor space has nooks and crannies that behave uniquely. And altitude and valleys and hillsides and salty ocean air versus humid tropical air, etc etc will determine a lot. So just pay attention. Be curious.

Then we need to know the purpose of it all. Mine mixes function, health, beauty, and adding magic to my children’s lives all wrapped up in one.

Of course then the sun you get is crucial. We all dance around the fireball in this crazy solar system, and we can’t change our positioning to it.

The list goes on, but this is where I start.

Are your top 4 different?

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Along the way you may just uncover a passion, career, purpose, and dreams that you never realize would come to manifest. 

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Follow

Turns out I just needed to let what I had be enough.

Many of you have watched this journey unfold from day one. I am so grateful to have gotten to prove to myself and others that you can make whatever you have, bring joy and connection and contentment.

Along the way you may just uncover a passion, career, purpose, and dreams that you never realize would come to manifest.

If you have ANY garden limitations, share them here. We’ll troubleshoot ‘em together!

6 days ago
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