Starting Seeds

 

 

Just one of my boxes of seeds. These are a mix of seeds I have gathered myself from previous years and also some that I have ordered online or at the store. I try to use heirloom seed when I can. I can save the seeds from this years plants and won’t have to buy them next year. Also, there are no GMO’s and I like that!

 

 

 

These styrofoam cups are great for starting seeds. You can use them over and over again; if you handle them carefully they last for years..

 

 

I reuse the trays that grocery store meat comes on – they are especially handy. Those narrow trays work great for setting seedlings onto our windowsills in the living room, once the plants get moved upstairs.

 

 

 

Here’s a picture of my seedling room. I’ve got the heat on in the room and before long, I’ll be putting an oscillating fan in the room. The fan will help stir the air and also strengthen the stems of the seedings.

I have greenhouse covers on a few of the trays, but you don’t need them. If I use them, I like to spray the inside of the cover with water from a misting bottle. Put the lids back on and it has a greenhouse effect on the seedlings.

 

 

As always, the Inspirational Plaque is set behind the seedlings to threaten encourage them to grow.

I find that although I may start out with full trays of one kind of seedling, I do find myself moving cups from one flat to another later on. This just depends on things like extra room, light and other variables. So I label each cup so that I will always know what is what. In the end it can be tricky to know a broccoli from a cauliflower.