Looking for a simple checklist to know exactly what you’ll need for starting seeds indoors this year like a pro?
There is no better way to save money and harvest an amazing array of vegetables, flowers and herbs than by starting your own plants from seed. And contrary to what you might hear or think – growing plants from seed doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. In fact, armed with the right materials and a few simple growing tips – it’s actually quite easy.
Growing your own plants from seed has so many advantages for home gardeners. For starters, it can save big on your gardening budgets, allowing you to grow individual transplants for mere pennies. But even more, it opens up your world to so many incredible varieties you just can’t find in stores. And all it takes is having a few simple things on hand to grow like a pro!
The Must Have Checklist For Starting Seeds Indoors
How and when you prepare for starting your vegetable and flower seeds indoors can make all the difference between great success – or frustrating disappointment. One thing is for sure, the earlier you prepare the better.
Unfortunately, when gardeners struggle to grow their own plants, it almost always can be traced back to not getting their seeds started at the right time. And more often than not, it’s usually is because they were started too late to be ready for planting day.
So what all do you need to be ready to grow seeds indoors like a pro? Success really comes down to having four key things at the ready – your seed, good seed starting soil, the proper containers to grow them in – and a few inexpensive LED shop lights to give your plants the right light they need to grow big.
With that in mind, here is a look at each of those 4 key needs – starting with getting the seeds you need now!
#1 Get Your Seeds Early – The Must Have Checklist For Starting Seeds Indoors
Whatever you do, order the seeds of the plants you want to grow early. Ordering seeds early will ensure you get the quantities and varieties of seed you want. But more importantly, it means you will have them on hand in plenty of time to get your plants started!
Vegetable and flower seedlings need anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks of growth before they are ready to transplant outdoors. And that doesn’t include the 7 to 14 days they need to germinate and sprout. Which means you need to start now by planning your garden in advance.
Doing this early allows you to know what you want to grow and where you will grow each plant. Equally important, it will let you know what seeds you need to purchase now to bring your planting plan to life. A simple plan can save you on seed purchasing costs, but more importantly, have you ready to grow when the time comes.
#2 Seed Starting Soil – The Must Have Checklist For Starting Seeds Indoors
One of the biggest mistakes new gardeners make when starting their own seeds is selecting the wrong soil mix. Having a quality seed starting mix is vital to growing strong, healthy vegetable and flower plants.
A great seed starting mix should be light, airy, and contain plenty of nutrients to feed young seedlings. Avoid using straight potting soil. It is simply too heavy for seeds to germinate and grow.
A seed starting mix, as opposed to straight potting soil, is much lighter in its make-up. This makes it easier for seeds to germinate, establish strong roots, and absorb nutrients quickly. Instead, purchase a soil mix specifically designed for starting seeds, or create your own.
Listen To Our Podcast Below On The Secrets To Starting Seeds Indoors!
When purchasing a commercial seed-starting mix, look to see if it contains soil-aerating ingredients such as perlite or vermiculite. These ingredients help to lighten the soil. They also help young roots to grow easily and absorb moisture.
In addition, look for mixes that contain pulverized compost or organic fertilizers. These will help to power young seedlings with a slow trickle of nutrients that encourage slow but steady growth. Affiliate Link: Gardeners Supply Company SuperRoot Booster Seed Starter Mix
Creating Your Own Great Seed Starting Mix – The Must Have Checklist For Starting Seeds Indoors
You can also create a great seed starting mix quite easily at home. To make, use 2 cups of potting soil, and mix with 1 cup each of perlite and worm castings. Worm castings are actually one of the best ingredients for seed starting soil mixes. Not only do they provide a source of nutrients for young seedlings, they also help to conserve moisture in the soil.
Even if you purchase ready made seed starting soil, it’s a great idea to add in worm castings to it. For purchased mixes, simply add 1/2 cup of worm castings for every 3 cups of seed starting soil. Affiliate Link: 100% Pure Organic Worm Castings
#3 Seed Trays & Pots – The Must Have Checklist For Starting Seeds Indoors
Although there are a lot of options for both commercial and homemade seed starting trays and containers, some are certainly better choices than others. Especially when it comes to giving your plants the best chance of success.
When purchasing seed trays and packets, look for seed starting trays that grow 36 plants or less. Although you can find trays that can start up to as many as 72 plants, the individual spaces are so small they almost guarantee you will need to transplant your plants before being able to plant them outdoors.
By selecting trays with larger cells, you can eliminate this time consuming and costly step. The same goes when using homemade or recycled containers. Although cardboard egg cartons, egg shells, and toilet paper rolls are good for starting seeds, they aren’t big enough to sustain growth for long.
Instead, opt for larger containers like individual yogurt cups or larger plastic cups that can allow for bigger root development and growth. And perhaps most importantly, they keep you from having to repot your transplants before you plant them outdoors!
#4 Giving Your Plants The Right Light – The Must Have Checklist For Starting Seeds Indoors
It is extremely important when preparing your indoor seed starting supplies to get the lighting right. And contrary to what you might hear, a sunny windowsill is not the answer!
Starting and growing young seedlings in a sunny windowsill is a recipe for seedling disaster. The light coming through a window from the sun is simply too far away to grow strong plants. Once seeds sprout, they spend their time constantly reaching for the far away light of the sun.
Plants that grow in a sunny window end up weak and spindly. Instead of filling out slowly, they grow tall and thin in quick fashion. In fact, so quickly they usually end up falling over in their container in just a few weeks.
Many times, they struggle to survive indoors. And even if they do make it to planting day outdoors, they are often so weak and fragile they can’t handle the stress of transplanting.
Using Inexpensive LED Shop Lights For Seedlings – The Must Have Checklist For Starting Seeds Indoors
Here’s the good news – you don’t need expensive grow lights to grow seedlings! Standard, inexpensive LED shop lights actually work great for raising vegetable and flower seedlings. See our article: The Best Lights To Use For Starting Seeds Indoors – Simple, Easy & Inexpensive!
One thing is for sure, it is an inexpensive solution to high-priced growing lights. When it comes to starting vegetable and flower seeds, fancy grow lights are simply not needed. The basic white light coming from shop lights is more than enough for big success.
The cool bright lights of these bulbs placed an inch or so above the tops of the plants work wonders for growing strong and healthy plants. And you don’t have to have a fancy plant stand to use them. Simply hang the lights or prop them up over plants and watch your seedlings thrive! Affiliate Product Link : (4) 4′ LED Shop Lights
Here is to getting your seed starting checklist crossed off now – and to growing your own vegetable and flower plants this year like a pro!
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This Is My Garden is a garden website created by gardeners, for gardeners. Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books and speaking for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. They publish three articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email, or follow along!