Start seeds indoors for transplant this Spring. With minimal cost and experience, this is a great way for beginners to start a garden of their own. The kids can also get involved for a fun experience!
Planning Your Garden
There is nothing like the hope of Spring! Every Winter, just about the time that I start feeling like it will never end, my first seed catalogue arrives in the mail. I call this happy mail! It’s the first sign of hope for longer and warmer days ahead.
Sometime that evening after the kids have gone to bed, I grab my garden planner and flip through pages of notes from last year. I dream of bright cherry tomatoes that I pop in my mouth like candy, warm from the sun. As I plan and shop the catalogue, my Winter blues seem to drift away. I stay up way too late that night planning the garden and certainly buying way too many seeds.
The next day, my kids steal the catalogue and hide in a corner with a pencil, scribbling their notes on what colors they want to see in the garden this year. It’s the best feeling seeing them come together over something so simple, so connected to the Earth. It makes my plant Mama heart sing!
What Seeds To Buy For Transplant
If I could buy every seed in that catalogue, I would. But, there has to be some sort of knowledge and understanding behind what to purchase and why. The first question I ask myself is, “how much room do I have in my garden this year?” If you don’t know the measurements of your garden, I highly recommend getting out there to to do so.
We also have areas of our garden that are currently occupied. The garlic corner is going to be busy until early Summer. We also have permanent fixtures, such as the berry patch that contains blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
Buying for what my family will actually eat is another consideration when shopping. I’d love to see all of the pretty purple eggplants in my garden, but really, I’m the only one who loves them. I do, however, plant for what my chickens will eat. Have I ever mentioned that they are spoiled? We plant cabbages and peas for them to munch on. The kids LOVE to grab peas from the vine, split them open, and feed them to the chickens. It keeps everyone happy and occupied, and this Mama takes that opportunity to dig her hands in the dirt.
Shop Local And Sustainable For Seeds
I really need to mention that I am a huge fan of shopping small and local whenever I can. I typically split my seed order between 2 companies, Hudson Valley Seed Co. that I started shopping from when living in NY, and Sow True Seed that I shop from here in NC. Both companies provide excellent quality seeds and other gardening materials and information. They also strive for sustainability with open-pollinated seeds, offering organic options, and varieties that are suitable for the geographical area.
Open-pollination basically means that pollination happens by natural means, such as birds, insects, wind, or other natural methods. Because of the lack of restriction, it allows for more genetically diverse seed varieties.
A NOTE ABOUT BUYING SEEDS SINCE THE UNCERTAIN YEAR OF 2020: seed companies have been selling out very quickly and experiencing delayed shipping times. Please be courteous and kind, as they are doing their best keeping up with the unexpected demand. Please note this when shopping your local garden center as well. My advice to you would be to start planning and shopping early.
Start Seeds Indoors For Transplant
When the seed packages arrive, I sit down with my calendar and schedule the weeks prior to our average last frost date. You can find this information out by searching “Average Last Frost Date (insert your zip code).” Once I’m organized and ready to go, I head to the local garden center (again a small little business that I love to support) for my seed starting soil, peat pots, and trays.
The best part about these small seed companies, is that they typically provide you with a lot of information regarding when to plant, and how to care for. With the information provided, I plug the bought seed varieties into my calendar and plant accordingly.
How Kids Can Help To Start Seeds Indoors For Transplant
When we are ready to start planting our earliest varieties, we grab some newspaper and head for the back porch or even the dining room table. The kids get their spoons and start filling the peat pots with dirt. It’s a huge mess and this is the joy of raising naturally-minded kids. Mother Nature is not “clean” and our food does not magically come from the grocery store. This entire experience helps solidify that fact, and maybe my kids will feel so proud when that first sprout comes up, that they may even try eating a piece of broccoli. A parent can dream, right?!
We have the kids place 3 tiny seeds in each pot for good assurance that at least one of those seeds will sprout. After each little seedling grows it’s first “true” leaves, we will snip the others away so that there is 1 seedling per pot. A set of “true” leaves is typically defined as the leaves that differentiate it. Those tiny little seedling leaves all look the same (so be sure to label your pots), but those larger, more diverse set of leaves that come after, are the “true” leaves that we look for.
How To Care For Indoor Seeds
We keep our tray of peat pots by a sunny windowsill and rotate it occasionally. You just need to make sure that it’s a warmer and brighter area of the house. For varieties like peppers, you may need to look into adding some supplemental lighting and heat. They tend to be a more difficult variety to grow. I will say that I had zero equipment last year, and I grew a lot of pepper seeds on my windowsill with great success. We had peppers coming out of our ears all summer!
You will also want to get a spray bottle to fill with water. Whatever comes from the dollar store will work just fine. Spray those little plant babies twice a day to keep them damp. You do not want to drown them, as this can create a mildew situation that will kill the seedlings. This is another area that the kids can help with.
When And How To Transplant Outdoors
When researching your seed varieties and growing information, you will want to be aware as to when to transplant outdoors. Typically, it’s around the last frost date, or shortly after. You will want to “harden off” your seedlings before putting them in the ground. To “harden off” means to gradually introduce your seedlings to the elements of wind, sun, cold, heat, etc. Typically, keeping them in a shaded area, sheltered from too much wind is the first step, followed a few days later by part sun. This will occur over about a week until they are fully exposed to the elements and ready for their permanent home in the garden.
What Varieties We Chose To Start Seeds Indoors For Transplant
It is currently mid-February, and we have a lot of pepper varieties we just started, along with cabbage (for the chickens) and broccoli. We have plans to start tomato seeds in a few weeks as well.
We will be growing plenty of varieties in the garden this year, and I will be sure to keep you updated on that. Follow me on Facebook or Instagram @theseedthatsprouted to stay up to date on that. We also love to grow a lot of herbs for the chickens. You can read about how we use herbs to keep our chickens healthy here. I also have plans to show you how we built an herb drying rack! Again, follow me on social media, or better yet, sign up for the Sprouting Community newsletter for inspiration, tips, DIY tutorials, and FREE ebooks and recipes.
I just love the hope and excitement of Spring! What plans do you have for your home and/or family this Spring? I’d love for you to drop a comment below and tell me. Thanks for visiting my friends!
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