Growing Food: Starting Seeds

My gardening year starts now, when I start seeds for cabbage and kohlrabi seeds indoors. Our last frost date isn't until late May, but our strong sun means that the soil will be warm enough to plant out things in early spring that can handle a light frost. That includes all of the brassicas, so I plant out the cabbages and kohlrabi on March 17.

Yes, I plant my cabbages outside on St. Patrick's Day. It amuses me how appropriate that is.

Anyway.

So, let's start with where I get seeds.

I have purchased seeds from many different companies over the years. Some have been known for their heirloom varieties. Some have been known for seeds adapted to my particular environment. At the moment, I pretty much just go for cheap seeds in larger amounts. And the best bet for those is either Burgess or Seeds 'n' Such.

These are not fancy seed companies. They have very minimal catalogs, and probably not as many options for varieties as, say, Baker Creek Seeds. But! They have a lot of seeds for very little money. So even if not every seed sprouts, you can still plant a lot and come out ahead.

Just as an example, I looked up the price of Amish Paste Tomato seeds (an heirloom variety) at both Burgess and Baker Creek. At Burgess, you can get a package of 50 seeds for $1.29. At Baker Creek, a pack of only 15 seeds is $3.00.

Sooo, less than half the seeds for more than double the price? I think the choice here is clear. 

Almost all seeds are viable for at least two years, many for three or four. So if you can get more at once and use them for several years, that's a much better option. Shipping tends to be relatively high with the seed sellers, so one order is better than multiple orders.

That said, even "expensive" seeds are pretty cheap, so it's not really a deal breaker if you're only getting a few things.

My kohlrabi seeds came from Bakers Creek because we stopped at their actual farm and seed shop in Missouri on our way to Blackrock a few years ago. The cabbage seeds are from Burgess.

Okay! Now that we have the seeds, they must be planted! 

In what?

I buy potting soil at whatever store we happen to be near when I need it. The bag I have now says it's "40 quarts by volume," and I've used it for three years. The reason it lasts so long is because I use shallow containers to start my seeds. 

Some people like to make their own potting mixes, but I don't want to bother with all the ingredients, so I just buy it. Mix that stuff up with some water in a bucket until it's damp but not dripping and put it into . . . what?

Here is where you can go to a nursery or online and buy pots or cells or trays or . . . I don't even know. So much stuff. 

I mean, check out this page of seed starting supplies. It's nuts.

I started my cabbage seeds in an old strawberry box. I like these because they already have holes in the bottom for drainage, and a top to close while the seeds are germinating. The top holds in moisture so the soil  doesn't need to be watered before the seeds sprout. 

I planted my kohlrabi seeds in a big container that had mushrooms in it. I had to cut holes in the bottom of that one with a knife.

I don't grow any of my seedlings big enough that they need deep containers. I find that they actually transplant just as well if they're smaller, and will actually establish a little better in the ground when they're not as big. Really big transplants--like the ones I used to buy at nurseries sometimes--are so big that they kind of go into shock when they're transplanted and take awhile to recover themselves.

I used to use small yogurt cups (with holes poked in the bottom) from the recycling bins at the dump for individual plants. Those big clamshells that mixed greens and things come in are really good, too.

Basically, you're looking for something plastic that can hold water, but be perforated on the bottom. I've tried those biodegradeable pots that are supposed to be planted right in the ground with the plant, but I found they get all soggy and moldy and fall apart before I plant out my transplants. So I prefer to just dig the transplants out of something plastic when it's time to transplant.

Because the actual containers the plants are in need to have holes in the bottom for drainage, the containers need to be in something else to contain the inevitable water leaks. I use some of those big "disposable" roasting pans. 

So this is what my set-up looks like.

I store my seeds in a plastic tub with a clip-on top that used to hold magnetic robots. Not pretty, but functional.

When I start pepper or tomato seeds, I do like to give them some extra heat, or they won't sprout in our chilly house. You can buy heating mats for seed starting. I just use our heating pad--the kind you use for your sore back after you've been digging garden beds--on low, wrapped in an old t-shirt. I'm sure the manufacturer has a warning against using the pad around any kind of water, but I don't actually water the seeds before they sprout because they're in damp soil in one of those covered plastic containters, so I don't worry about it too much.

You will perhaps see that I use what I have. I encourage you to do the same. I feel about gardening the same way I do about cooking: Once you learn the principles involved, you should absolutely be able to adjust your materials to accomodate your personal situation.

Now that we have our seeds nestled snugly in their soil-filled containers, we just have to wait for them to sprout. Of course, they don't need any special light while they're still under the soil. So while we're waiting for the first tiny bits of green to emerge from the soil (so exciting!), we have time to figure out the light situation for when they do sprout. 

And that will be the next topic. See you next week for that.

P.S. If any of you are gardeners, please jump in with your own preferences and experiences in the comments. There are as many ways to grow things as there are gardens, and all gardeners love to talk to other gardeners about their gardens. So talk to me! (And everyone else.)