SEED STARTING 101
Step 1 Choosing your seed starting soil
Seeds are small and tender and it takes a lot of energy to germinate. The best soil mixture i've used is one i make up from coco coir and perlite and worm castings. This mixture assures there are no clumps or sticks to impede the progress of the seed.
Step 2 Adding Seeds
Just like each of us each seed has different preferences. Some love heat, some need light, some prefer to sleep for a long time. Be sure to check the back of each seed pkt for info or google and go to a reputable seed seller for details.
Step 3 HEAT MATS
As i mentioned above some seeds need heat to germinate...honestly most do. as always, check the back of the seed pack for suggestions. a heat mat doesn't need to be fancy or need a thermostat. Yeah those are nice but especially if you're just starting out a simple mat from Amazon will do the trick..
Step 4 Happy Birthday Little Seeds!!
Once those little guys have sprouted remove them from the heat mat and place them under lights. You can use just regular shop lights. just position them about 3 inches above the seedlings.
Step 5 Fertalizing
The seed has everything it needs to survive about 2 weeks. After that you'll have to up pot or fertilize. The best fertilizer ive used is Neptune's Harvest. Beware it does smell like fish so if you're seed starting in your home you may want to go a different route. Use a liquid fertilizer at 1/4 strength of what's recommended on the label. and apply from the bottom directly into the tray and not on top of the seedlings.
Step 6 Knowing when to uppot
Your seedlings should have at least two sets of true leaves. You can also tell when you pick up the little pot and look beneath for roots.
Step 7 Choosing your new spot
At First you're going to have to assess how much sun the area you want to plant will get. Wish a few exceptions most plants will want 6-8 hours of full sun to produce. While your seedlings are still growing is a good time to monitor your space for the movement of the sun throughout the day. Consider how tall or short your plant will be and what you might plant near it. A trellis full of peas or beans will shade out anything short planted behind it. Also a nice shady spot may be just the thing to keep your lettuce growing long past its season.
Step 8 Choosing your new soil
In this picture we planted straight into garden soil delivered from a local nursery. see how dark and rich it looks? What i do now is just amend and top off. I use Vigaro in the green bag from HD. its affordable. I know a lot of people will say having a garden doesn't have to cost a lot but the truth is if you're not able to make your own compost...soil is expensive.
You don't have to use expensive trays...red solo cups work fine. just put a hole in the bottom for drainage. you don't have to spend a lot on seeds...Dollar Tree and several other stores carry seed packages at 4/$1.
Soil, however, can be a huge suck on the wallet and it's pretty important to how well your plants will grow.
Our Inspiration
None of this would have been possible without inspo from my garden Yoda...Jessica Sowards of Roots and Refuge Farm. Early in my journey i went looking for information on raised beds and found more than i ever expected. If you want to check her out on youtube I highly recommend starting with her videos from 5 or 6 years ago. They have since moved to a larger property and cover much more than the garden.