Starting blogs with starting seeds...

One of the keys to growing and eating your own food is timing and preparation, so I'd figure I'd start out with something important and underestimated: indoor propagation!

Why start seeds indoors? Well for one, it's wayyyyy cheaper. Done correctly, indoor propagation provides your plants with much more care and attention than plants from a nursery, giving the seedlings a much better head start in life because they are less likely to be root bound/stunted. Plus it's fun :)

 

It may take a little investment the first year, but for every year after that (acutally twice a year, if you start fall transplants under lights), you will already have your materials.

 

You will need:

•  seeds (duh)
• a seed starting mixture
•  a light....NOTE: You do not need a special grow light! Those are a waste of money for starting seeds because they are meant to sustain a plant into it's mature life. A simple shop light is all you need to get seedlings going. You want to find a fixture that holds atleast two bulbs so that the light can cover a wider area. I use two 48-inch T8 bulbs and it has worked fine.  
• tray/flats/small containers of some sort to start your seeds in.

 

Your most difficult problem might be deciding where to hang your light (atleast it was for me when I took on indoor propagation for the first time). I had to use extra chain so that the fixture was low enough, and a shelf to hold the plants. Also, my plants were next to a drafty window, so I needed a small space heater to mantain the ideal 65-75 degree germination temperature (although, there are also heating mats for seeds to help accomplish this goal). If you have a good permanent place for your set-up that you can use year after year, go with it. If you don't, you can do what I did, and construct a PVC plant stand. It's a very cheap and easy project. I used plans similar to this one: http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/growlite/construc.html
Now, I always have a place to hang my light.

Once your lighting is in place, time to plant! Plant the seeds at the appropriate depth as indicated on the package.

 

While they are growing, the most important things they need are light, warmth, water, food, and space!

• Light: You want to adjust the light so that it's 2-4 inches above the flats, and keep it on for 12-14 hours a day (don't worry, these lights are super efficient, so your energy bill won't be crazy). If your seedlings look leggy (stretched), it means they need more light, so lower the fixture a little bit.
• Warmth: Be sure to maintain warmth (above 65 degrees)
• Water: Keep them moist, but not saturated. Conditions that are too wet can promote disease. Using a spray bottle is my preferred watering method because it doesn't soak the soil and its very gentle.
• Food: Watering with a mild, soluble liquid fertilizer keeps them growing strong. Apply after the second set of leaves. I use seaweed.
• Space: Give each seedling its own space. I usually plant three seeds per square, then thin out the weaker-looking sprouts, leaving one strong one. Also, don't let them get root bound! You don't want to stunt growth so early on. Transplant to a bigger container as soon as you can.

Before transplanting outside, you should harden them off. This basically just means setting them outside for increasing amounts each day. Start with 30 minutes, then an hour, then two hours, etc. This process helps the plant get ready to withstand wind and sun when it's on its own out in the garden!

So, now that you're excited and ready to set up your light, let's have a few words about seeds.

Some seeds are just not meant to be started indoors, especially root crops. Actually, most seeds you can direct sow in the garden (lettuce, chard, spinach, squash, corn, beans, peas, radishes, beets, carrots, turnips, basil, dill, cilantro, the list goes on...). Always read the seed packet to check if the plant benefits from being started inside, and when to start it. Keep in mind our average date of last frost here in Central Texas is March 15th (and first frost is around November 15).

These are the veggies that I usually start indoors in January:

• Broccoli
• Kale
• Collards
• Cabbage
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Eggplant
• Plus annual flowers, like daisies and marigolds

Speaking of, gotta go mist my sprouts! Good luck, have fun, and remember, garden knowledge is best acquired by doing rather than reading....so get your hands dirty!