Starting Seeds, The Easy And Smart Way
Written by: Kristen Duever Survival Gardening Print This Article
http://www.offthegridnews.com/survival-gardening-2/starting-seeds-the-easy-and-smart-way/
Image source: Gardeningknowhow
If you are planning on finally getting your garden started come spring, you might be surprised that some of your planting actually should begin when it’s extremely cold out. Indoor planting, that is.
Seed-starting indoors has numerous benefits for all zones. It increases the success of your plants since they get a pretty easy start indoors, and it also allows you to extend your growing season. Actually, for some of the colder zones (like mine, zone 5) you pretty much have to start seeds indoors due to the short growing season. Certain types of vegetables or other plants simply take too long to reach harvest compared to the days we have between first and last frost.
What Zone Are You In?
First and foremost, you are going to need to figure out what zone you live in, since this dictates when you are going to need to start seeds as well as what seeds you can get away with planting outdoors or direct sown.
Look at the map on this page, and click on it. If you live on the cusp of two zones, generally you should go by the information on the zone with the shorter growing season just to be safe.
What Do You Want to Plant?
There are so many varieties of vegetables and fruits available to plant that it can make you feel a bit crazy. Now that you’ve figured out what your zone is, you’ll be happy to know that you can shop for seeds that will thrive in your particular area.
Order your 2015 Heirloom Solutions seed catalog and get $20 in your account!
If you look at the back of a seed packet for a vegetable, much of the time there is information about whether the plant likes full sun, shade, how far apart to plant, etc. Online or print nursery/seed catalogs should have the same zone information.
If you are new to gardening, it is recommended that you start off small. Think about what you and your family eat on a regular basis, and plant those types of vegetables. If you’re big salad eaters, you’ll benefit from planting different lettuces and mixes. If you hardly ever eat squash, you might find it just wastes space in your garden when you could have planted something you enjoy.
(Quick Note: Sometimes you can get away with planting a vegetable that requires a warmer zone, but be warned that this plant is almost always going to die come winter, even if it’s a biennial or perennial.)
Ordering seeds online is easy and gives you a wider selection than you could find in your stores locally. I find that seed catalogs are always nice to have on hand as reference in future garden planning.
Getting Your Seeds Started
Image source: USDA
When I was new to gardening, I had a moment of panic when I realized I had to start seeds indoors due to my zone but had no idea WHEN I was supposed to start them. Start them too early and you’re going to have to deal with huge seedlings or, at that point, maybe even a small plant you’re going to have to transfer to a bigger pot. That would be a pain. Start too late and you might not achieve optimal harvest due to first frost.
Thankfully, there are plenty of resources out there for seed planting charts. These planting charts are very helpful and a great way to guide you on when to start what. Heirloom varieties of seeds with very long growing periods may need to be started just a bit earlier than the seed charts say, since many seed charts are based on growing averages of hybrids. If you are really uncertain, I recommend doing a search on Google (if you have a question, chances are someone else did, too) or contacting the nursery that sold the seeds and ask for their opinion.
Here are a few different seed-starting charts I recommend:
Seed Starting Supplies
Starting seeds indoors is easy-peasy once you’ve figured out when to plant and all that technical stuff. You are going to need just a few things:
Pots: Plastic starting trays aren’t that expensive and are usually easy to just reuse for a few seasons. You can also find little peat pots that work well. With some peat pots you actually rehydrate in water, and it expands into a mini pot that you just pop your seed right into. Once the plant is ready you just put the whole thing into the ground in your garden. This makes planting super easy, but they are more expensive.
Also, you can use old newspaper to make tiny pots. Check out a tutorial here. Here in our garden we typically use old, cleaned mini milk cartons from a local school. They are a perfect size and the carton easily tears away when it’s time to plant outside.
New Natural Fertilizer Doubles Garden Production!
Space: This is kind of a no-brainer, but you need space for all those seedling trays. Since you are probably going to need artificial lighting (see below), a perfect way of storing the trays is on a shelving system, plastic or metal. You can then hang your lights right under each shelf so each level gets light.
Lights: Sometimes we don’t even need to use artificial light, but you’re going to really get optimal growth if you do. Grow lights can be a bit pricey, but I feel like they are worth the money. Invest in good fixtures and you’ll only need to replace the bulbs when they burn out.
Heat: Seedlings need to be kept warm. Some seedlings really need to be pampered and enjoy heat, such as tomatoes or peppers. Companies do sell large plastic heating mats that work well. They can be a bit expensive, however. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons to see if it’s worth the investment for you. Using heat tape such as Flexwatt is less expensive, but you’ll need a thermostat. Otherwise, keep your seedlings in a warm location in your home.
Soil: Soil is very important when it comes to seed starting. Regular potting soil could be too dense and heavy for seeds, which makes growth slow and difficult for the plant. There are seed-starting soil mixes that work well, but they can be expensive. Some gardeners have success mixing a bit of sand with regular potting soil to loosen it up. If you are starting off with a small garden and are new to seed starting, go with an inexpensive generic brand of seed-starting soil from a local source.
After you have your seeds and your supplies, just wait for the date to start planting based on your chosen seed-starting chart. Keep in mind you might want to stagger planting on certain vegetables like salad mixes so you can harvest all throughout the growing season rather than having one giant harvest at the same time, every time.
Written by: Kristen Duever Survival Gardening Print This Article
http://www.offthegridnews.com/survival-gardening-2/starting-seeds-the-easy-and-smart-way/
Image source: Gardeningknowhow
If you are planning on finally getting your garden started come spring, you might be surprised that some of your planting actually should begin when it’s extremely cold out. Indoor planting, that is.
Seed-starting indoors has numerous benefits for all zones. It increases the success of your plants since they get a pretty easy start indoors, and it also allows you to extend your growing season. Actually, for some of the colder zones (like mine, zone 5) you pretty much have to start seeds indoors due to the short growing season. Certain types of vegetables or other plants simply take too long to reach harvest compared to the days we have between first and last frost.
What Zone Are You In?
First and foremost, you are going to need to figure out what zone you live in, since this dictates when you are going to need to start seeds as well as what seeds you can get away with planting outdoors or direct sown.
Look at the map on this page, and click on it. If you live on the cusp of two zones, generally you should go by the information on the zone with the shorter growing season just to be safe.
What Do You Want to Plant?
There are so many varieties of vegetables and fruits available to plant that it can make you feel a bit crazy. Now that you’ve figured out what your zone is, you’ll be happy to know that you can shop for seeds that will thrive in your particular area.
Order your 2015 Heirloom Solutions seed catalog and get $20 in your account!
If you look at the back of a seed packet for a vegetable, much of the time there is information about whether the plant likes full sun, shade, how far apart to plant, etc. Online or print nursery/seed catalogs should have the same zone information.
If you are new to gardening, it is recommended that you start off small. Think about what you and your family eat on a regular basis, and plant those types of vegetables. If you’re big salad eaters, you’ll benefit from planting different lettuces and mixes. If you hardly ever eat squash, you might find it just wastes space in your garden when you could have planted something you enjoy.
(Quick Note: Sometimes you can get away with planting a vegetable that requires a warmer zone, but be warned that this plant is almost always going to die come winter, even if it’s a biennial or perennial.)
Ordering seeds online is easy and gives you a wider selection than you could find in your stores locally. I find that seed catalogs are always nice to have on hand as reference in future garden planning.
Getting Your Seeds Started
Image source: USDA
When I was new to gardening, I had a moment of panic when I realized I had to start seeds indoors due to my zone but had no idea WHEN I was supposed to start them. Start them too early and you’re going to have to deal with huge seedlings or, at that point, maybe even a small plant you’re going to have to transfer to a bigger pot. That would be a pain. Start too late and you might not achieve optimal harvest due to first frost.
Thankfully, there are plenty of resources out there for seed planting charts. These planting charts are very helpful and a great way to guide you on when to start what. Heirloom varieties of seeds with very long growing periods may need to be started just a bit earlier than the seed charts say, since many seed charts are based on growing averages of hybrids. If you are really uncertain, I recommend doing a search on Google (if you have a question, chances are someone else did, too) or contacting the nursery that sold the seeds and ask for their opinion.
Here are a few different seed-starting charts I recommend:
Seed Starting Supplies
Starting seeds indoors is easy-peasy once you’ve figured out when to plant and all that technical stuff. You are going to need just a few things:
- Mini pots or plastic starting trays
- Space for the seedlings
- Lights (possibly optional)
- Source of heat
- Soil
Pots: Plastic starting trays aren’t that expensive and are usually easy to just reuse for a few seasons. You can also find little peat pots that work well. With some peat pots you actually rehydrate in water, and it expands into a mini pot that you just pop your seed right into. Once the plant is ready you just put the whole thing into the ground in your garden. This makes planting super easy, but they are more expensive.
Also, you can use old newspaper to make tiny pots. Check out a tutorial here. Here in our garden we typically use old, cleaned mini milk cartons from a local school. They are a perfect size and the carton easily tears away when it’s time to plant outside.
New Natural Fertilizer Doubles Garden Production!
Space: This is kind of a no-brainer, but you need space for all those seedling trays. Since you are probably going to need artificial lighting (see below), a perfect way of storing the trays is on a shelving system, plastic or metal. You can then hang your lights right under each shelf so each level gets light.
Lights: Sometimes we don’t even need to use artificial light, but you’re going to really get optimal growth if you do. Grow lights can be a bit pricey, but I feel like they are worth the money. Invest in good fixtures and you’ll only need to replace the bulbs when they burn out.
Heat: Seedlings need to be kept warm. Some seedlings really need to be pampered and enjoy heat, such as tomatoes or peppers. Companies do sell large plastic heating mats that work well. They can be a bit expensive, however. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons to see if it’s worth the investment for you. Using heat tape such as Flexwatt is less expensive, but you’ll need a thermostat. Otherwise, keep your seedlings in a warm location in your home.
Soil: Soil is very important when it comes to seed starting. Regular potting soil could be too dense and heavy for seeds, which makes growth slow and difficult for the plant. There are seed-starting soil mixes that work well, but they can be expensive. Some gardeners have success mixing a bit of sand with regular potting soil to loosen it up. If you are starting off with a small garden and are new to seed starting, go with an inexpensive generic brand of seed-starting soil from a local source.
After you have your seeds and your supplies, just wait for the date to start planting based on your chosen seed-starting chart. Keep in mind you might want to stagger planting on certain vegetables like salad mixes so you can harvest all throughout the growing season rather than having one giant harvest at the same time, every time.
Today at 5:06 am by Rocky
» Al-Mashhadani faces 170 suspended laws.. Will they be approved or deported?
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary demands to cancel the security agreement with Washington
Today at 5:02 am by Rocky
» MP: Oil derivatives smuggling has decreased by 80% in Iraq
Today at 5:00 am by Rocky
» After years of controversy, the Minority Protection Act is submitted for the first reading
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Al-Sayhoud: The ministerial reshuffle is useless for several reasons
Today at 4:58 am by Rocky
» Iraqi government makes changes to the General Secretariat: Al-Juhaishi succeeds Al-Halbousi
Today at 4:56 am by Rocky
» Extension of the legislative term of the Iraqi parliament for an additional month to pass laws
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister: The necessity of strengthening Iraq's position to be at the forefront of the region'
Today at 4:52 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Transportation: We are determined to pass the Civil Aviation Authority Law
Today at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Baghdad Council: Study of the reality of companies applying to implement projects
Today at 4:49 am by Rocky
» Water Resources announces its control over the oil slick in the Tigris River
Today at 4:48 am by Rocky
» Reconstruction: A new government vision for distributing serviced lands among those entitled to them
Today at 4:47 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Immigration Committee demands increasing the amount of the return grant
Today at 4:44 am by Rocky
» Accreditation of specialized graduates to support quality control
Today at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Heritage markets and buildings in Mosul after its reconstruction
Today at 4:41 am by Rocky
» Specialized committee to ensure acceptance of cybersecurity outputs
Today at 4:40 am by Rocky
» The Ministry of Interior issues mechanisms to regulate the work of private security companies
Today at 4:39 am by Rocky
» Baghdad Council: Study of the reality of companies applying to implement projects
Today at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Welcome to the trends of establishing an administrative capital
Today at 4:36 am by Rocky
» Securities trade more than 88 billion shares
Today at 4:34 am by Rocky
» Focus on the banking sector
Today at 4:33 am by Rocky
» Imports and dependence on oil are obstacles to Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization
Today at 4:32 am by Rocky
» Launch of the International Chamber of Commerce in Iraq
Today at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Private sector and housing projects
Today at 4:30 am by Rocky
» Sovereign guarantees... a trend that promotes national industries
Today at 4:29 am by Rocky
» Development of tax policies and laws
Today at 4:28 am by Rocky
» Basra Council reviews the mechanisms of the smart transformation system that the Ministry of Electri
Today at 4:26 am by Rocky
» Against the backdrop of the rise in the best subscriptions...Nineveh Council: Fuel quotas for genera
Today at 4:25 am by Rocky
» Trade: Launching the International Chamber of Commerce branch in Iraq
Today at 4:24 am by Rocky
» Parliament.. A new political path under the leadership of President Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani
Today at 4:22 am by Rocky
» ommunications and Media Commission implements 54 projects to serve more than 162 thousand beneficiar
Today at 4:20 am by Rocky
» The Coordination Framework comments on the expected ministerial amendment: Information is exclusivel
Today at 4:18 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani receives draft memorandum of understanding to establish the Supreme Ministerial Council be
Today at 4:17 am by Rocky
» Interior Minister discusses with Iranian counterpart in Tehran common files between the two countrie
Today at 4:16 am by Rocky
» Integrity and the Financial Supervision Bureau agree to activate the cooperation agreement between t
Today at 4:15 am by Rocky
» Victory Coalition: We call for adopting Imam Sistani’s directives as a document of principles for po
Today at 4:14 am by Rocky
» The expected Kurdistan government.. between accelerating events and complex scenarios - Urgent
Today at 4:12 am by Rocky
» Details of Talabani's meeting with the US Ambassador: The next government is a citizen's government
Today at 4:10 am by Rocky
» "Before the axe falls on the head" .. Al-Sadr warns the Sudanese against adopting the issue of the "
Today at 4:05 am by Rocky
» Iraq announces success in investing 67% of associated gas and converting it into energy
Today at 4:04 am by Rocky
» Parliament overcomes Thursday's trap.. Sessions complain about their personal conditions and seek a
Today at 4:03 am by Rocky
» The Election Commission closes the door to appeals in the Kurdistan elections with 41 appeals
Today at 4:02 am by Rocky
» Trade Bank of Iraq signs a contract with “Hisabi Project” to localize salaries of the region’s emplo
Today at 4:01 am by Rocky
» Baghdad faces a new test to maintain balance.. Threats of Iranian response to Israel from Iraqi terr
Today at 4:00 am by Rocky
» Rafidain and Rashid deny the suspension of electronic payment devices: The service continues
Today at 3:58 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani agrees to launch an initiative to attract talent in the public and private sectors
Today at 3:57 am by Rocky
» MP: 11 draft laws ready to be presented to the House of Representatives
Today at 3:55 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani and Al-Mashhadani discuss cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities
Today at 3:53 am by Rocky
» Sudanese agrees to launch an initiative on artificial intelligence
Today at 3:51 am by Rocky
» The dollar continues to rise.. Learn about the exchange rates in the Iraqi markets
Today at 3:49 am by Rocky
» Mechanisms for regulating the work of private security companies in Iraq
Today at 3:48 am by Rocky
» Transport decides to reject partnership between the General Company for Airports Management and the
Today at 3:45 am by Rocky
» What does the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan expect from Mahmoud al-Mashhadani? Al-Sumaria reveals
Today at 3:43 am by Rocky
» MM&C 11/3/24 Launch of the International Chamber of Commerce in Iraq
Yesterday at 1:50 pm by Rocky
» utube 11/2/24 MM&C Report-Iraq 3 Presidents-National-Constitutional Entitlements-Open Market Operati
Yesterday at 7:16 am by Rocky
» utube 10/31/24 MM&C Central Bank Governor of Iraq-Monetary Stability Directly Stimulating the Econom
Yesterday at 7:15 am by Rocky
» utube 10/31/24 MM&C MM&C News Reporting-Security & Stability-Sinjar Allocations-Unprecedented Develo
Yesterday at 7:15 am by Rocky
» Rafidain and Rashid deny the suspension of electronic payment devices: The service continues
Yesterday at 7:10 am by Rocky
» Iraq meets a third of housing needs, two directions identified to solve the crisis completely
Yesterday at 7:06 am by Rocky
» Activating the General Amnesty Law, a summary of the meeting between Al-Mashhadani and Al-Dhari
Yesterday at 7:03 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary recommendations to change "five" ministers in Al-Sudani's government.. Get to know the
Yesterday at 7:00 am by Rocky
» The controversy over the “controversial laws” continues.. and Al-Mashhadani confirms: They will not
Yesterday at 6:58 am by Rocky
» Sunday's currency auction.. 99% of the Central Bank of Iraq's sales went abroad
Yesterday at 6:56 am by Rocky
» Higher fines and powers.. the most prominent amendments to the expected Civil Defense Law
Yesterday at 6:53 am by Rocky
» Transport announces completion of initial design phase of development road with its land and rail ro
Yesterday at 6:51 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Security: The Intelligence Law is ready.. 3 important paragraphs
Yesterday at 5:12 am by Rocky
» Central Bank dollar sales rise in today's auction
Yesterday at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Divided into three... Al-Fatlawi criticizes the Arab and Islamic position towards the aggression on
Yesterday at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Transport Committee reveals upcoming quadripartite meeting on development path
Yesterday at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Planning: The ministerial amendment is based on 4 directions
Yesterday at 5:06 am by Rocky
» "Until the case is settled"... the judiciary suspends the decision to dismiss Al-Karwi from the pres
Yesterday at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Increasing for a year and a half.. Announcing the results of the investigation into Baghdad's pollut
Yesterday at 5:03 am by Rocky
» Banking Association: Reducing inflation helped stabilize commodity prices
Yesterday at 5:00 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Investment and Development Committee calls for commitment to the “Investment Law”
Yesterday at 4:58 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance settles the controversy: This is the fate of the appointments file in the 2025
Yesterday at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Trade Bank of Iraq explains procedures for money transfers and combating money laundering
Yesterday at 4:56 am by Rocky
» Within three days, Iraq indicates an increase in the number of aircraft landing and crossing the air
Yesterday at 4:54 am by Rocky
» Public services reveal the reality of the capital.. This is what it needs
Yesterday at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Population growth and ongoing suffering.. A briefing on the "deteriorating" situation in Baghdad
Yesterday at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Committee Proposes Attracting Real Estate Developers
Yesterday at 4:51 am by Rocky
» Direction to transfer beneficiaries of the protection network to the Social Security Law
Yesterday at 4:50 am by Rocky
» Speaker of Parliament
Yesterday at 4:49 am by Rocky
» I learned {morning}
Yesterday at 4:48 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani directs to establish the concept of (Made in Iraq)
Yesterday at 4:47 am by Rocky
» Al-Mashhadani to {Al-Sabah}: Controversial laws will be presented unanimously
Yesterday at 4:46 am by Rocky
» Establishment of Al-Ghadeer Residential City in Muthanna
Yesterday at 4:44 am by Rocky
» Work: Transferring beneficiaries of the safety net to the Social Security Law
Yesterday at 4:43 am by Rocky
» The most prominent achievements of the Sudanese government in the education sector
Yesterday at 4:41 am by Rocky
» Welcome to the trends of establishing an administrative capital
Yesterday at 4:40 am by Rocky
» Securities trade more than 88 billion shares
Yesterday at 4:39 am by Rocky
» Focus on the banking sector
Yesterday at 4:38 am by Rocky
» Imports and dependence on oil are obstacles to Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization
Yesterday at 4:35 am by Rocky
» Preparatory meetings for the 40th session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Coop
Yesterday at 4:33 am by Rocky
» Minister of Industry: Our visit program to Basra will include following up on the progress of work a
Yesterday at 4:32 am by Rocky
» Al-Mashhadani and the Secretary-General of the Iraqi National Project stress the importance of activ
Yesterday at 4:29 am by Rocky
» Minister of Industry discusses action plan to complete steel plant in Basra and operate it on schedu
Yesterday at 4:28 am by Rocky
» Al-Sayhoud: Accelerating the implementation of the strategic development road project will advance t
Yesterday at 4:26 am by Rocky
» Amnesty International issues a “warning” to the Iraqi government over “violations” inside Al-Jadaa c
Yesterday at 4:24 am by Rocky