Sowing Seeds Indoors

Sowing seeds is a gratifying way to be more eco-conscience. With the new 100 mile diet trend encouraging us to eat locally grown, it’s a perfect way to have homegrown herbs and veggies at your finger tips. Follow these stylicious tips on how to sow seeds indoors and you will be well on your way to your own veggie garden:

1) Visit your local gardening centre – There are a wide variety of seeds out there so be creative and select some different/new varieties. Try to select seeds that are staples in your family’s diet. As well, select some herb varieties that will allow you to spice up cooking and BBQ’s this summer. Plant herbs in a beautiful pot near your BBQ for easy access while cooking and to give your patio a splash of colour and scent. If you are in a small space or condo, grow herbs/veggies on a south facing window sill or balcony.
2) Check the back of the seed package for each variety’s specific directions. Some require longer growth time before transplanting outdoors. Depth and spacing can also vary.
3) You will need a tray for the peat pods or seed starting kits to be placed on. If you don’t have a seed starting kit, you can simply use egg cartons. Be sure to punch a couple holes in each to allow water to drain.
4) Plant the seeds in a seed starting potting mix. The are many varieties available. We recommend Miracle Grow Seed Starting Potting Mix.
5) Label each pod with the chosen seed variety.
6) Water gently with cool to luke-warm water.
7) Slip container (pods) into plastic bag to conserve the moisture. If it’s too large to put into a plastic bag, you can cover with plastic wrap. Be sure to tent to allow for ventilation.
8) Store at the recommended temperature. (Refer to back of package)
9) Keep in a room with ample sunlight but keep out of direct sunlight. South or west facing rooms will work best.
10) Check seeds daily.
11) Once seeds germinate, remove plastic and expose seedlings to as much sunlight as possible.
12) Check the soil daily to see if watering is required. If the soil is dry, it is time to water. If it’s moist, don’t water the seedlings. Seedlings are delicate, so be careful when watering.
13) After a couple weeks, pull out any small seedlings to allow room for the largest and healthiest seedling in each pod.
14) After 6-12 weeks (refer to pack of package), the seedlings are ready to transplant outdoors.

Now you are well on your way to eating healthy, organic, home-grown vegetables. 

Spring Forward

Spring is definitely in the air, especially in South Western Ontario. This recent spring-like weather can be a motivator to get you into your 2012 garden. Although it’s a great time to take advantage of the weather, it’s still a little early to do anything significant in the garden. Never the less, it’s a great time to get a jump on the season. Here are a couple of stylicious tips that can give you a head start:

Clean Up Your Garden – This is a great time to clean up any debris in garden, cut down any dead growth to allow new growth to come through, rake out your grass, and trim back any dead branches on shrubs and trees.

Pull Out Your Gardening Journal – It’s a great time to remind yourself of the goals you set last season for this coming season. This will allow you to schedule your time over the next couple of months to provide adequate time to complete these projects. Also, doing these projects early in the season will allow you to enjoy it throughout the gardening season. Your journal will remind you of any to-do items that you have recorded for March/April. Finally, if you don’t currently have a gardening journal, we encourage getting one now so you can record your tasks to do each month, and future hopes and dreams you have for your garden.

Sowing Seeds Indoors – With the new 100 mile diet trend encouraging everyone to eat locally grown, what better than having veggies and herbs at your finger tips, right outside your back door? This is the time of year to start planning and preparing your seeds. Most seeds require 6-12 weeks germination/growth before you can transplant them outdoors. Check your local weather trends for the average last frost date. For most of South Western Ontario, it is usually May 15-24.

Check for our next entry on How to Sow Seeds Indoors. An easy way to get ahead this season!