Heres how to start vegetables and flowers from seeds.
Its also a great way to stretch your gardening budget.
Seed starting also allows you to get a jump on the season.
Credit:Getty Images / Aleksandr Zubkov
Some plants do better if seeded directly into the gardenwhen conditions are right.
That includesbeans,carrots, radishes, turnips, and flowers such as nasturtiums andcosmos.
But heat-loving crops, such as tomatoes, peppers, andeggplants, benefit from an early start indoors.
Label everything (no, you wont remember what you planted where!).
Place the pots in a seed tray or flat.
Set up the grow light or LED about 2 to 4 inches above the pots.
Bottom water the seeds, following the steps below.
Pour water into the seed tray and allowing the pots to absorb it, says Pilarchik.
When the top of planting medium is light brown, its nearly time to water again.
Then fill the seed tray with water about one-quarter of the tray depth.
Let the containers absorb the water for 30 minutes, then dump out excess.
Do not allow the containers to stand in water.
How To Care for Seedlings
Keep the lights on for 14 to 16 hours per day.
Most plants will take from 5 to 14 days to germinate.
Water when needed by watching the surface color of the planting medium.
As the seedlings grow, raise the light, maintaining the 2 to 4-inch gap above the plants.
Go up about twice the size of the current pot.
When Can I Transplant Seedlings To My Garden?
Set a timer on your phone so you dont forget about them and let them fry!
Once theyre hardened off, plant them in your garden, and wait for the harvest.
