The idea of starting seeds yourself might feel overwhelming if you are a new gardener or growing your vegetables for the first time. I have been there too! For years, I thought it’s very time consuming and not very cost effective. Even if I convinced myself of buying the seed starting supplies, I was not sure where to start. But let me tell you, don’t get put off by these concerns. It is not that hard and it doesn’t cost a fortune to start your seeds indoors. In fact, it is much more beneficial than buying the starter plants from the garden stores. Let me show you how:
1. It saves you money
Read this post for a list of indoor seed starting supplies you will need. Even after investing in the seed starting supplies, you will spend much less than buying the starter plants from garden stores. Each Seed packet costs between $1 to $4 and contains hundreds of seeds. For an average home vegetable gardener, it should last several years. The seed starting trays can be re-used for at least a couple of years with proper care and handling. That comes out to just pennies per plant!
2. You get more selection
The big box garden stores sell the varieties that are most common for the area. What if you want to try incredibly delicious ‘Kellogg’s Breakfast’ heirloom tomato or rarely seen ‘Scarlet Kale’? I bet you will have a hard time find it there. Online seed stores have amazingly wide varieties of seeds that are seldom available as a starter plant.
3. You decide how to raise them
Just like you do with your children. You decide. What kind of soil, fertilizers or seeds to use, it’s up to you. You can choose to go all organic or go all hybrid. Ultimately, you are in control of what will go in your mouth, it’s not decided for you!
4. Get earlier and more produce
If you follow my Gardening Checklists, you will have your seedlings ready to go in the garden when it’s right time for them. You won’t have to wait till your garden store stocks the seedling. For example, in my area, Broccoli seedlings can be planted outside any time after February 2nd week, but the garden stores don’t start selling them until March. By planting Broccoli in February, I have my Broccoli head ready to harvest around beginning of May! And, by leaving the plants in after cutting off the main head, I will have a couple of more rounds of harvests from the side shoots before the Broccoli bolts dues to heat in June! It can’t be possible to have multiple harvests, if I wait for the garden stores to stock and sell Broccoli plants.
5. Enjoy indoor gardening
This is one of the most important reason why I raise my own seedlings! It gives me something to look forward to right after Christmas! The time to enjoy the garden comes much earlier. Watching the seedling grow, counting the leaves on them each week and keeping a photo journal is very pleasing experience for me. Besides, the greenery inside helps me ease my spring fever!
Raising seedlings indoor is not only beneficial from cost perspective, but it has many more advantages. Don’t be afraid to give it a try this year. I will show you what supplies you need, when to saw seeds of each varieties and how to do it.
What seeds are you planting this year? Please share in the comment section below.