My palms are itching. My toes are tapping. My heart is beating faster! It’s time to start the seedlings. Not all of them, you understand but it’s enough for me to start the cool weather babies — lettuce, kale, tatsoi and spinach.
It’s still very cold outside but I am heading to the basement and pulling out my trays, my seed starting soil and my seeds.
Seed starting is really easy as long as you pay attention to a few basics including the right seed, the right starter and the right planters.
Buy the right seed. Now what in the world does that mean? Seed is seed, right? Not in today’s world. Unless it’s certified organic, you could be buying seeds infused with herbicides and pesticides. And guess what? The herbicide and pesticide actually grow right into your plants and right into your produce.
So, only buy 100% certified organic seeds. Where? My favorite outlets for healthy and happy seeds are:
These folks have healthy seeds that ensure you grow healthy plants and healthy produce. And they have ideas, tips and equipment for getting started. NOTE: you do NOT have to buy a whole lot of “stuff” to start gardening.
Start your seeds in the right dirt. I know, dirt is dirt. But is it?
Healthy dirt means healthy seedlings.
And what difference does dirt make to growing healthy, happy plants and healthful food? Dirt is everything.
This is one thing I buy every year. Why? Because dirt for starting seeds has to be organic. I get mine from Gardener’s Supply – employee owned and US-based, their seed starting mix has stood the test of time for more than 25 years!
Have the right equipment and tools. Most of my gardening stuff was used when I started. It still is. My favorite seed starting tool are my seed starting kits.
Grow trays are perfect for starting seeds.
I bought these 25 years ago and they are still working great! The small cell of dirt heats up fast. The base and mat ensure the seedlings never dry out but they also never get too wet or damp off.
If you’re just starting out, don’t invest too much before you start growing. Look around. Use stuff you already have . Check Craigslist to pick up gardening equipment for a song!
I found most of my tools and you can too so don’t let the cost of tools scare you off. (The post on finding tools was written 5 years ago but it still stands as does its companion post on garden tools that are nice to have.)
Getting started is so easy. I hope you take a chance. Grow your favorite vegetable on your patio, in a pot on the back porch or in a plot in the back yard.
My garden in July, 2016.
Give it a shot and just 5 months from now, you could be looking at gorgeous, healthy veggies growing on your very own plants!
Looking for more tips on seed starting? Margaret Roach, one of my most favorite gardening gurus, offers her own seed starting wisdom, too.
Join in. Get your hands dirty. And start growing your own food. It’s fun and it really is easy!!
Happy Spring (almost) everyone!
Grow So Easy Organic 
Seeing contraptions like this remind me of how fortunate we are that we can sow seed directly into the garden. Inside, I start only a few plants that we need only a few of, and only so that they are big enough to not get eaten by snails right away.
Have I mentioned before how jealous I am of your climate? It was 22 degrees out last night…so the cool babies have to start inside. It is fun, though…and it gives me hope!
Jelous? I suppose I would be too. I happen to like it here because it is what I am familiar with. The Santa Clara Valley was once famous for production of orchard crops and horticultural commodities. However, it is not perfect, and there are many things that do not do well here. The little bit of chill that the orchard trees needed is just enough to prevent me from growing some of the topical specie that I miss and sometimes write about from Beverly Hills (in the Los Angeles region), but is not enough for many of the bulbs and cultivars of apples and pears that I see growing so easily on the Kitsap Peninsula (in the Seattle Region). Sunny and arid weather is pleasant, but leaves the region dry and dusty by the middle of summer. I think that every climate has certain advantages.
A great positve post, Pat, and welcome back too – we’ve missed you.