I have been starting my own seeds for many years now and have had just about everything go wrong, from leggy seedlings and overwatering, to the dreaded dampening off and Fungus Gnats. After many years of learning from my mistakes, I finally have a system that works perfectly everytime. I love to grow and sell seedlings, but I love it even more when I can help others find success in starting their own seeds. I began starting my own seeds for many of the same reasons people now buy my seedlings. I desperately wanted Organic Non-GMO vegetables to feed my family. I also wanted more variety and quality heirloom vegetables that taste amazing. I know many of you want the same things, and because I get so many seed starting questions, I've decided to dedicate a group of new blog posts to help new and experienced gardeners alike avoid some of the pitfalls of seed starting without a greenhouse.
~Here's how we start our indoor seeds at Melody Acres~
1. We grow so many seedlings we set up a large table and put a heated blanket on it to keep the soil temperature warm. When we were just growing a few flats of seeds we used a seedling warming mat or a regular heating pad set on low.
2. We like to add plastic over the top so that any spilled water doesn't sit on the wood of the table.
3. Now it's time to gather everything you'll need.
- Clean sterile Containers (preferably with a plastic top, but plastic wrap will work fine)
- Organic Starting soil
- Pen/ paper/ tape (For marking plants)
- Seeds
- Water spray bottle
- Large pan for soil baking
- Aluminum Foil
- Cinnamon
4. Now it's time to sterilize your soil! Once I started doing this with my soil I never had problems with dampening off. Dampening off is a term for seedling death due to any number of fungal diseases. This is why you need to start with quality seed starting organic soil. Trust me, you need to sterilize it even if the bag says it's sterile. Nothing is worse than spending time and money on good seeds only to have them sprout and wither and die shortly after.
You can either bake your soil or microwave it. It really doesn't matter which one you choose, but you need to get it hot enough to kill anything that may harm your plants.
Microwave method: Cut a few vent holes in the top of your bag and pop it in the microwave for 6 minutes on high. Pull bag out and allow to cool enough so you can work with it. (Don't wait until it is completely cooled. The seeds love the warm soil and respond by germinating faster.)
Oven Method: Pour soil into an oven safe pan and cover with foil. Bake at 200 F for about 30 minutes or until the soil temperature reaches 180 F. (Don't just continue to cook soil. Soil temperatures above 200F can release toxins)
6. Plant seeds to depth indicated on seed package then cover with soil.
7. Fill your water bottle with warm water and spritz soil until evenly damp.
8. Sprinkle top of soil with cinnamon. Cinnamon is a natural antifungal and will help prevent your seedlings from dampening off if any fungus remains in the soil after sterilization. Don't skip this step! Cinnamon in big containers is cheap when buying from warehouse stores.
9. Cover and place on heating pad and you're done!
Look for your cover to fog up. This is how you know your soil is warming. Check once a day to be sure the soil is wet. I water when the soil just starts to change from black to light brown. Don't let your soil completely dry out. If you have it covered, watering every two days is sufficient until seedlings emerge. Don't overwater.
Now what to do once seedlings emerge? Check for my next blog!
