Plant a Garden

Gardens are wonderful and can provide fresh produce for very little cost. The cheapest way to start a garden is by starting seeds. Now is the time to start seeds for this summer. Here are the materials you will need to start seeds (these are the basic materials, some people may opt for more or fancier things but they are not necessary):

*soil
*growing tray
*tray
*cover for growing tray
*seeds
*tags

Soil
Be sure to use potting soil, not garden soil. Garden soil is not appropriate because it tends to be too heavy and lack the aeration and drainage that seedlings need. Soils that would be appropriate are things that have peat moss, pearlite, and/or organic matter. It is not necessary that seeds have fertilizer, they just need water to start growing.

Growing Tray
There are many options when it comes to growing trays. You can find some that are specially made for growing seeds or you can create your own. I have tried many different methods for starting seeds. One option is to get a disposable cake pan - I found one at the Dollar Tree that came with a clear plastic lid (it was 13"x9"x2" deep) - just use a nail to poke holes in the sides and bottom to allow for drainage. That has worked quite well. I have also done egg cartons (shown using the lid to my cake pan as a tray to catch water). If you get cardboard egg cartons you don't have to poke holes (I just poked one in the bottoms for good measure). The foamy egg cartons will need holes poked in the sides and bottom so the water can escape. If you would like to use the divided plastic containers sold commercially, I found one at the Dollar Tree that holds six seeds (it also comes with a clear plastic lid and a tray to catch the water). It really boils down to this: you need some sort of container that will hold soil (about 1-2 inches deep) and allow the water to drain because seeds don't want to be saturated.

Tray
You will want a tray to catch the water that drains off so you don't ruin what ever you set this on. I like cookie sheets just fine but it really doesn't matter so long as it will hold the excess water.

Cover for the Growing Tray
The purpose of this is to keep the soil moist. Seeds will germinate best in moist conditions. They don't like to be wet or dry but moist. Without a cover you will need to check the seeds a few times throughout the day and mist them if they start to dry out. A cover can be a simple as a piece of plastic wrap wrapped over the top or a clear plastic lid. It is best if the lid is clear so the sun can get through to the new leaves as they come up. A cover will also help you to maintain a warmer and more consistent temperature for the seeds. Think: mini greenhouse.

Seeds
Find seeds for plants that you would like to grow. Seeds can be found pretty much anywhere this time of year - hardware stores, grocery stores, garden centers...even your local Dollar Tree may have some seeds. Unless you are trying to grow something that is Certified Organic (not many home gardeners are because it really doesn't matter but more on that later) you don't need to spend the extra money on organic seeds. We were able to find seeds on sale for 20 cents per packet at Ace Hardware. Think about what you want to eat and how much space you have then buy seeds that fit that. Don't plant tomatoes if you will never eat them.

Tags
Label your plants. I made little tags using toothpicks, a note card, sharpie, and glue stick. On the note card write the name or type of seed planted (try to make it small but readable), cut it out. Then cut out another piece of note card the same size. Glue them together with the toothpick sandwiched between them. Voila! A tag is born. Garden centers and hardware stores sell tags for labeling plants but they cost extra money and are no better that simple homemade ones. Just don't put paper directly into the soil because it will break down pretty quickly.

Now that you have all your things gathered, find a place where it will fit. You want a place with indirect sunlight (like a north or northeast exposure if it is near a window). Many seeds sprout faster if the have toasty soil (especially tomatoes). This is not required. Do not worry about buying anything for this purpose. If you want to keep them warm just place them on top of either the refrigerator or drier. I like the drier best because I don't have to get on a stool to check the plants and I do laundry all the time so I don't forget about them.

To plant seeds, add about 1-2 inches of soil to your growing tray. Lightly water dry soil. Sow seeds according to package directions (typically at a depth of about 2-3 times the size of the seed) then lightly cover with soil. Water well but do not saturate. Cover and wait. Check on the seeds every day or so to see if they need more water or if any have started to sprout.

Once the seeds emerge they will start growing toward the light so rotate them every day or so to keep them growing straight up. When they start to touch the cover, remove the cover. At this point I move them to a sunnier location. If you have a grow light, you can use that as soon as you see plants coming up. Do not leave the grow light on 24 hours a day - use the sunlight as a guide for when your plants need light. Let plants grow until they have a few leaves and they are getting too big for their first home in the growing tray. This will be at least 6 weeks so don't feel the need to rush. Make sure they have adequate moisture - not too much (this is how most houseplants die), not too little. Remember to water gently so you don't wash away all of your seeds and little plants.