Starting Seeds Indoors

Why Start Seeds Indoors

1. It's Fun!
   
   Get to watch growth of seedlings from inside your own home.
   
   Get to garden, even though it is cold outside.
   
   Planting seeds during the winter months gets rid of the winter blues.
   
   
2. Saves Money
   
   Growing garden plants from seeds can save you up to 90% off the price the plant will cost you at the garden center. A seed package of impatiens has 250 seeds for $6.20. That's less than 3 cents a seed.
   
   
3. Increase Plant Choice
   
   With the ability of ordering seeds, you are able to get plants that may not be readily availabe.
   
   
4. Increase Growing Season
   
   By starting seeds indoors, you are able to increase the time you can enjoy the plants during the summer

What You Need to Grow Seeds

1. Shelving
   
   I have found it easiest to use resin shelves that either have grated shelves or shelves with side openings.
   
   
   
   
   Using shelves that have either grids or openings makes it easy to hang lights from shelves.
   
   
2. Lights
   
   In order to successfully grow seeds, you will need light. You will need to purchase shop lights for each shelf.
   
   
   
   
   Use one florescent warm bulb and one cool bulb.
   
   These shop lights are usually 48 inches wide and cost approximately $10.00.
   
   Use chain to hang lights from shelves so they can be raised and lowered to accommodate seedlings
   
   
3. Germinating Heating Pads
   
   To help seeds germinate, a plant heat pad is needed to keep the soil warm. Depending on how many seeds you plan to start at one time, you could need between 1 to 9 heat pads.
   
   These plant heat pads can be bought in kits or separately
   
   You can make your own heat pads.
   
   
4. Containers for Growing Seeds
   
   You can use plastic flats with lids or almost any other container with plastic bags.
   
   I find flats at 99 cents is a good value. I use seed inserts or modified water bottles.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Seed Starting Mix
   
   Use seed starting potting mix to fill containers three-fourths full.
   
   Saturate seed starting potting mix with water before planting seeds.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Miscellaneous Items
   
   Markers to label seeds - You can use a variety of items for this. From popsicle sticks to cutting strips from margarine tubs, cottage cheese containers etc. If you have old mini-blinds, cutting them into 3 inch strips works well.
   
   Permanent fine tip marker
   
   Scissors
   
   Spray bottle for misting seedlings

Basement Greenhouse