If you are looking for Part 1 , click here.
Supplies: What do you actually need?
Believe it or not, you don’t need too much to get started and there are as many opinions on this as there are gardeners. I am going to show you how I start seeds and what works best for me. After a few seasons of starting seeds, you’ll discover what works best for you.
This is what my set up looks like:
As you can tell, I’m more into utility than aesthetics and I do all of my seed starting in my unfinished basement. The shelving is just simple a utility rack, probably from Home Depot or Lowes. You don’t need a giant shelf like this, especially if you are only starting a few plants. In fact, a sunny windowsill or sunroom can also used for starting seeds.
Lighting:
While you can use a windowsill and grow excellent seedlings, it is really helpful to have dedicated lighting. I have used 48″ T8 fluorescent Shop lights for almost 10 years. I actually bought them at a garage sale but you can certainly find them are your local home improvement store. For my fixtures, I use one warm bulb and one cool bulb but I know folks that use only cool bulbs (6000k-6500k) and have good results.
In the last few years I have noticed that LED lighting has become more readily available and that’s not a terrible option but there is more upfront investment to get started. You may also see dedicated grow lights that are really expensive but those are not necessary for seed starting since you’ll only be growing indoors until you can plant them out.
Containers:
Just about any container with holes in the bottom will work for your seeds. In this photo there are a few different sizes of dedicated seed starting containers but you can also recycle things like yogurt containers and drill holes in the bottom.
In general, you don’t need your containers to be more than a few inches deep for germination. You’ll be potting them up later anyway (more on that in Part 3).
Trays:
After the containers are ready you need something set the seedlings in. I really like these very sturdy trays from Greenhouse Megastore. If you go this route, make sure you grab a plastic dome that will fit over the top. Putting plastic wrap over the top will also get the job done.
I also use smaller foil pans that come with the clear lid. You can find those just about anywhere for just a few dollars.
Seed Starting Medium:
There are dozens of soilless, meaning they don’t have soil, mixes available. After lots of trial and error I have found that these compressed blocks from Burpee are my favorite. They are cost effective and easy to store.
Whatever you choose, make sure it is labeled specifically for seed starting. Traditional potting soil will be too heavy and typically have fertilizers or other amendments that could harm your little sprouts. Ideally, look for something that is light and contains things like coconut coir, sphagnum peat moss, and perlite.
Other Supplies:
A heat mat isn’t 100% required if you start your seeds in a fairly warm location but it will get you faster germination. Since my basement averages about 62 degrees, I like to use the heat mat for germination.
Labels or Tags
You will want to make sure that you remember what you planted so it is important to label your containers. You can use tags like this which you can then use when you plant out in the garden. For seed starting, I label my containers with painters tape like this:
Once I pot the seedlings up ( see part 3 for more info on that), then they get a fancy plastic tag.
A Fan
A small oscillating fan like this one can be very helpful in preventing a fungal disease called damping off by providing good air circulation. It will also help your young plants develop strong stems as it mimics some of the conditions they would encounter had they been grown outdoors.
What’s Next?
Now that you have all of your supplies ready to go, head over to Part 3 to see how I start my seeds!
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