Since we’ve had no electricity the last day or so I’ve been working on starting a few more seeds. I started some toward the end of February, but I started a few more this morning.
Why start your own plants from seeds?
1. Cost is the main reason I start many of my own plants from seeds. I always have a big garden, I can’t afford to purchase all the plants I would need to fill it. I can afford enough seeds, and then some. I always have extra plants to share, or swap with friends or relatives.
2. Plant selection is much better for seeds. Most garden centers only have a few varieties of peppers, tomatoes, and flowers. I love the heirloom varieties, especially those heirloom tomatoes. You can find seeds for so many more varieties of plants than you can find plants in a nursery.
3. I control the growing conditions. When you purchase plants from a nursery or garden center you don’t know what chemicals and fertilizers were used to get the plant to that point. I know I only use organic fertilizers, and an organic growing medium to start my plants.
4. Many plants in nurseries are grown in plastic pots. When I grow my own plants at home I use newspaper to make my own pots (with a pot maker), or I use peat pots to grow my soil. When I plant my seedlings they can go directly in the soil (less transplant shock). I don’t have a leftover plastic pot to dispose of in some landfill.
My absolute favorite thing to grow from seeds is tomatoes. I also enjoy trying heirloom and unusual peppers. What plants do you like to start from seed?
Tags: starting seeds, why start seeds, planting seeds, starting your own seeds, seed pots, paper seed pots, peat pots
[...] can start a few seeds inside right now like marigold (fun for kids) or petunia [...]
[...] I start seedlings indoors I usually use biodegradable pots, make my own pots, or reuse plastic pots that I’ve gotten when I purchased [...]
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have many seeds to plant in no electric area.How did our grandfathers do it???Also a bamboo tee pee – three stick – to keep tomatoes off the ground – can not afford cages – am considering 500 count 3/8″ x 5′ Bamboo sticks for under $100. Please,need direction-Thanks
I also use my own newspaper pots. I love growing plenty of herbs so I can give them to my friends to try.
Tomatoes grow perfect in newspaper pots also, I need to get hold of some heirloom seeds though!
Ok, I just posted about this too. But this time I linked you. Although, I can’t read the post above because it’s likely better than mine
This is very odd though, what, am I channeling you or something? I always knew I could read minds
[...] These are a couple of good ways to start organizing your garden this year. For many more gardening tips, from someone who knows her way around the garden far better than I do, visit Mother Earth’s Garden. In fact, I just now went to grab a link for Mother Earth’s Garden, and that darn Linette has a post up about seed starting, which I did not read, since I’m sure it rocks, and will make me jealous. But, you can read it: Starting Your Own Seeds. [...]
Mother Earth, like the name, we tried starting onions from seed this year for the first time, getting some unique varieties just for fun. They seeds germinated quickly and some were recently planted in the ground outside. We are zone 7.
Frances at Faire Garden
Have you ever tried starting seeds using the
“baggie” method? It’s very easy and gives a good jump start on the germination. For most types of plants you get little seedlings with roots and a leaf or two within a week.
I have some zinnias and carnations that I started in baggies 3 weeks ago that are already about 3″ tall. I have delphiniums that I started at the same time and they are about 2″ tall.
It really is instant gratification.
Jim