Starting Seeds

Last year I tried to start seeds for a garden I didn't yet have.  The garden guys didn't actually get working until late, late fall.  But even so, not one of my seeds sprouted!  I was terribly discouraged by that and vowed that now that I really do have raised beds this year, I would just buy seedling already started at some nursery.  I think that my failure last year really damped any little bit of confidence I had.

But, now I've been reading and watching youtube videos on it all, and I think I will try to do my own seed sprouting, at least for some of the garden.  I might buy some seedlings and do some direct sowing as well.  Why not try all three options?

But for the seedlings this is my plan:

Take the seeds I got last year and use them up!  Hopefully the seeds are fine and not the cause of the problem I had last year.  I doubt it.  I bought from a reputable seed company.

It looks like this soil blocker is the most used size so I am starting with this one.

I am going to get a soil blocker and buy some organic seedling mix.  Last year I tried to use cardboard egg cartons and compost from our local compost service.

I am also going to buy some seedling trays as well as the plastic dome tops that go with them.  This is plastic that will be reused over and over again I hope!  I don't know how people grew seedlings before plastic, but nowadays clear plastic dominates.  But it is re-usable.  These domes keep the soil mix moist.  I think that might have been my flaw last time.  I did water but I don't think enough. Also, I am not going to use tap water to water them with.  I know at Mom's organic I can bring in refillable jugs and get filtered water.

Then I am going to ensure that the seeds are warm.  So I am going to take the old shelf of my aunt's (that is currently rusting on our porch) clean it up and bring into our study in front of the window.  That room is the warmest room on the main floor.

I found this neat seedling starting chart on line from the local master gardeners' group.