Watch the 3 minute video above, or read the video transcript below!
Starting your garden from seeds is a lot easier than most people think! At the very least, all you’ll need are the seeds, water, soilless medium, and a window!
Every pack of seeds comes with planting instructions on the back! You’ll notice some seeds recommend direct sowing, meaning you need to wait until it is warm enough to sow in your garden bed. Seeds like peas, carrots, beets, marigolds, cosmos and some herbs mature fast enough (or perform better) when they are directly planted in the garden. If you’re like me and benefit from larger print, our seeds from OSC and West Coast Seeds have printable instructions and lots of planting information on their website!
Some seeds, like sweet peas, need to be soaked overnight before they can be planted. This information can be found right on the packaging.
Most peppers, tomatoes, melons, morning glories, eucalyptus, and flowering annuals are recommended to be started 4-8 weeks before the last frost date. In Ottawa, that is usually the May long weekend! Read your packaging carefully to determine the best way to sow your seeds indoors. If you are using peat pellets and a greenhouse, you’ll need to first expand the pellets by pouring warm water into the base. For 72 pellets, I used just over 10 cups of water. Plant your seeds at the recommended depth indicated on the packaging. Be sure to keep track of what seeds you’ve planted, and remember, you don’t need to use all your seeds now! If you’re looking to raise a constant supply of vegetables or flowers it is best to start a new batch of plants every 2 weeks. Use plant labels, or take a picture of the seed packages, to keep track of what seeds you’ve grown.
If your planting seeds that require more space (like cucumbers, sensitive plants, or eucalyptus), you’ll start by preparing your peat pots. You won’t need to completely fill the peat pot, if you’re using a 4” pot, you’ll only need to fill about 2-3” of soil. Add warm water to rehydrate the soil. Once the soil is saturated, then you can sow your seeds to the recommended depth.
To maintain humidity, I tend to reuse old greenhouse lids or reuse washed plastic bags to cover the peat pots. Be sure to wipe off the excess condensation daily if there is a lot of buildup.
Now that your seeds are planted, it’s time to be patent! Put the seeds in a sunny window where they will be able to keep warm. Some seeds like melons and luffa vines may require a heat mat to speed up the germination process. Keep an eye on your seedlings and ensure that you keep the soil moist. Every house is different, but in my south facing window I usually have to rehydrate my seedlings every couple of days.
We can’t wait to see what your gardens look like this summer!