How to Start Seeds Indoors to Jumpstart Your Garden

Gardening can become an expensive hobby very quickly. You could spend a small fortune on your garden if you have to purchase all of your plants as nursery plants. However, many plants start from seeds and are inexpensive to garden.

Each plant will have its own specific needs regarding starting seeds indoors, the process is generally the same for all seedlings you want to transplant into an outdoor garden. No matter what you’re growing, you can use this guide as a baseline for nearly any type of plant. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you start growing your plants indoors and get a headstart on your garden.

What You Need to Get Started

Starting seeds indoors is a great way to give all of your garden plants a head start! They will have better and longer harvests, and all you need are a few basic gardening supplies:

• Seedling tray with cells, drip tray, and a cover (a plastic bag works too). Planting trays and small containers would work too.
• Seed-starting soil mix or potting mix
• Grow lights
• Heat mat
• Watering can or spray bottle of choice
• Labels
• Your seeds

Step 1: Preparing the Seed Starting Mix

Start by taking a bowl and adding your mix of choice to the bowl. Add some water, but not too much. You want just enough water that you’re able to moisten the soil evenly. 

Step 2: Filling Your Planters

Put your tray of seeds inside your drip tray to allow for proper drainage without spilling. Once placed, start to fill each cell with soil, but don’t overfill your planter. Keep the soil slightly below the top of the tray.

Step 3: Sow Your Seeds

Tiny seeds won’t need much soil to cover them. A small sprinkle over them will be enough. Larger produce, such as pumpkins, need more soil to cover them. Push two seeds in the soil in each cell. Add more soil over the top to completely cover the seeds and mist the surface of the soil until it’s damp. You want to plant each of your seeds with the same depth as it is thick.

Step 4: Cover and Heat

Cover your seedlings and place them on a heat mat under your lights. Don’t forget to label your plants, so you know what’s in each cell of your planter tray.

Step 5: Monitor Growth

New seedlings need a lot of love and care to start growing. They need a lot of light, and you may not have enough natural light in your home. You can use artificial light to get the right amount of light for your seedlings. Make sure also to keep them moist but not wet. Check your soil moisture levels at least once a day.  

As you can see, starting your garden indoors isn’t as hard as it seems! You’ll have a sprouting garden right from your home in five easy steps! This is the perfect way to get ahead on your gardening and start preparing for the upcoming spring season.