Growing Plants from Seed

Happy Spring! I thought that a post talking about growing seeds would be the perfect post for the first day of spring. What better way and day to get you REALLY thinking about your garden? Enough with the small talk, lets talk benefits and drawbacks.

Benefits

• I can't stress enough that growing your plants from seed is so much cheaper than buying starts from the nursery. A packet of seeds costs around $4, maybe. Depending on the type of plant you are buying, you can get at least 50 seeds in a packet that could potentially turn into 50 plants. $4 would buy you one start at the store. You do the math, seeds are cheaper. Much cheaper. 
• Nurseries often have a limited selection of plants and varieties to choose from. You can purchase seeds online from a much bigger assortment, getting hard to get varieties for cheap, cheap, cheap. 

Drawbacks 

• The major drawback to growing your own seeds is that it takes time and lots and lots of patience. Once you plant the seed you aren't going to see anything for a couple of days, and you won't get a bloom for a couple of weeks, if not a month. So if you do decide to grow your own plants this season, stick with it! It will be well worth it in the end. 

Where do you get seeds?

• This year I got my seeds from Territorial Seed Company online. You can visit the site and request a free seed catalog. Almost all online seed companies have a free catalog. I like to request them just to look at them, even if I have no intention of buying any. Also check out Burpee, and Harris Seeds. 
• You can also get them in stores at a Lowes or Walmart and some nurseries. 
• If you're really good, you can get them from the plant itself! I haven't done this yet, but maybe this year I will. 

Planting and Growing your Seeds

• Choose the container you want to grow in. This can be growing trays or even old milk jugs that you cut the top off of. Fill your container with loose textured soil to allow oxygen to the seed. Determine the depth you plant, by looking at the back of your seed packet, lightly water and place in a warm spot!
• When the seeds start to emerge (this is so exciting), move them to where they can get some light and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. You don't want your little plant to start to rot. 
• When your little plant has developed two sets of leaves, it is time to transplant. Only do this if the tray it is in is to small for it to develop a healthy set of roots. 
• When it is time for the little guys to go outside, you're going to want to acclimate them first. This means setting the plants outside for a couple hours, increasing the time each day. 
• Now you plant, relax and admire the little plant you grew from seed!

I hope this helps you out a little. Growing plants from seed really isn't as hard as it may seem. You just need to give them a little time. Give it try this year, you will be so proud of yourself. Im planting mine next week and am so excited! If you do plant some, keep me updated on twitter with the progress! I would love to see!

Thanks for reading!

xo