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Equipment for Starting Seeds IndoorsWhat do you need to start your own seeds indoors? Very little! Although you have to watch your seedlings and baby them a bit, the cost of getting started is pretty minimal. Here's what you'll need:1. A variety of seeds that you'd like to grow. First, check the package instructions to see if if it's recommended to start your particular kinds of seeds indoors. Some seeds do better being planted straight into the ground after all the last frost. Seeds like carrots, for instance, don't transplant well. So, make sure to check the specific directions on each seed packet you have.(There's TONS of great seed companies out there who will give you free seed catalogs. Here's a list to get you started, if you want to request some.)
2. Water. This is probably the most important ingredient to successful indoor seed starting success. Use warm water (seedlings like to be warm--cold water could shock them) to water your plants. Water them daily--even twice a day. But don't go overboard. Too much water might bring about fungal problems and cause your seedlings to die. Too little water might not allow the plants enough moisture to survive. A good way to water is with a spray bottle twice a day. 3. A light source. You can buy a basic flourescent light fixture at a home improvement store and buy a grow lightbulb tube or a cool white flourescent bulb and put it all together yourself, or buy a 'kit' that gives you all the pieces, like this Grow Light System. 4. Good soil. The soil you use for planting your seeds in needs to be light, somewhat 'airy', with good drainage and nutrients. There are many commercially made seed starting soils out there that you can get by the bag. You can also make your own soil by combining equal parts fine compost (either store bought or sifted if you made it at home--to get the bigger pieces out), vermiculite, and peat moss. 5. Containers to plant your seeds in. These can be pretty much anything. If you're big into recycling and reusing containers, egg cartons work great (don't forget to poke a hole in the bottom of each egg holder), or clam shell containers (the kind that hold bakery cookies or leftovers from resturants). You can use pots or tubs that can hold dirt (and drain exess water). You can also use a variety of store-bought manufactered containers made especially for starting seedlings (like peat pellets). These are made from plastic (to transplant) and biogradable materials that can be planted straight into the ground (in theory at least). Unless you're only starting a few seeds, smaller pots are better (unless you want to invest in a ton of lights to grow your seedlings with). Ready for the next step?How to Start Seedlings Indoors Starting Seeds with Peat Pellets
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