• Home
  • Meet Mary Schier
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Contact
  • Northern Gardener Book

My Northern Garden

February 14, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Seed Starting Basics

How to

Over the years, I’ve tried a number of techniques for seed starting, with mostly good results. My experiences with winter sowing have been mixed, so mostly I focus on starting seeds indoors in March and April for a cold-climate garden. (Mine is in USDA Zone 4.)

Here are my seed starting basics. First, if you are only growing a few tomatoes or peppers, indoor seed starting may not be worth the bother. Instead, pick up some plant starts at a local nursery. (Or, for more interesting offerings, try farmers’ markets in early spring when the farmers have lots of plants they don’t have room to grow.) However, if you are planning a more substantial garden or you just want to try indoor seed starting, seed starting is a way to increase the variety of offerings, save money, and control the kinds of plants you are growing. And, when it comes right down to it, you can get a pack of seeds that will produce bushels of food for less than the price of a latte.

seeds in pots

Seed starting is a fun way to try new varieties of vegetables.

A few tips:

  • Study your seed catalogs. Make sure the seeds you buy are appropriate for our zone. If they have a long growing season, you’ll need to start them indoors or forget about growing them. The catalogs will also give you information about days to harvest, the kind of plant you are growing (bush beans or climbers? indeterminate tomatoes or determinate?), and whether the varieties are heirlooms, hybrids, or something else. I would add, read the seed packages and keep them for reference during the growing season.
  • If you are new to seed starting, don’t spend a bundle on it. A simple florescent or LED bulb in a shop light will provide most of the light you need. You don’t need fancy pots or a special table just for seed starting. Basics you need are: sterile soil (not from the garden—buy potting mix), seeds, something to put them in with drainage holes, a light source, and a small fan to keep the air moving once the plants are growing.
  • Make sure your seeds are cozy for germination. Tomatoes, peppers, and many herbs want soil between 75 and 85 degrees to germinate. If you have hot-water radiators, near the radiators is a great place to start plants. You may find that the lights create enough heat to start many plants in a moderately warm (65ish) room. (This is what I do.) If you are starting seeds in a cold basement, get a heat mat.
  • Pay attention to your seedlings. My results with seed starting improved dramatically when I set the seeds up near my home office. It just became part of my day to check whether they needed water, the lights adjusted, or just a little pep talk.
  • Water gently and sparingly. If possible, try to water from the bottom, by placing your seedlings in a pan.

For a more complete review of seed-starting procedures, check out this overview from North Dakota State University.

Related posts:

  1. Another Bulb in Bloom These sweet little Iris reticulata are the second bulb to...
  2. P.O.V. One day last fall, my neighbor from across the street...
  3. Terrace Horticultural Books: A Gardener’s Haven Tuesday I had the chance to visit a St. Paul...
« Book Review: Made from Scratch
Garden Coaching: It’s a Growing Business »

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed for Posts

Grow it, Minnesota Podcast

Now Available!

My Northern Garden book

Follow on Instagram

mynortherngarden_mary

Rows and rows of daffodils 🌼. I had a chance to Rows and rows of daffodils 🌼. I had a chance to take some photos of a grow field in western Wisconsin, where an amateur grower is developing new, early varieties for the north. 

Tip for home gardeners: if you want to move daffodils, dig them and move them foliage and all two weeks after they bloom. The foliage will flop and look bad, but no worries, they’ll come back next year as good as ever. As always when moving plants, water well! #daffodil #bulbgarden #northerngardening #gardentips
Quick report on my seed starting experiments with Quick report on my seed starting experiments with coco coir vs peat as the base of a soil-less mix. Not a lot of difference: coco pot germinated a day ahead of the peat. 
.
.
.
#peatfree #seedstarting #gardenexperiment #mngardener #growingherbs
A break from the usual garden content: Lola has NE A break from the usual garden content: Lola has NEVER been allowed on our bed and we were sure she could not get up on it, since she is short and the bed is not. A recent increase in her arthritis meds seems to have created an athlete. Never underestimate a 15 year old dog in pursuit of sun.
.
.
.
#olddognewtricks #sundog #hernameislola #mndogs #dachshundmix
It is definitely spring at the Galleria where the It is definitely spring at the Galleria where the annual Floral Experience by Bachman’s is underway. The scent of the hyacinth is intoxicating and the plants and whimsical art pieces make for a sweet stroll indoors during our relentless March. 

It is so much more than bulbs, too—ots of trees, topiary, shrubs and two knockout weeping larches, annuals, perennials and just tons of color and fun. Highly recommended, and it runs through April 9 (Easter Sunday).

Enjoy! 
.
.
.
#floralexperience #bachmansflowershow #galleriaedina #springflowers #twincitiesevents #minnesotaspring
Glass and gardens, you bet! We’re heading home Glass and gardens, you bet! We’re heading  home after spending a few weeks in Sarasota, Florida. A highlight of our time there was seeing the Tiffany exhibit at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. It was creative and fun and the plant-themed art glass really did shine a light on this tropical garden. So worth a visit if you’re ever in the area!
.
.
.
#sarasota #tropicalgardens #gardensofinstagram #artingardens #mngardenwriter #gardentravel #snowbird
Has your garden been transformed in the last year Has your garden been transformed in the last year or two? I'd love to see it! I'm back to editing Northern Gardener for a bit and one of the new features in the magazine highlights garden or yard transformations. We need help finding some great ones!

The spring issue "Before and After" features a vegetable garden created out of a blank backyard in Bloomington, MN. The homeowner worked with Rustic Hills Garden Co. to add raised beds, fencing, paths and trellises. It's incredibly productive and really nice looking, too! 

I'm looking for more transformations to feature in upcoming issues. They can be DIY or something you worked on with a garden pro. The goal is to give our readers ideas and inspiration. 

Send me a DM with details. Don't worry about writing the piece yourself. We've got a bunch of great writers available to help with that. But you need to have photos of both before and after. I can't wait to see your gardens! 

PC: @rustichillsgardenco 

#coldclimategardens #gardendiy #gardentransformation #beforeandafter #showmeyourgarden
Are you trying winter sowing this year? Now is a g Are you trying winter sowing this year? Now is a good time to sow perennials. Winter sowing is a way to get more plants at less cost by sowing seeds outdoors in mini-greenhouses in winter. The best greenhouse is a one-gallon milk jug. (Edit: leave the caps off! This was my first attempt at winter sowing and I did it wrong. The podcast episode explains why.) 

For advice on how to do it from an expert, check out a podcast episode from 2021 where Michelle Mero Riedel explains her process. Great info! Link in bio and in stories. #wintersowing #mnpodcast #mngardening
#gardenpodcast
#growyourownflowers
What’s new in 2023? My winter break in Florida c What’s new in 2023? My winter break in Florida coincided with the Tropical Plant International Expo so I had to attend. Research! So many cool houseplants. And pots! And roses with scent. And new ideas about everything from pest control to house plants as decor and gifts. Enjoy! 
.
.
.
#tpie #tpie2023 #houseplants #gardentrends
When you’re up to your knees in new snow, it’s When you’re up to your knees in new snow, it’s time to dig out your lists of favorite plants and start planning ✍️ this year’s garden.

My January newsletter includes lists of best annuals for pollinators (of course zinnias are on the list), best herbs for beginners and a link to a slightly older blog post about best trees for urban gardens in our current and future climate. Check it out and start making your own list of go-to plants! 

Link to the newsletter is in bio and stories. Please subscribe for occasional tips for Northern gardeners. 
.
.
.
#gardeningtips #annualflowers #pollinatorfriendly #urbantrees
2022 — uff-da — what a year! A few photos al 2022 — uff-da — what a year! 

A few photos all reeled together that mostly weren’t on instagram. Wishing you all a Happy New Year and a bloom-filled, homegrown 2023. 

Highlights include: Garden shots from Florida, England, my home garden, St. Cloud and Washington County, Minnesota, plus the Minnesota State Fair dahlia garden. Steve and I at Hadrian’s wall, then being escorted off the cruise ship after we got Covid (do NOT recommend!), harvest dinner at my brother’s farm in Wisconsin, my friend, Julie’s, indoor ripening set up for the Aleppo peppers she helped me trial, a bit of garden philosophy and @resawithoutherspoon’s amazing Christmas cookies. 
.
.
.
#gardenforlife #gardenyear #mynortherngarden #zone4gardening #happynewyear
Poinsettias are nice but kind of tough to keep goi Poinsettias are nice but kind of tough to keep going with the heat running 24/7. So how about some holiday plants that are not poinsettias. Norfolk Island pine, rosemary, paperwhites, amaryllis or any houseplant with red veining add that holiday cheer and are easier to keep alive or are not meant to last, so no need for guilt when they are gone. 

I have a post over on the @mnhort website with info about great holiday plant gifts that are NOT poinsettias. Link in bio and stories. 
.
.
.
#holidaydecor #holidayhouseplants #amaryllis #norfolkislandpine #paperwhites
My new favorite holiday plant is lemon cypress. Co My new favorite holiday plant is lemon cypress. Cool color. Interesting form. Not too hard to take care of. Put this on your houseplant must-have list! 
.
.
.
#lemoncypress #holidayhouseplants #houseplantslover #coldclimategardening #mngardener
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Top Posts & Pages

  • Growing Lilies in Containers
  • Four Peony Problems and Solutions
  • How to Pollinate a Meyer Lemon Tree
  • Mushrooms Growing in Straw Bales
  • How to Grow Lemons in the North (Plus a Recipe)
  • How to Build a Vegetable Garden Box for Your Deck
  • An Easy Way to Protect Plants from Rabbits and Deer
  • Northern Plants Deer Don't Like
  • Big Changes in Minnesota Hardiness Zone Map
  • Best Rhubarb Bars Ever

Post Categories

  • Books/Writing
  • Climate
  • How to
  • Plants
  • Recipes
  • Uncategorized
  • Why We Garden

Copyright © 2023 · captivating theme by Restored 316