Starting your spring seedlings indoors is a great way to get a jump start on your garden and ensure a successful harvest. By starting your seeds indoors, you can control the environment and give your seedlings a head start before planting them outside. Plus, you will get even more satisfaction knowing that you started these beautiful plants completely from seed! It’s also highly cost-effective rather than buying dozens of flowers or vegetable plants from a nursery in the Spring. In this guide, we’ll take a look at the steps you need to follow to start your spring seedlings indoors.
Step 1: Choose Your Seeds
The first step to starting spring seedlings indoors is to choose the seeds you want to grow. Make sure to choose seeds appropriate for your climate and growing conditions. You can purchase seeds from a garden center or online.
Choosing what to grow in your garden can be one of the most exciting…& overwhelming parts of planting your Spring garden! It’s easy to get carried away when you see all of the beautiful flowers & unique veggies. I know I am usually guilty of over seeding in the greenhouse each year! But it is important to remember what you have the space to grow, how much sunlight you have & how long your growing season is. That being said – don’t be afraid to experiment. I always save room for something fun that I haven’t grown before! Here are some of my favorite seed assortments.
Survival Vegetable Kit – 35 different vegetable varieties so there is plenty to plant AND experiment with!
California Giant Zinnias – Zinnias are one of my favorite flowers to grow from seed. The blooms are so big & beautiful. It will make your garden look amazing + offer a fresh supply of cut flowers for your home.
Wildflower Mix – I always plant multiple pots of pollinator friendly wildflowers. They look beautiful & you will enjoy seeing the bees, butterflies & hummingbirds visit your garden each year!
Step 2: Gather Supplies
You will need a few supplies to get started with indoor seed starting. You will need seed trays or pots, potting soil, a watering can, and a grow light. You may also want to invest in a seedling heat mat, which can help promote germination. Over the years & have saved tons of plastic nursery pots from when I purchase plants at my local nursery & reuse these every year to start seedlings – but if you don’t have any of those lying around, I recommend purchasing these. Good potting soil is also a MUST. Good soil = strong seedlings & more prosperous plants. I like to use a mix of standard potting soil & compost which you can purchase from your local garden center. Lastly, even if you have a really sunny window – I still recommend grow lights to start your seedlings. It really makes a difference. There are A TON of grow light options you can purchase depending on your set up & budget. There are even grow light bulbs you can screw into a regular lamp. You can find my favorite grow lights here, here & here.
Step 3: Start Planting
Fill your seed trays or pots with potting soil, soak the soil thoroughly, and plant your seeds according to the instructions on the packet. Be sure to label each tray or pot so you know what you’ve planted. Cover the trays or pots with plastic wrap to help retain moisture. It’s very important to follow the seed packet’s instructions when you start planting! Now you wait! It could be just a few days or up to 2 weeks before you start seeing those tiny seedlings emerge. Germination time frames are really dependent on the type of plant & also on the growing conditions. A warm, moist, humid environment will help those baby plants get a head start.
Step 4: Provide Light
Once your seeds have sprouted, remove the plastic covering and provide them with light. A south-facing window can work, but for best results, use a grow light. Keep the light on for 12-16 hours per day and adjust the height of the light as the seedlings grow. You will want the height of the grow light to be about 12-16in from the seedlings. Grow lights come in a variety of sizes, price points & models so its best to get one that will work with your space. Some of my favorites are linked above in Step 2.
Step 5: Water Properly
Water your seedlings from the bottom by placing the trays in a larger tray filled with water. Allow the soil to soak up the water for 15-20 minutes, then remove the tray from the water and allow it to drain. Be careful not to overwater your seedlings, as this can cause damping off, a fungal disease that can kill your seedlings. That being said, it’s important to keep your seedlings happy with plenty of water. You know it’s time to water when the top of the soil begins to appear dry. Watering from the bottom encourages downward root growth without disturbing the delicate baby plants on the surface.
Step 6: Harden Off Your Seedlings
About two weeks before you plan to transplant your seedlings outdoors, start hardening them off. This means gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions, such as wind and sun, to help them adjust. Start by placing them outside for a few hours each day and gradually increase the time and intensity of exposure. It’s so important to expose your baby plants to some of the harsher outdoor elements before they are fully transplanted – experiencing wind & sun for the first time can be a shock to young plants & will kill them if they aren’t hardened off appropriately. Depending on the weather in your area, hardening off may only take 1 week if the weather has been pleasant & your plants are strong. Use your best judgment when practicing the hardening-off phase & you are sure to have plants that bloom & provide veggies for you all summer long!
Starting spring seedlings indoors is a great way to get a head start on your garden. By following these tips, you can help ensure that your seedlings get off to a healthy start and are ready to thrive when it’s time to transplant them outdoors. Happy planting!