Maybe you would like grow plants from seeds to save lots of money. It’s definitely cheaper than buying transplants. it'll even be easier to seek out seeds of sorts not typically available purchasable as transplants. whatever the reason, starting plants from seeds is perhaps not a tough as you think that . And growing plants all the way from seed to maturity is one among gardening’s most rewarding endeavors.

1. Choose a container

Seed-starting containers should be clean, measure a minimum of 2-3 inches deep and have drainage holes. they will be plastic pots, cell packs, peat pots, plastic flats, yogurt cups, even eggshells. As long as they're clean (soak during a 9 parts water to at least one part household bleach for 10 minutes), the choices are endless. you'll also buy seed-starting kits, but don't invest tons of cash until you're sure you will be starting seeds per annum . If you begin seeds in very small containers or plastic flats, you will need to transplant seedlings into slightly larger pots once they need their first set of true leaves. confine mind that flats and pots take up room, so confirm you've got enough sunny space for all the seedlings you begin .

2. Start with quality soil

Sow seeds in sterile, seed-starting mix or potting soil available in nurseries and garden centers. Don't use garden soil, it’s too heavy, contains weeds seeds, and possibly, disease organisms. Wet the soil with warm water before filling seed-starting containers.

3. Plant at the proper depth

You’ll find the right planting depth on the seed packet. the overall rule of thumb is to hide seeds with soil adequate to 3 times their thickness – but make certain to read the seed packet planting instructions carefully. Some seeds, including certain lettuces and snapdragons, need light to germinate and will rest on the soil surface but still be in good contact with moist soil. Gentle tamping after sowing will help. After planting your seeds, use a sprig bottle to wet the soil again.

4. Water wisely

Always use room-temperature water. Let chlorinated water sit overnight so chlorine can dissipate or use water . Avoid using softened water. it is vital to stay soil consistently moist, but avoid overwatering, which promotes diseases, which will kill seedlings. Try to not splash water on leaves. a simple thanks to avoid this – also as overwatering – is to dip base of your containers in water and permit the soil to soak up moisture from rock bottom until moist. Some seed-starting kits supply a wicking mat that conducts water from a reservoir to dry soil. this might be the foremost goof-proof method of watering seedlings but you continue to need to take care that the soil doesn’t stay too wet. Whatever you are doing , don't miss a watering and let seeds or seedlings dry out. It’s a death sentence.

5. Maintain consistent moisture

Prior to germination, cover your container to assist trap moisture inside. Seed-starting kits typically accompany a plastic cover. you'll also use a bag , but it should be supported so it doesn’t lay flat on the soil. Remove covers as soon as seeds sprout. Once seedlings are growing, reduce watering so soil partially drys, but don’t allow them to wilt.

6. Keep soil warm

Seeds need warm soil to germinate. They germinate slower, or not in the least , in soils that are too cool. Most seeds will germinate at around 78°F. Waterproof heating mats, designed specifically for germinating seeds, keep soil at a continuing temperature. you'll buy them in most nurseries and garden centers. Or, you'll place seed trays on top of a refrigerator or other warm appliance until seeds sprout. After germination, air temperature should be slightly below 70°F. Seedlings can withstand air temperature as low as 50°F as long as soil temperature remains 65-70°F.

7. Fertilize

Start feeding your seedlings after they develop their second set of true leaves, applying a half-strength liquid fertilizer weekly. Apply it gently so seedlings aren't dislodged from the soil. After four weeks, apply full-strength liquid fertilizer every other week until transplanting.

8. Give seedlings enough light

Not enough light results in leggy, tall seedlings which will struggle once transplanted outdoors. In mild winter areas, you'll grow stocky seedlings during a bright south-facing window. Farther north, even a south-facing window might not provide enough light, especially within the middle of winter. Ideally, seedlings need 14-16 hours of direct light per day for healthiest growth. If seedlings begin bending toward the window, that’s a sure sign they're not getting enough light. Simply turning the pots won’t be enough - you'll got to supply artificial lighting. Nurseries and order seed catalogs can provide lighting kits. Follow instructions carefully.

9. Circulate the air

Circulating air helps prevents disease and encourages the event of strong stems. Run a mild fan near seedlings to make air movement. Keep the fan a distance faraway from the seedlings to avoid blasting them directly.

10. Harden off seedlings before transplanting outdoors

Hardening-off seedlings may be a process that ought to be done slowly over the course of every week or two. Done properly, you'll produce sturdy seedlings able to withstand whatever nature throws at them. Rush the method , and you'll burn, damage or maybe kill the young transplants.

Begin Slowly
Harden-off tender seedlings over a period of 6-14 days. The goal is to show transplants gradually to outdoor conditions, every day increasing the time seedlings spend outside.Gradually reduce watering over the course of hardening-off. You don’t want seedlings to wilt, just slowly stretch the amount between waterings.Stop feeding 3-4 days before you begin hardening-off. Don't feed again until you transplant into the garden.

Protect Seedlings
Start by placing seedlings outdoors during a sheltered spot – shielded from wind and direct sun. Underneath a tree or overhang is ideal. Bring seedlings back inside for the primary two nights. Each day, expose them to a different 30-60 minutes of brighter sunlight. Work your high to giving plants more and more direct morning sun, until they will handle mid-day sun without wilting. Fully hardened-off seedlings should be ready to withstand an equivalent amount of sunlight they'll receive when planted within the garden.

Watch the Weather
Check weather forecasts and keep tabs on predicted nighttime lows. If temperatures will dip below 35 degrees F., bring seedlings indoors or cover with a spun-polystyrene row cover or other protective material. Learn more information for shielding Plants From Cold. You'll get the simplest frost protection once you mount the row cover on hoops or stakes so it doesn't directly touch foliage.
Unless it's like there'll be a frost or freezing temperatures, decide to leave seedlings outside overnight by the third or fourth night. Place them under an overhang or beneath a table for cover . By the sixth night approximately , seedlings shouldn’t need protection.

When to Plant
After every week approximately of hardening-off, your transplants should look stockier and tougher. Plant on an overcast or drizzly day when winds are calm or within the evening. Water in with a liquid fertilizer solution diluted to half strength. If necessary, provide protection from pests, like snails, slugs and cutworms.
Continue to protect seedlings from high winds, frost, hail or heavy downpours. A plastic gallon jug with rock bottom removed makes an honest protect seedlings.