Starting Seeds Indoors

We live in the Pacific Northwest which can be damp, cold, and raining through May and possibly June. Direct seeding all of our garden vegetables can be risky and generally not very rewarding. Hence the reason many years ago, I slowly armed myself with tools to start seeds indoors successfully.

Here's a brief rundown of how I go about it:

* Using nine-cell starting pots, I fill the cells with a seed starting medium. You can purchase it already prepared, or some years I mix together my own using 2 parts bagged potting soil to 1 part vermiculite and 1 part perlite. The cells are placed in a tray which is filled about half full with warm water in order for the dry soil to absorb the moisture necessary for germination.


Seed starting medium


Growing trays filled with nine-cell pots ready for seeding.

* I love purchasing seeds through the Territorial Seed Company. In absence of purchasing their very reliable and region-specific seeds, I settle for other seeds produced by companies in the northwest such as Ed Hume Seeds. Using popsicle sticks for labels, I plant the seeds - usually just one variety per nine-cell pot - and cover them with a fine layer of vermiculite.


My collection of vegetable seeds from Territorial Seeds.

* I attribute much of my seed starting success to a growing mat which releases gentle heat underneath the tray and warms the soil to an ideal temperature for germination. Our laundry room where I start the seeds is rarely over 65 degrees, so this insures warmth for the seeds. The trays are either loosely covered with a layer of plastic wrap or with a plastic dome cover designed to enhance moisture retention.


Warming mats are so helpful in successful germination in cold climates.

* The minute I see growth from the seeds, they are promptly put under my growing lights. I happen to have a two-tier plant stand designed just for this with two rows of fluorescent lights suspended over each layer. Each tier of lights is supplied with a warm and a cool toned bulb to provide a full spectrum of light for growth. And just to make life easier on me, I use a timer to turn my grow lights on and off after a 12-14 hour light cycle each day.


Two-tier grow light system


Simple timer to control lights.

* After the first set of true leaves appear - those that have the characteristic of the plant itself - I carefully remove the plant from its cell and transplant it into a four-cell pot using more of the same seed starting medium. This allows the roots room to grow and spread. When they begin to outgrow this container and if the weather is still too cool to set them outside, they are moved up into individual 2" pots.


Basil seedlings ready to be potted up into four-cell pots.


These pepper plants should have been potted up earlier. A little too much growth for these pots.


Tomato starts in their four-cell pots.


2" pots for transplanting

* About once a week they are watered with a diluted root and bloom type of liquid fertilizer to develop a healthy root system.

There are always exceptions to the rules and sometimes I do take the chance of skipping steps that are beneficial for the plants. The seedlings should gradually be introduced to the outdoor temperatures before being set out. The seedlings may become a little root-bound and may need to skip the four-cell pots and move up into their own individual pot. But usually the varieties I'm growing are all forgiving of my lack of observation or time. Starting with nine plants of the variety you wish to grow usually insures that you'll have plenty of plants to set out and give away to friends as well.