When figuring out how to select good seeds for planting, there are a few variables to consider, like where the seeds came from and how old they are. There are some guidelines for identifying the good seeds and steering clear of the bad ones. One example: grocery store produce—their seeds are often sterile. If you find a beautiful heirloom tomato at the farmer’s market on the other hand – those seeds are likely more viable.
But there’s also a lot to learn about growing seedlings. It’s not always just a simple process of planting a seed in some dirt and watching it grow – in fact, it rarely ever is. Most gardeners who grow from seed use heating mats and grow lights, and germinate seeds indoors in early spring. But some plants, like strawberries, for example, are a pain to grow from seed and take so long to produce that most go right for the pre-grown plants at their local gardening store. Knowing that before you try to grow from seed could save you a lot of time and stress.
And sure, some gardeners start seeds outdoors, but there are only specific vegetables that will tolerate it, and you need to know which ones those are or, again, you’ll be sitting in a garden filled with empty rows of dirt instead of a bountiful food garden.
In the articles below, we dive into everything you need to know about growing seeds and planting seedlings. And you can learn even more in our How to Grow a Vegetable Garden: 10 Things Every Gardener Needs to Know Before Starting a Food Garden freebie. Enjoy!
When I first began gardening, I had no idea there were different seed sowing methods. Of course, I knew a little about planting in rows, but even then, I just assumed you dug a little trench, dropped your seeds every few inches or so, and covered them up, and that was it. In any case, […]
I’ll be the first to admit that one of the things I’ve struggled with in the garden is vegetable seed spacing. No matter how many times I plant veggies and herbs, it’s hard to remember that a tiny little seed is going to grow into a big, bushy tomato plant. Still, every season, somewhere around […]
Am I the only gardener who starts selecting seeds for planting the following season before I’ve harvested what’s currently growing? I’m going to guess not. It’s one of the joys of gardening. Sitting with a seed catalog and anticipating all the different possibilities is my adult version of any kid’s trip to the toy store. […]
One of my favorite moments in the depths of winter is when I can start my seeds. That’s the instant in time when the countdown begins. I know that soon I’ll be able to get my hands into the soil and the season of fresh, delicious vegetables is just around the corner. That is, unless, […]
My first garden was a failure. Aside from a few herbs, I literally harvested nothing except for three tomatoes. The zucchini plant died before it produced any fruit. The basil was plagued by pests of some sort. I’m pretty sure the neighborhood skunks and rabbits ate every strawberry that looked like it might ripen soon. I didn’t know much more about gardening than I had to pull weeds and give it water. I didn’t know when to plant seeds, how to prep the soil, or even what would grow in the area I had chosen for the garden.
Starting a veggie garden from seed is a wondrous adventure. Nothing against seedlings; I still opt for seedlings for part of my garden. But it really is fascinating to experience nature as that tiny little seed germinates and grows. It’s just cool!
Picture this. You’re in your shed organizing your garden tools and you come across a few rogue seed packets. Were those from this year? Maybe the year before. Are these the ones that your cousin’s neighbor’s brother passed along during a seed swap? Or the ones you bought from a big box store? If only there was a way to test seed viability. Lucky for us all, there are several ways to test if seeds are still good.
Starting plants indoors is a time-honored tradition in grade-school classrooms across the country. At some point, most of us have probably watched excitedly as a little sprout breaks out of the seed on its way to becoming a bean plant. Honestly, it still seems amazing every time I see a little seedling emerge from the soil. Maybe that’s why I enjoy gardening so much; it’s endlessly fascinating, not to mention those fresh veggies are unbeatable.
It’s one thing to figure out how to start a vegetable garden from scratch if you have a big ole pile of cash in your wallet and no credit card bills sitting unopened on your table. You buy a pre-fabricated raised bed or three, purchase oversized bags of finely-tuned vegetable garden soil, grab your favorite vegetable seedlings from the garden store, spring for that gorgeous gardening tool set, and you’re good to go.
