My Seed Starting Setup

I'm going to tell you right now that I am not a champion seed starter. I do very well with outdoor plants, but I have a long history of forgetting to water houseplants. Thus, I generally prefer to purchase started seedlings and take it from there. However, sometimes I can't find started seedlings for the plants that I want to grow, and I have to suck it up and start my own. I've found that some seed starting tools are worth the investment, and others are totally unnecessary. I like to keep it simple and cheap whenever possible.

I generally start off by taking a seed inventory, so I know what seeds I already have on hand and what I'll need to purchase. As I go along, I keep track of the process with my seed starting workbook. The worksheets help me keep track of what, when and how many seeds I'm starting, germination rates and my seed sources. I'll know for future reference if something performed well and I want to buy again, or if there is a pattern of failures that requires me to adjust my methods or seed supplier.

I use some wire shelves that I purchased from Home Depot several years ago (they were a lot less expensive back then). Before you go shopping, take a look around and see if there's something you could temporarily re-purpose for the job.

Rather than a grow light, I use a less expensive daylight spectrum under-cabinet light that I can return to my craft space once I'm done starting seeds. I can zip-tie the light to the underside of each shelf (to shine light onto the seed tray below) or to the back of the shelving unit to provide light from the back side (if the shelf is near a window). This helps to prevent "leggy" seedlings. It helps to turn the seed trays around daily as well.

I like to put a boot tray under the shelves to collect drips, spilled potting soil and dead leaves. I use this same tray under potted plants that I'm not ready to plant into the ground yet, which reduces how often I need to water them. But, a lid from a tote bin could work just as well.

I use a cheap spray bottle to water the seedlings from above, and a spouted watering can to water the drip trays from below. The one splurge I use is these seedling trays that are meant to be reused for years. The only thing I don't like about these is that they don't have a humidity dome. I'm trying out this version this year as well. They do have a humidity dome, and I think it will be handy to plant in strips of 4 cells instead of 6 or 36.

I choose to use a seedling heat mat to give tomato and pepper seedlings a boost. But, it works just as well to place the seed trays near the wood stove, on top of the refrigerator, or near a heat vent, provided that you are willing to water more often.

This next tool is often overlooked, but it really helps to produce strong, healthy seedlings. Once most of the seeds have sprouted, I take the humidity domes off. I use a cheap clip-on fan to blow gently across the seedlings once most of the tray has sprouted. Not all day long, but for an hour or two, when I think about it. This helps the seedlings to grow stronger stems that can withstand wind once they're growing out in the garden. There are tons of versions of these fans on the market, from standard wall outlet electric, to USB, to battery powered. You can gently run your hands across the top of the seedlings whenever you walk by them, instead of using a fan. If you use a fan, you will need to water the seedlings more often than without a fan.

The last tool that I use is my garden planner. It helps me to decide what, why, and how much I want to plant, and map out my garden beds long before it's warm enough to plant anything outdoors. It also lets me keep a running list of what seeds and supplies I still need to purchase, where I'll buy them, and how much they should cost.

Do you start your own seeds, or do you prefer to buy started plants?