Starting Seeds: Homegrown Value

If you’re looking to get a head start on your garden, seed starting is definitely the way to go. It’s a lot cheaper than buying transplants, and there’s nothing better to us gardeners than watching something grow from a tiny speck into a full mature plant. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need an elaborate basement operation with elegant light fixtures! You can start your very own seeds at home with little effort and great results.

Not only does starting your own seeds save you money, but it opens up your seed choices. As you browse through our huge selection of vegetable and flower seeds, you’ll find varieties you would have had to seek out through multiple stops at different nurseries. The rewards of seed starting aren’t just fiscal, though. Through this process, you’ll gain the satisfaction that comes from knowing you were behind the plant’s success – it also gives you a head start on the growing season!

First, let’s talk about what a seed is, and what seeds need to thrive. A seed is an embryonic plant waiting to get out, and seed starting is the exciting task of turning the seed from dormancy into a living thing by providing warmth, light, air and moisture. Seed starting is simple, because seeds have their own food supply to start them off, at least until they can put down roots and draw food and water from the soil.

Some seeds are quite unfussy about the conditions that trigger them into growth. Of course, other varieties are so sensitive they require a carefully controlled environment to germinate. Fortunately, the great majority of flower and vegetable seeds will emerge from their big sleep quite readily if a few common sense guidelines are followed.

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