Supplies for Seed Starting
As my curiosity for starting seeds peeked, I met Kari. A beautiful new friend whose cheeks dimple when she smiles—and she smiles often. She is years into her gardening career and has been such a wealth of knowledge.
One of the most surprising helps she offered to me was a ready-made shopping list. For a neophyte gardener like myself, in desperate need of shortcuts and wisdom, I was awed by her preparedness. How can I be more ready to help others in such a way? What nuggets and information can I lay aside, at the ready, for the women who need it?
So, here is Kari’s Shopping List. It is almost identical to the list sent me this past winter. I certainly made it very simple and underwhelming to start growing seeds in our home.
Small Storage Rack
Vermiculite
Light Timers
Chains and hooks (some come with lights above but you may want others)
Grow Trays
Humidity Domes
Seedling tags
Seeds
As I am in my first season of seed starting I hope to share progress and tips as I gain experience. In the meantime have fun exploring information online and the library to inspire and get started. I hope this shopping list will encourage new gardeners to start conversations at local nurseries and with friends in order to learn more on seed starting!
I am not experienced enough to recommend any seeds at this time but hope to divulge more in the coming seasons. This year my vegetable seeds came from local nurseries. My cut flower seeds came from Floret Flower Farm, a few friends and complimentary gifts from various places.
*Budget-friendly tip:
Save egg cartons for this process! They’re great containers to start seeds. You may most likely have to repot a time or two before sowing into the garden as your seedlings grow but it’s perfect for those little sprouts.
After the initial setup cost, starting seeds seems to be much more cost efficient than buying starters from farmer’s markets and hardware stores. For example, an organic seed packet of tomatoes with about 25 seeds cost three dollars. A starter plant of a similar variety costs anywhere from 8-15 dollars.
Biodegradable pots and seedling tags are great but, sadly, they do not hold up for much reuse.