Tag Archives: Seeds

Starting seeds indoors: Is it worth it?

Posted on by

Spoiler alert: No. Definitely no.

You have to be willing to carve out space, time and effort for two months out of the year to make this endeavor work.  That might not seem like a huge amount (two is a pretty small number), but that’s a full 1/6 of the year.  Think about the other things in your life you’d be willing to do for 1/6 of your time – now tell me if caring for plants fits the theme.

So, what’s the big problem?  Start with the equipment – grow lights, fans, containers – which will probably put you on a drug dealing watchlist and possibly strain any domestic relationships you currently have.  Add in dirt and water IN your house when you’re used to fighting to keep them OUT of your house.  Then, remember you can’t take breaks (another spoiler: plants will die), so you must be present and diligent or have someone that can help you be those things (thanks Mom!).

Oh, and hardening off plants is THE WORST.  Like, this is clearly a dastardly step from Mother Nature just to emphasize you’re being a dufus.  “I’ve given you soil, sunlight and rain in the beautiful outdoors, but yeah, sure, you should totally try to bring all that into your little building there.”

Yes, there are certainly some positives.  You generally have a broader selection with seeds vs store bought plants.  You can tell people you’re starting your garden from seeds (H/T to the hipsters).  Or, perhaps you are like Vince Vaughn and just want to be around beautiful babies.

But let’s be honest – the logistics don’t matter here.  Clearly, someone else can do this much better and with fewer headaches for about $1 per plant.  This is purely an existential question.

Are you an indoor seed person?  That’s it.  That’s the decision point.  No cost/benefit analysis needed.  You’re either an indoor seed person or you aren’t. 

Look inside your heart, and ask yourself: Self, are you ready to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment, dirt, electricity and water along with countless hours nurturing tender, vulnerable seedlings just to navigate a pitfall-laden path to filling an outdoor garden? 

If you’re the type of person that hears that, shrugs and says “yeah, that sounds interesting,” then start planning your indoor grow area. 

Some people walk through life making logical decisions, properly prioritize their time commitments and try to limit stressors in their immediate surroundings.  Other people start their garden seeds indoors.

Which one are you?

It’s seed magazine day! It’s seed magazine day!

Posted on by

It’s been a long, cold winter.  There’s no end in sight.  It’s dreary, depressing and you’re looking for a light at the end of the tunnel.  Then, one day, you walk out to the mailbox.  The heavens part, and that light slices through the greyness to illuminate an otherwise unassuming group of papers stapled together.  Birds chirp.  Unicorns frolick.  Everything takes on a rainbow hue.

Okay, that probably doesn’t happen.  It is still late January.  But, what some might see as unsolicited trash, you recognize as more.  So much more.

Much like the object of Billy Madison’s delight, that seed catalogue stirs the fire within you. It gets your garden juices flowing.  Because, again similarly, you eagerly anticipate ogling those round, supple, possibly pointed things that bring life to your backyard. 

Now, all you have to do is choose the right ones.  It’s simple, right?  There are only a million options.  Many of which are named with words you’ve never heard or conjure thoughts of mad scientists conducting onerous experiments.

Seed packets
Variety of seed packets

If you’re anything like me – and, for your sake, let’s hope you aren’t – you want them all.

That’s not a good idea. 

It turns out those little packets have A LOT of seeds.  Like hundreds.  But they don’t tell you that.  There’s no serving size listed.  They do give you weight options, but who are the people that know how many radish seeds come in 2 ounces?  I don’t think I want to know them.

So, despite that compulsion to pick everything (of course you could fit in some asparagus plants), it does make sense to show a semblance of restraint.  And that, fellow gardeners, is when it’s time to come up with a plan.

I know, that sounds boring AF.  You’re not here to think ahead.  You’re here to chuck a bunch of seeds in the ground and suckle from the sweet, sweet teat of Mother Nature in two to three months.  I get it.  That’s generally my approach as well.    

But, if you are looking for advice from someone with countless gardening failures under their belt, here are a few tips to select the right seeds:

  1. Figure out how much space you have.  This sounds pretty silly, and I swear I’m not being condescending.  But, you’ll be surprised how quick that real estate gets eaten up.  That’s especially true when you account for the size of the mature plant (which I never do – like a moron). 
  2. Don’t overlook the planting schedule.  You can squeeze in more bounty by cycling through cold weather and warm weather plants in the same beds.  Radishes, beets, lettuce, spring peas can all be grown and enjoyed by the time your summer plants are ready to enter the mix.
  3. Stick to the top performers – at least at first.  Read the descriptions and find the seeds that have been cultivated for maximum results and minimal diseases.  This might mean passing on the heirloom cucumbers (silly hipsters), but you’ll increase your chance for a successful summer.
  4. Get a little crazy.  It might not be spring break quite yet, but there’s still plenty of reason to flash your wild side.  The point of a garden is to have fun.  Want to grow artichokes?  Give it a try.  Peanuts?  I mean, Jimmy Carter could do it.  I like your chances. 

Every garden is different and every gardener should develop their own approach (I know, I should have opened with that and saved you three minutes of inane ramblings).  But one thing we can all agree on is that Seed Magazine Day is one of the best days of the year – easily topping arbor day, St Patrick’s day and your birthday (mainly because I don’t care about your birthday).

There’s no need to wait on that varmint up in Pennsylvania.  Your local seed repository or tractor supply store knows when spring is coming.  And, they’ll deliver that news directly to your mailbox. 

So, get excited, have hope and look forward to caressing those glorious orbs of life.  It’s Seed Magazine day people.  There’s no turning back now.