OK, it’s been cold out there. Wickedly cold. And even though a couple of weeks ago we could see some signs of life out in the garden, a snowdrop or hellebore bloom here or there, the recent polar shenanigans sent that all packing. It is January, after all.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t garden magic to be had this time of year. In one of my all-time favorite garden quotes, Henry David Thoreau put it best in his masterful tome, “Faith in a Seed.” “I have great faith in a seed. Convince me you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.”
A plant growing from seed — that sometimes tiny bit of dust whether nestled on the forest floor or sprinkled from a farm store packet — is one of the many miracles of the seasons. And while Mother Nature is throwing her worst at us this time of year, what better way to fight back than to give life to the coming growing season.
Now if you’re looking for a quick and dirty how-to on starting your own tomato seeds indoors, this isn’t the place. There’s any number of YouTube videos and Cooperative Extension Service publications that can tell you all of that. A quick online search should get you the specifics no matter what corner of the country you call home. No, today’s soap box is all about the magic and the possibilities.
An excellent way to show of hellebore blooms is floating the fut flowers on a bowl of water inside.
Starting seeds at home is a wonderful annual ritual. It’s a great way to get kids tuned in to the change of seasons, the synergy and responsibility of the seedling/gardener relationship. It’s a great way to experience, and share, wonder, all while cooped up inside.
Starting seeds at home also doesn’t have to be complicated or imposing in scale. Of course there are some out there who turn their basements into glowing, humming, artificial lighting centers that put such a seasonal draw on the public utility grid that suspicious DEA agents might come calling to make sure there’s no illicit horticulture going on down there. Small is a fine place to start.
If you’re planning to embark on your first go at the at-home seed starting magic, there are a few things I recommend to get the most out of it.
What supplies do I need to grow an indoor seedling?
Plant Pot Tools and Seeds
All you have to do is glance at your phone or pop open your laptop this time of year and you’re bombarded with the latest and the greatest thingamajig for growing seedlings. They usually have a tiny (and totally undersized) built-in container with a thoroughly inadequate light suspended above — usually rated at about half a micro-glimmer of light.
To get the most out of what I hope you will adopt as an annual right of passage through winter, assembling all your supplies is part of the essential recipe. It starts with rummaging through the basement or garage to see what you have. Then there’s the annual trek to the garden center (because if you’re gonna just order it all from Amazon you might as well just have the factory-grown tomatoes delivered by one of those services not to be named and forget the whole growing thing) to pick up your flats and growing mix, etc.
What plants grow best from an indoor seedling?
There are so many amazing things to grow out there and sitting down with a catalog or a browser to do some snooping while the snow is falling — that’s a happy winter Sunday in my book. Truth be known, it’s hard to go wrong when you are picking seeds these days. Should your tomato crop be a Sweet 100 or a Sun Cherry or a Japanese Black Cherry? Dealer’s choice, I say. They’ll all do fine.
But does that mean it doesn’t matter what you choose to grow? Of course not. Browsing the catalogs and online lists makes the process all that much better whether you buy your seeds mail order of from the garden center rack.
Don’t forget to read your seed packet instructions
Seed packets are just plain awesome. In addition to their magical contents, the packet themselves are amazingly compact little courses in gardening. Most people don’t even give them a second glance as they tear off the top and sprinkle the seeds. Some are pure works of art. A thorough reading of a seed packet, especially if it is artistically presented, makes you feel like a better gardener. And you probably are.
Where should I order seeds to start indoor seedlings?
There are scads of great seed sources out there. If you’re considering your very first venture, a great place to start is your local garden center. Most good garden centers are owned by and staffed by gardeners. They are great sources of recommendations, cautions, and general advice. They also tend to stock seeds from sources they like and offer varieties that will work in the local area.
Mail order seed sources range all over the map. There are the big guns — the Ball Seed and Burpee catalogs that have been around forever. Then there are the more boutique seed houses with all kinds of different areas of emphasis. Companies like Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Maine and Baker Creek in Missouri offer some interesting heirloom varieties and loads of advice. One step further in the heirloom/heritage seed source would be a place like Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa where you can find some formerly endangered heirloom varieties.
Whatever path you choose, make this the year to dive in, make a little of your own seed magic, and join me in a collective thumbing of the nose at winter.
Paul Cappiello is the executive director at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, 6220 Old Lagrange Road, yewdellgardens.org.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Seed starting essentials what to know before growing seedlings indoors