Starting seeds indoors is fun and easy to do, keeping them alive is harder, but that’s a topic for another day. Here are a few simple steps to get seeds started.
Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.
What You Will Need To Start Seeds Inside
- Seed starting trays
- Dirt
- Plant labels
- Spray bottle and watering can
- Seeds
Seed Starting Trays
I use a mixture of different trays depending on what I am planting.
These seed-starting trays come with dirt in them. You just add water to the dirt pellets and they expand so you can plant in them. I don’t pay full price for mine though I wait till they go on super sale at the end of planting season. I mostly use these for smaller plants since the cells are a little smaller.
These starter trays are slightly bigger than the previous one I mentioned and I use them for my medium-sized plants.
I use these pots for my largest plants, such as watermelons or cucumbers as they are bigger and need more room before transplanting.
Lastly, these trays are nice for both starting seeds like lettuce or a bunch of flowers and for holding the other smaller cells or pots in.
DIY Seedling Trays
If you don’t want to buy seed starting trays there are a few things from around the house that you can use instead.
- Paper towel or toilet paper tubes – cut toilet paper tubes in half and paper towel tubes into quarters. The nice thing about using these is you can plant the whole thing in the ground as the cardboard will break down.
- Egg cartons – as with the toilet paper tubes, just plant the whole thing when you are ready to transplant them.
- Yogurt cups – Wash out your yogurt cups and use them.
- Coffee cups – If you regularly get coffee or tea out someplace, collect your cups until the growing season and use them to plant in.
Dirt
You can use a variety of different dirts for starting seeds, but you need to make sure it is right so that your seeds grow. I would recommend finding a good seed starter mix to start with. This article explains the difference between seed starter mix and potting soil and how to best use them.
Often I use a mixture of garden dirt and seed starter mix. This year I used a mixture of potting soils because we were given a bunch of it at the end of last year.
Plant Labels
Plant labels are very important for starting seeds indoors. One year I thought I could do without them and it wasn’t long before I had no idea which plants were which until they grew bigger.
So now I label my plants (for the most part, there are still times when I think I can remember, and I don’t) so that I can avoid the confusion of trying to remember what I planted where. You can make plant labels with popsicle sticks or use plastic ones. I just use plastic plant labels.
Spray Bottle and Watering Can
A good spray bottle and watering can are needed for starting seeds. You need a spray bottle when you are watering the seeds before they sprout and when they are just small seedlings so that they don’t get washed away by the water.
After the plants are big and strong enough you can switch to using a watering can.
Seeds
You will need to get whatever seeds you are going to plant together.
Refer to each seed packet to see how soon you should plant each seed.
How To Start Seeds Indoors
Step 1 – Prepare The Dirt
The first thing you will need to do is prepare the dirt. You will do this by mixing whatever you have chosen to plant your seeds in. After it is all mixed you will need to dampen the dirt. Mix some water into the dirt until it is damp, you don’t want it soaking, just damp.
Step 2 – Fill The Containers
Once the dirt is prepared, you will need to fill the containers. Fill the containers most of the way full and lightly tap the dirt dirt down. You don’t want to pack the dirt in because it will make it harder for the seeds to grow in the dirt.
Step 3 – Plant And Label The Seeds
After the containers are most of the way full of dirt you can plant your seeds. Refer to the seed packet of what you are planting for how deep to plant it and any other special instructions.
Most of the time all the information is written on the seed packet, but if not, I heard somewhere to plant a seed about 2-3 times as deep as it is wide and that has seemed to work well for me.
I like to plant two seeds in each cell, in case one of them doesn’t sprout. I don’t mind having the extra plants if they all end up sprouting. You could also put one in each cell and then if you have ones that don’t sprout just replant them.
For things like lettuce, I just sprinkle the seeds over the top of a flat of dirt, I don’t count seeds or anything. I will thin the plants and repot them later.
Don’t forget to label your seeds as you go to help you remember what is where.
Step 4 – Cover The Seeds And Mist With Water
Once the seeds are all in the dirt, refer to their packet and cover them with the appropriate amount of dirt. Then mist the dirt so that the top is wet.
Step 5 – Cover And Place In A Warm, Well Lighted Area
Cover the seeds with either the lid provided with your seedling trays or plastic wrap. Covering them helps them retain warmth and moisture which helps the seeds germinate.
Plants also need light to grow. I keep my plants in a greenhouse in front of a window and I place them outside in the sun every time it is warm and sunny outside. On days when it isn’t sunny, or it isn’t warm enough outside I have a grow light on them. I generally keep them in light or light on them for 8-10 hours a day.
Seeds also need to be warm to grow. If you keep your house warm in the winter you shouldn’t have a problem, but our house stays pretty close to 60 degrees, which is too cold for them. I place a heater in the greenhouse and turn it on every once in a while to help keep it warm. I try to keep them around 70-75 degrees.
A Few Extra Tips On Starting Seeds Indoors
- You will need to make sure that the dirt stays damp and doesn’t dry out. For the most part, I don’t water my seeds again until after I remove the lid or the plastic wrap because the dirt stays damp enough. You will want to monitor it though and make sure it doesn’t dry out. Being too wet is also a problem though, the seeds will just rot if they are too wet, just keep it damp.
- Remove the lid once the plants have sprouted and there is no longer a lot of moisture in them. If you keep the lids on for too long and have water on the leaves of the plants and have them in the sun you could burn the leaves.
- Need help planning your garden? Read on how to plan a garden here.
