How to Transplant Seedlings?
Watch for a seedling’s true leaves, they’ll look different from the first sprouts. More like what you’d expect mature leaves to look like. You can see my true leaves here have a definite lettuce look. Once these leaves develop it’s time to give seedlings more space by transplanting.
First, soak your seedling containers. Happy, we’ll watered plants will transplant better.
Next, gently separate plants. Don’t weed them out of the container. Instead, gently tease the roots apart.
Move the seedlings to larger pots or seeding trays. Make sure the holes are deep enough to accommodate the roots and a bit of stem. I like to use a chop stick to gently poke the roots in.
Make sure to pat down the soil around the stem to remove big air pockets and help support the stem.
Keep an eye on soil moisture while they transition. The seedlings will flourish with their newfound space!
Rooting Rosemary Cuttings
Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs to cook with and it makes such a difference when it’s fresh! I’ve started some from seed this year but I’m also propagating some from cuttings in hopes of getting a head start.
Rooting Geranium Cuttings in Water
For the past three years I’ve tried overwintering my own geraniums. This year they spent the winter in our basement guest bedroom. Honestly, this wasn’t their best year. I decided to give some water cuttings a try and they’ve rooted so quickly! I’ll be potting these up here this week and starting another batch. I usually root my cuttings in whatever jar I’ve got lying around. Recently I purchased this propagator and I love that it looks decorative on my counter top!
Free Printable Valentines Seed Packet
Click to download the seed packet here.
These print out two per sheet of paper. Simply cut them out, fold and secure the back flaps with glue, fill, and enjoy!
Free Printable Seed Starting Journal 2023
For the past few years I’ve kept a seed starting journal, mostly just quickly thrown together spreadsheets and calendar pages. This year I created something with more intention, designed to gather useful information to help my garden improve every year. No more guessing which cucumber variety I loved!
The Journal Kit Includes
2023 Cover Page, Vegetable Seed Journal Page, Flower Seed Journal Page, Calendar Pages for Feb, March, April & May, Additional Blank Calendar Page (if you’d like to keep tracking), and a Garden Notes Page
Print off as many of each as you need!
Make sure to follow me on Instagram to see how I’ll be using mine this season.
Download the printable HERE and enjoy!
Easy Seed Organization
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect container for organizing my seeds and I’ve finally found it! This box HERE is actually a photo organizer, but it’s the perfect size for seed packets. I love that it’s water + pest proof with space in each container for plenty of packets.
I used my embossing label maker to label each container. It makes these cute, vintage looking black and white labels. I’ve used it in my closets, for my Christmas decor, and for my spice jars in my kitchen.
These are the categories I used to label my seeds:
Annuals
Perennials
Herbs
Peppers
Tomatoes
Onions
Squash
Mellons
Pumpkins
Beans
Cucumbers
Carrots
Beets & Radishes
Onions
Corn
Lettuce
Easy Onion Seed Starting
Start onion seeds today without fancy growing equipment. Onions need to be started 10-12 weeks before the last frost date. So for me here in Utah that means end of January.
I love using clear clam shell containers for seed starting because the lid works as a perfect humidity dome. You can also use lettuce or bakery boxes. Just make sure your container has drainage and you’re good to go.
Fill with moist seed starting mix, evenly distribute seeds, and cover with 1/4” seed starting mix.
Add a light layer of vermiculite for extra moisture retention and mist the layer of vermiculite with a spray bottle.
Label the seeds and remove the lid once the seedlings start to emerge.
Simple as that!
My First Harbor Freight 10×12 Greenhouse Review + Upgrades
Update: I have since moved from this house and built a new harbor freight greenhouse with even better upgrades. I’ll include a post of this newer greenhouse soon!
Is there anything better than walking into a warm, humid greenhouse? The smell of moist potting soil, plant foliage, and flowers all concentrated together has got to be one of the most therapeutic experiences. Like walking barefoot in the sand or eating some really good chocolate. In high school and college I worked at the most beautiful garden center attached to an enormous greenhouse that doubled as an event center. When I walked into that greenhouse I would feel weight and worry from the day evaporate as I walked past the ferns and just breathed in the smell of everything living.
I think many garden lovers, especially those in climates with a full four seasons, fantasize about starting tomatoes in February, getting a head start on growing annual patio pots, and overwintering lemon trees. Building a greenhouse was at the top of my yard to do list when we purchased our home three years ago. It got bumped down the list a bit in favor of things like laying new sod, building a fence, and purchasing plants to serve as the foundation of our landscape. But last spring we looked at our to do list and found greenhouse construction right up at the top. My first choice, a custom glasshouse imported for England for a mere $17,000 was more than a bit out of reach. As I researched different companies and kits I found that for my price range, if I wanted something beautiful it would have to be tiny, and if I wanted something with enough space it would be plain and ugly. I decided for the most price friendly greenhouse for its size, the Harbor Frieght 10’ X 12’.
Making the decision to purchase this greenhouse meant factoring in a bunch of greenhouse improvements to our budget. As silly as it may sound, having a greenhouse that was equal in beauty and function was the goal. I knew my greenhouse would serve as another outdoor room in my garden, and I wanted it to be an escape.
I’d read plenty of negative reviews for this greenhouse. I was aware that the aluminum frame would need some sturdying up, and that the panels would require some work to keep them from blowing out in windstorms. However I felt that for the price, around $500 after a sale + coupon, I could make it work perfectly for our space.
Major Upgrades We Knew We’d Want
- electrical
- ventilation
- automated watering/humidity control
- benches and storage for plants
- potting/work area with a sink
The Eletrical
We were able to add a light fixture and two outlets to the greenhouse. Sometimes I’ll go out in the greenhouse after the girls have gone to bed, flip on the light and do some transplanting. The outlets are a means for us to use the ventilation system we came up with, as well as plug in our seed heating mats or space heaters if we have a chilly night in late spring. The metal conduit through which we ran wires for our ceiling light help add stability to the aluminum frame.
Ventilation
The greenhouse came with four of the roof panels opening as vents. Greenhouse ventilation is important because temperatures in the greenhouse far exceed the outside temperatures during the summer months due to the warm air that gets trapped inside. Although having these events open would allow for some air movement, in order to keep the temperature at a more hospitable range we knew we needed a more aggressive approach to air circulation. We invested in outlet thermostat that can be set for both a high temperature and low temperature range. We have ours set so that at 85°, the outlet turns on the ventilation fan And outlet turns off when the temperature gets down to 80°. This fan pulls warm air from inside the greenhouse outside, it has louvers on the exterior that only open if the fan is running. To allow for fresh air to circulate through the greenhouse we added an opening with louvers across from the ventilation fan, so that when it runs it can pull air from the outside. During the summer months we will hear the fan turning off and on throughout the day as it works to keep the greenhouse in or acceptable temperature range of about 85°.
The thermostat we have has two outlets, one for the fan and one for a heater. I don’t heat my greenhouse through the whole winter. I usually start heating it early to mid March once I have some of my seedlings out there. With this thermostat my heater will kick on when my greenhouse drops below 45, and turn off when the greenhouse is at 50.
Links:
Automated Watering
We purchased and hooked up an automated misting system to ensure that our greenhouse had high enough humidity levels and didn’t simply turn into a desert. We can tell our Mister how often to turn on and for what duration of time. During the hottest summer months I set my misting system to run every 10 minutes for 30 seconds. That kept our humidity up and also helped lower the temperature along with our fan.
Benches
I wanted to be able to utilize as much space as possible, so my husband constructed benches to run down each side of the greenhouse, with hardware cloth for the top level, and 1″ x 3″ slats for the bottom level. The benches are 2″ wide leaving plenty of space in the center of the greenhouse for a removable island when we need extra space, or a table and chairs for our girls’ tea parties.
Potting/Work Area with Sink
This might be my favorite part of the greenhouse. Having a solid work area where I could put down seeds and divide plants was really important. I also wanted to be able to rinse my garden tools, wash my hands, and fill up watering cans. We found our impossibly deep cast iron sink at our local restore, and we used plywood and 2 x 4’s along with our extra hardware cloth make a mold for a concrete counter top. The counter top supports an old, mirrored hutch that we found a secondhand store. I love having the two big mirrors reflecting the greenhouse and the rest of my garden.
Extras
One of the things we kept reading about the Harbor Freight greenhouse was that the panels would blow out in strong wind storms. Reviewers said that the clips holding the panels in work very effective, and that purchasing additional clips was a good option. Instead of adding more clips we ended up using self tapping screws to secure each panel to the frame.
Starting Seeds Indoors & on the Cheap
Weather is a tricky thing here in Utah. I’ve spent sunny January afternoons short-sleeved working in my backyard and frigid days in April watching baseball games during snow flurries. This winter has been really mild, with few snow showers and single temperature digit days. Today as I’m writing though, we’ve a high of 25, icy winds, and about 4″ of snow with more expected tomorrow. Feeling like we’ve gone back in time to the beginning of January isn’t what my garden loving soul needs right now. And as eager as I was to hang up my pruning shears in October for some well deserved rest, I’m twice as eager now to plunge my hands into some potting soil and admire budding leaves on my lilacs.
Until the weather decides to join me in my desire for spring I’ll have to settle for what little yard prep I can do indoors. I’ve made my four page long garden to-do list (check back soon for more on early garden must do’s) but I’m ready for some green.
We’ve decided to expand our vegetable garden this year, tearing out more turf in favor of the flavors of juicy tomatoes, and home grown acorn squash. Weather you’re looking to plant a large veggie patch, or just looking to grow a few container tomatoes on a back patio, starting your own seeds is a great idea. There’s something about beginning a garden on my windowsill that helps me make it through March. It can also help save money too. Buying a seed packet for $1.50 that yields 20 zucchini plants when you’d likely pay $1.50+ for just one feels good. Extra plants can be given as gifts to neighbors, or you can try selling them. I had a plant “garage sale” last spring and the sale of my extra veggies funded some new string lights for the patio.
When walking through the seed section of your local home improvement store you’ll likely see accessories like expensive grow lights, fancy seeding containers, and humidomes. Although having fancy seeding equipment won’t hurt your chances, they’re necessary.
You only need four simple ingredients for successful seed starting
- seed starting mix
- a container
- water
- light
Oh, and seeds of course. These components don’t need to be fancy or expensive, with a good batch of seed starting mix and a trip to the dollar store you’ll have everything you need to begin your garden indoors.
Seed Starting Mix:
Do seeds germinate in regular old backyard dirt? You betcha. But to up your chances of seeding success you’ll wan’t to use a special seed starting mix. This special mix provides the right balance of aeration with water holding capacity and sterility, which means you won’t have to battle any pests while growing juvenile plants. Depending on the amount of seeds you’re planning on growing, a small bag purchased from your home improvement store might be enough. If you’re planning on a starting a bunch you might want to consider purchasing the ingredients to make a big batch of your own. Supplies are easily found at most garden centers.
Seed Starting Mix Recipe
- 1 part vermiculite
- 1 part perlite
- 1 part peat moss
Containers:
Seed starting sets will often include a clear plastic “lid” these are called humidomes. They basically create a mini greenhouse for your seedlings, helping increase heat and humidity. You can create this same effect with any clear covering. You can use take out containers, plastic wrap, basically any transparent covering will do. I found disposable casserole dishes at the Dollar Tree that came with transparent lids about 3″ tall. I’m also using some berry clam shells, and some to-go salad containers. Most “official” humidomes have a flap that can be opened to let out excess moisture and let the seedlings breathe a little. You can copy this by removing or opening the lids for a few hours a day or cutting a flap that can be opened and closed. I opted for cutting a flap that could be easily opened or closed without taking the whole lid off.
Make sure your container has drainage! It might be necessary to poke several holes in the bottom of your container. Tomato and berry clam shells usually have holes in the base of the container already, but if you’re using a tin container like mine, or a take out container you’ll want to make sure you make enough holes so that water can drain out. The developing roots of your seedling can easily rot if there’s too much moisture.
Water:
Starting with moist potting mix is crucial for seedling success. Because seeds are often small, they’re easily washed away or displaced by heavy streams of water. I like to mist my soil and seeds with a spray bottle, the fine mist ensures they won’t be damaged. Once my seedlings have started to grow and require more water I’ll set my container in a shallow dish filled with water and bottom water my plants. The water will soak up into the soil through the holes in the bottom of the container. I’ll check the soil and take the containers out of the water dish after about 10 minutes. That’s usually long enough for some good water absorption.
Light:
South or west facing windows are the optimal places for catching winter sun. Light is one of the requirements for adequate germination, so having your seedlings as close as you can to the window is crucial. Seedlings struggling with adequate light will become thin, spindly, and suffer from etoliation which basically means they’re trying to grow tall stems to reach as much light as possible. These tall stemmed plants are putting so much effort into vertical growth that root development and leaf production can suffer, making for weak plants. If 5+ hours of sunlight is impossible for you, you might want to consider subsidizing with a grow light.
During sunny days I’ll check the temps in my unheated greenhouse. It can be as much as 20 degrees warmer than outside if its a clear day. I’ll let my seedlings spend the day in there and bring them back inside before the sun and temperature starts to sink.
Other Considerations:
- Soak seeds prior to planting. Infusing seeds with a straight shot of H2O can speed up their germination. Don’t over do it, 4-8 hours is sufficient for most seeds. Those with a harder seed coat (think peas or beans) can benefit from a longer soaking session, but don’t exceed 16 or so hours or you’ll risk rot and damage.
- Adequately label plants! It’s easy to forget which plant is growing in which container. If you’re growing both Roma tomatoes as well as beefsteak unlabeled plants won’t distinguish themselves for months. To label my seedlings I picked up some toothpicks and white stickers while sourcing containers at the dollar store.
- Read instructions on seed packets! Some plants require the seeds to be covered to certain depths for germination, others can germinate sitting right on top of the soil.
Transplanting:
- Seeds can be transplanted into larger containers once their second set of leaves appear. These are called their first “true leaves” and will often look different from the first round they sprouted. The seeds leaves that emerge out of the ground are called cotyledons. They existed in the embryonic seed. Once the “true leaves” start sprouting from your seedling you can gently “weed” it out of your seed starting mix and transplant into a larger container filled with regular old potting soil.
- Don’t be too hasty to fertilize after transplanting. Wait for plants to root into their new container and continue producing new leaves. Waiting a week or so after transplanting should be adequate.
There you have it, seed starting basics on the cheap. Here’s to an early start to the season, and a little green in the midst of the snow.