Some helpful tips on starting seeds & where to find them
I don’t know about you, but we here at The Bayside are dizzy with delight at the thought of starting our seeds for the upcoming season! If you’ve been anticipating getting your hands back in the soil, here are some great ways to get the ball rolling.
Starting seeds indoors is a great way for getting a head-start on growing the seedlings for transplanting into the garden.
To successfully start seeds indoors, you need to purchase quality seed and seeding mix. Either purchase trays
or be creative in your use of clean, re-cycled containers (ie.: milk container, egg cartons, mushroom packs, etc). Choose a sunny, south facing window. Seeds can be expensive so read the directions carefully to get a successful batch of seedlings especially if you are trying to grow heirloom vegetables or exotic flowers!
The Bayside carries a variety of top-notch, NON-GMO seeds from two Nova Scotia seeding companies: Hope Organic Seeds out of Annapolis Royal and Halifax Seeds. Come and check out our selection in the gift shop!
This website from Canadian Gardening gives a good overview of the eight seed starting basics – choosing seeds, containers, sowing medium, following directions, keep moisture in, watering, light, fertilizer and hardening off plants before putting them outside.
http://www.canadiangardening.com/how-to/seeds/eight-seed-starting-basics/a/19908
Grow lights can be very beneficial if you want strong, healthy plants. Often, people get discouraged about starting seeds because they start too early or don’t provide the correct light for the plant to grow and they get “leggy”, weak plants that just don’t flourish when set outside. Grow lights can be purchased through seed companies or hardware stores. They are a great investment if you want to start seeds each year.
One common problem that people have is “damping off” which is a condition when a seemingly healthy plant suddenly dies. To prevent this, good airflow around the plants is very important. Adding a small fan will be helpful. Check this link for more on how to prevent this problem:
http://www.canadiangardening.com/how-to/seeds/how-to-prevent-damping-off/a/20669
If you are interested in growing flowers from seed, some easy ones to grow are nasturtiums, lupines and morning glory. Easy vegetables to grow are lettuce, kale, carrots, peas and cucumbers. Mostly, plant what you like to eat and look at! Perhaps try your luck on something you’ve never grown before. If you don’t like the end result, I guarantee you’ll find a neighbour or friend who will!
We’re back planting in the greenhouse for the 2016 season so come see us for all your seed needs and questions. We couldn’t be more excited to see what blooms for you!!