How to start seeds? Watch these seed starting videos from the GardenFork video archive.
Simple Seed Starting Pots Video
Cardboard Pots Video
Origami Newspaper Pots
Our Super Easy Grow Light How To Video
Here’s how to build the grow light stand for your cheap grow lights:
Some Seed Starting Thoughts from Eric
- Do Not Overwater Seedlings or seed trays.
- Damp sponge consistency is good. Wet is not good.
- Keep the grow lights right on top of the seedlings, they tops of the plants should be touching or almost touching the bulbs.
- Keep the grow lights on 16 hours a day.
Not enough light and over-watering are the two biggest mistakes people make when seed starting. I don’t believe in using a window to start or grow seedlings, the weak light makes the plants leggy and weak, in my opinion.
If you want to save money and avoid having more plastic pots around, consider using cardboard or newspaper seed starting pots. The videos above show how easy it is to make these.
I use coir as a seed starting medium, I avoid using peat moss, which isn’t the most renewable resource we have. We seem to have a ton of coconut shells and fiber around. With coconut water being the new cupcake and all…
I add vermiculite and perlite to the coir fiber to give it some air and drainage. Easy enough to buy this stuff in the local garden shop. The exact amount is not important, use what you got, but you want a majority of the seed starting mix to be coir.
Break down the coir bricks in warm water. It helps to break them up with a hammer or some sort of smashing type object. I tend to add too much water to the coir bricks, and end up draining off a lot of it.
What are your seed starting practices? Thoughts? Let us know below:
