Starting seeds without all the bs

Hi everyone!

In aims of having a farming practice that is more locally sourced and requires the least amount of external and miles away product, I am wondering what people do for starting seeds in small trays for small farms (or big gardens).
some things im adamant on:
-obviously no PEAT!
-I dont want to get a "potting mix"
-I like the idea of coco coir but again that is very dependant on taking those resources from tropical countries


what seeds actually need is warmth, nutrients, water, sunlight, etc. so is it ridiculous to just use like naked soil from the land that has been modified with compost?
does anyone have experience with how these seeds end up surviving and germinating?
im trying to direct seed stuff a lot anyways but in the cases where i must transplant i want to not feel guilty for the products used.

I appreciate any and all input !!!
if it helps,
im in toronto ontario, zone 6

Any decent soil for starting seeds. I have found that first pouring boiling water over the soil is very useful for difficult-to-start seeds. I believe it kills the fungus and bacteria that can rot your seeds if they are slow to start. Also kills most weed seeds. Plant as soon as it is cool enough to touch.

I am not a fan of starting seeds in pots.

I have the best luck starting seeds outside in their natural environment.

Yes, what seeds actually need is warmth, nutrients, water, sunlight, etc. so is it ridiculous to just use like naked soil from the land that has been modified with compost?

Again, this conforms with planting the seeds outdoor after the last sign of frost.

Anne Miller wrote:I am not a fan of starting seeds in pots.

I have the best luck starting seeds outside in their natural environment.

Yes, what seeds actually need is warmth, nutrients, water, sunlight, etc. so is it ridiculous to just use like naked soil from the land that has been modified with compost?

Again, this conforms with planting the seeds outdoor after the last sign of frost.

Very much agree, with a few exceptions.

One is tobacco, which sprouts slowly and remains very tiny for weeks before suddenly growing. Starting in late winter indoors is helpful. If I seed directly in the garden in my climate it will not always go to seed in the fall if it's an early frost.

But in general, direct planting seems to produce more sturdy plants. If I have an excess of seeds I often don't even 'plant' them. Scattering seeds on the surface works very well for many veggies, particularly lettuce and brassicas. I have even done this with beans and had good results. I may or may not lightly rake the ground after scattering, but don't think it is necessary. Best time to plant like this is immediately before a rain.

i appreciate all the input! i do feel less crazy too for not wanting to use a mix of all sorts of amendments!

I will try the boiling water too, great tip

One thing to keep in mind is that the soil in situ in your garden has structure and aeration due to rootlets, mycelium, burrowing buggies etc. that is lost when you dig it up and plop it in a pot or tray. Some soil types are better suited to potting than others. Some may turn into a brick of compacted dirt, some may crumble and wash out the drain holes.

This is not to say that commercial potting soil is the only way to start plants in pots, but just that the amendments are there for the purpose of giving gardeners a readymade product for pots that will stay in place and hold water and air without getting sodden or compacted.

I have found it helpful, when using garden soil to start plants, to spread the soil out in shallow trays, and keep it watered for a month or two. Stir it from time to time. Many weed seeds will germinate, so that they don't overgrow my chosen seedlings when sown.

It is worth recognizing that all seeds aren't happy with the same conditions. It's quick to look up on the web whether a seed does better with lots of light (lettuces) vs not needing light to germinate. Some seeds need fairly light fluffy soil like carrots, where people tell me when I plant wheat, I need to stomp it into the ground (like Buffalo stomping grass seeds into the prairie soil.)

Your precise climate is a factor also. Because we get summer drought, I admit I use a little coir in my seed starting soil so that a little lapse in watering on my part, won't destroy a whole batch of germinating seeds. Compared to the footprint of buying a seed starting mix, the small amount I use is much smaller.

Overall, seeds are cheap, and if you save your own and encourage your friends and neighbors to do so and share, you can afford to loose some plants if things don't work for some reason. If it's a rare or precious seed, I will be more careful to give it the best chance, but I don't do such things often.

I start in pots only things that absolutely have to be started indoors - tomatoes and peppers. I eventually settled on pots called sili-seedlings which are silicone and washable after some attempts at soil blocking (which I plan to try again in the future, still think soil blocks are very much a good idea).

Buying specific seedling mix is expensive and not truly sustainable. However, our soil is pretty heavy clay and our compost is somewhat on the heavy side too. I don't buy/bring in any external inputs or fertilizers aside from small amounts of sea crop and effective microorganisms. The other exception is I did buy a bag of locally made peat-free potting soil last year. It is light enough for seedlings. I am okay making this exception as the bag will last me a while.

If this product was no longer available, I would try to somehow lighten up our garden soil with soil from other parts of our property.

I will note that the seeds we save germinate much better in our soil rather than store bought. It also means that you have extra seed on hand if your germination attempts fail  

For the seeds you need to start in pots you can soft your compost and plant directly into that.
Good luck.