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gardening for beginners

Starting Seeds Indoors

Posts: 40

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

posted 10 years ago

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Hi all- this is my first year starting seeds indoors. I have so many different seeds that I am unsure of which to start indoors as space is limited. I live in Grand Rapids, MI in zone 6, I was thinking of starting my tomatoes, melon, kale, swiss chard, beans, ground cherries and herbs indoors. Then I was thinking of direct seeding my lettuce, radish, beets, squash, and carrots. Does anyone have advice on the best plants to start indoors? Also are there any special soil blends that you've found useful? Thanks in advance for the responses!

“The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it we can have no community, because without proper care for it we can have no life.”
― Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture

Cj Sloane

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Posts: 3738

Location: Vermont, off grid for 24 years!

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posted 10 years ago

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Look at the packets. Some are supposed to be sown directly in soil like beans or corn. I have succesfully transplanted corn to get a jump on the season, it will grow in cold soils but not sprout in cold soils.

What needs to be started early are onions & leeks & celery. Then tomatoes, eggplant, peppers. Then greens. I save cukes, watermelon for last. Squash & beans can direct seed.

Once my plants are up I have an ocillating fan on a timer blowing on them to keep them strong and help prevent damping off.

My project thread
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DeLaney Becker-Baratta

Posts: 40

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

posted 10 years ago

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Great idea about the fan- I will try that this year when I start my seeds. Have you ever tried to plant squash from transplants? I ask because I am concerned that the growing season in Michigan is a bit short for long summer, heat loving plants like squash. Also what do you usually start your seedlings in? I've heard that starting seedlings in a nutrient poor, light potting mix is the way to go for germination. Also do you harden off your plants before putting them in your garden? I was hoping to skip this step entirely by using floating row covers to protect seedlings from cooler night air. Thanks for the response!

Cj Sloane

pollinator

Posts: 3738

Location: Vermont, off grid for 24 years!

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posted 10 years ago

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You can transplant squash, but they grow so fast I'm not sure it's worth it. My suggestion is try both.

Personally, I use coco-peat because it's not soil so it doesn't harbor soil diseases. Thoroughly wet it before you put it in containers.
But... it has no nutrient. This is fine with me because I do aquaponics and I use the fish water. If you have compost you could make compost tea and water with that.

I think hardening off is more about the sun and wind exposure than cold nights.

My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.

Melody Pleasant

Posts: 7

posted 4 years ago

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I think you are on the right track. Start inside: tomatoes, melon, kale, swiss chard, beans, ground cherries and most herbs. But even those will be staggered. In my CT cold zone 5 I started kale weeks ago, but wont start tomatoes till next week.

Direct sew:lettuce, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips. I actually transplant my lettuce but if you have limited starting capactity inside then direct sew it. Things I have sewed outside so far (under row cover): arugula, carrots, beets, radish, small white turnips, elegance greens)

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