Since the pandemic I have had to get more creative in sourcing garden seeds but have no fear there are still plenty. Online stores such as Botanical Interests, and Hoss Tools have been reliable places to order. Your local farm and ranch feed store or hardware store are great options for seeds as well. Big box stores such as your grocery store, Wal-Mart, and the dollar stores are also sources.

There are also plenty of local nurseries that stock seeds. Some people only think of nurseries when buying plants and starts, but most have loads of seeds and seed starting supplies.

You do not have to have fancy containers for seed starting. I use a good quality seed starting mix and any container with drainage for seed starting. In the past I made a onetime purchase of a heavy duty plastic seed starting tray pictured below and now use those year after year. Be sure to thoroughly wash and dry the containers to avoid any bacteria or fungi from infecting your new starts. You can also use the following household items:

• Disposable Cups
• Plastic Yogurt Containers
• Egg Shells
• Egg Cartons
• Milk Cartons

The key is to make sure the container you use has adequate drainage. You do not want your seedlings setting in water as it’s a host for fungi and bacteria to grow.

I set my seed starts on a heat mat, but you could always use a heating pad on low or set them on top of your refrigerator. I also use a humidity dome if I’m starting seeds inside my house to help retain the heat from mat and moisture from the seed starting mix. Some seed starting trays come with a clear dome to place on top of the tray or you can use a any translucent tote like a storage container to place over the tray like a mini green house. Once the seedlings sprout, remove the humidity dome if you used one and place the seedling under a grow light or in a sunny window sill.

In the summer, I skip the heat mat and grow light and set my seed starts on the porch. When the nighttime temperatures are at least 60 degrees and the daytime temperatures are at least 70 degrees I have quick germination of my seeds.

You can stretch your gardening budget by starting your plants from seeds. You do not need special equipment, just some seed starting mix, containers, water and a little patience. You’ll be on your way to gardening on a budget!

Once your seedlings sprout, it’s very important to get them into light immediately. A grow light is my preferred method inside or I use the natural light in my greenhouse. After you seedling has 2 or more true leaves you can fertilize them using a liquid fertilizer mixed half strength.

If your seedlings have been strictly grown indoors, a gradual hardening off process is necessary.

Once your seedlings are large enough to plant in the garden and the daytime temperature is at least 60 degrees, gradually place your seedlings outside for a few hours each day. Place your seedlings outside in a sheltered, preferably shaded, area. I prefer to place them on a table on my porch. The seedlings can stay outside for a few hours and then bring them back indoors before nightfall. Repeat this process over the next few days, leaving the seedlings in a sheltered, shaded spot for a little longer each day. Once the seedlings are outside for the entire day, start the process of gradually moving them into a sunny area. Repeat the same process. For a few hours each day, move the seedlings from the shaded area to the sunny area increasing the hours in the sun until they’re in the sun for a full day. During this process, it is best to move the seedlings back indoors every night.

Once the plants are outdoors during all daylight hours, leave them outside at night as long as the nighttime temperatures are above freezing. At this time, it is also safe to transplant your seedlings into the garden. This whole process should take just a little longer than one week.

If you work outside the home as I do, you may find a section of your porch that gets some direct sun and then is shaded during the afternoon heat. I use this section of my porch to harden off my seedlings. I move the seedlings indoors at night and put them back out during the day.

Starting your garden from seed is not intimidating and can be a very rewarding and cost effective process!