The first year I started seeds indoors, I planned to be the best seed parent there ever was.
I bought cute little peat pods for each of my seeds to live.
Not content with my west-facing windows at my house, I took my seedlings to work with me so they could enjoy the full wall of south-facing windows I had at my corporate office. I would swivel around in my fancy corporate office chair to look at my wall of windows. But I was really admiring my adorable little seedlings.
I brought them home each weekend so they wouldn’t dry out, and enlisted the help of a colleague to water them when I went on vacation (thanks Evan!)
My enthusiasm for seed starting was 110%. But I didn’t know enough back then. No amount of enthusiasm could overcome not having the proper setup. So my execution was about 40%.
What I didn’t know then was that peat pods don’t have enough nutrients to usher seedlings all the way from sprouting through their toddler phase. And I definitely didn’t know that my seedlings needed far more sunlight than even my fancy south-facing corporate office windows could give them.
Who knew that it was so cloudy in March?
My seedlings were so leggy (from lack of sunlight) and yellow (from lack of nutrients) that they had no hope of growing into big, strong veggies in my garden. I ended up buying plants that year at the nursery, feeling completely defeated.
The good news is that I learned from my mistakes. And I’m here to share those mistakes with you today, so you can leapfrog past them and have an incredible seed starting season.
Here are the seven mistakes I want you to avoid this seed starting season:
Mistake 1: Starting Every Seed You Want to Grow in Your Garden
Not every seed needs to be started indoors. Some seeds, like beans and cucumbers, actually prefer to be directly sown in your garden once the soil warms up. Focus on seed starting plants that take a long time to mature in your garden, like tomatoes and peppers.
Mistake 2: Not Using a Grow Light
Seedlings need 12+ hours of light a day to be healthy and strong. Our Chicago winters are just too cloudy for your seedlings to be happy on a windowsill. Without a grow light, your seedlings will become leggy and weak. We’re aiming for squat, dark green seedlings here!
Mistake 3: Not Starting Your Seeds at the Right Time
Each vegetable and herb seed is unique and grows at a different pace! Follow the directions on the seed packet and count back the weeks from our frost date. Your most common times to start seeds will be 8 weeks before frost (about mid-March in Chicago), 6 weeks before frost (about the end of March), and 4 weeks before frost (about mid-April).
Mistake 4: Watering the Leaves, Not the Roots.
Water the roots and not the leaves. The roots’ job is to absorb water and nutrients, and the leaves’ job is to absorb sunlight. Pour water into the tray your seedlings are growing in and watch the water wick up almost to the top of the cell tray.
Mistake 5: Watering Your Seedlings Too Much
Once your seedlings have sprouted, let them dry out just a little bit between each watering. Too much moisture invites disease!
Mistake 6: Not Potting Up Your Seedlings
Your seedlings will stop growing if you keep them in small cells for months on end. Make sure you’re potting up your plants every few weeks as they need it, or that you start your seedlings in bigger cell trays to begin with.
Mistake 7: Not Hardening Off Your Seedlings
Even if you’ve had a powerful grow light helping your seedlings along, the spring sun is much stronger than they’re used to. If you plant them outside without giving them a chance to get used to the sun, their leaves will “burn” (yes, just like a sunburn!). Instead, try taking your seedlings outside for slightly longer amounts of time each day over the course of two weeks. This will help them adjust and gain their summer “base tan.” This step takes patience, but it’s so worth it!
I hope you’re confident and ready to take on seed starting now!
Keep Growing!
Love,
P.S. If you have any questions about seed starting, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m always happy to help!
