How do I grow plants from seeds?
To grow a plant from seed you will need adequate amounts of sunlight, good soil, and access to clean water. You’ll also need containers to germinate the seeds in as they sprout from the soil and mature. You can repurpose or purchase a variety of different containers to sprout your seeds. Try clean, empty egg cartons, plastic cups, take-away boxes or “clamshells.” You can also purchase (and reuse) thick pots made from cardboard pulp, plastic 4-inch square or 6-inch round pots, or six-cell (or larger) seedling containers from local garden centers or discount stores.
You can start your plants indoors or outdoors, depending on the type of seeds you want to grow and the conditions required to sprout them. In general, choose a place that is warm and protected, where you can easily observe and tend to your plant. Seeds sprout well from light, loose soil that is evenly watered every 2 to 3 days. Once you’ve gathered your seeds, soil, and containers, check websites and videos to get the basics on how to grow plants from seed. Below are some we recommend.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay current with basic gardening knowledge that you can use to keep growing. For more advanced gardening tips, seek out email newsletters and online sources from local favorites like Van Winden’s Garden Center, the UC Master Gardeners of Napa Valley, and the California-based gardening vlogs and YouTube channels like California Gardening and Epic Gardening.
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Where can I grow my plants?
When you are ready to transplant your seedlings, you’ll need more room for them to grow to full maturity, but that requires less space than you think. Container gardens on porches and balconies are a great option for apartment dwellers. Check with a local nursery to see if they have free, used plant containers in 1-gallon sizes or larger. Recently, vertical gardening has become popular in many growing sites. For example, you can plant along a wall or fence using repurposed pallets. Or search online to find interlocking plastic pots that stack on top of each other to expand your planting potential.
How do I grow plants from seedlings?
Seedlings grown from seeds are not fully mature, but have at least 2 to 4 sets of “true” leaves. True leaves are the second set of leaves that form after they sprout from cotyledons. At this stage, seedlings can be gently transplanted into a container or directly in the earth to finish their growth cycle. If you want to grow a plant to maturity by transplanting a seedling instead of beginning with seeds, you can ask a friend who gardens for any extra seedlings they may have to share with you.
How do I start seeds indoors?
It’s not as hard as you’d think. Lauren demonstrates in this video how to start seeds indoors using basic supplies: containers, soil, seeds, and water. For more like this, follow us on YouTube.
