Spring, despite all signs to the contrary and world sanity otherwise crumbling around us, will arrive shortly whether you’re ready for it or not. Admittedly not for several more months in MY neighbourhood but with the garden-in-a-closet I’ve made, year-round planting is a reality and I’ve learned to ignore the calendar to some extent. No matter your climate, indoor or out, it’s a good time to think about starting some seeds for your garden if you want plants more interesting than the usual suspects at the local garden centre.
The lessons I’ve learned the hard way over the gardening years are pretty simple. Don’t use soil to start seeds no matter whether you’re going into soil later or directly to hydroponic. Don’t pamper your seedlings too much. Use a fan for air movement to strengthen their little stems. And always be brutal when pulling out weaker specimens to leave room for your strongest contenders.
That first one, no soil, is an easy formula. The secret in the face of ever diminishing and unrenewable (in our lifetimes) peat is to use coconut coir. Honestly this stuff is magic and works even better. I make a mix with perlite for texture and vermiculite for water retention. Since the seed has all it needs for nutrition the first few weeks, your focus should be on the *feel* of the soil. Loose enough to allow great root penetration, strong enough for support. You get the idea.
The photo up top is the result of the “buttercrunch lettuce” pot you see in the video below after only five days. Several days earlier than the packet suggested. Right soil + right environment = happy plants.
