Starting Your Own Seedlings

A trip to the greenhouse each year is hard to describe.  I have feelings of excitement for approaching spring and summer; I have a quiet thrill running through my body when I am surrounded by so much life; I feel slightly overwhelmed as I look at all the varieties of tomato, peppers, herbs and flowers.  I usually try to go to the greenhouse without my children so I can concentrate enough to get what I need.  Eventually, I am able to figure out what it is that I want and I buy it ----then the shock comes.  As I walk out of the store, I ask myself, "Did I just spend $40 on plants?  I thought a garden was supposed to SAVE money!"  Every year, I go through the same ritual.  I will probably do it this year too!

You don't have to though.  You don't have to make the annual trip to the green house, drop $40, and experience those negative feelings of being overwhelmed and spending too much money.  Instead you can experience the fun part of spring by watching your very own seedlings grow!

Our apartments are so tiny and dark though, right?  It's still possible.  Since I am not an expert on all things gardening, I will not pretend that I have ever even tried to start my own seedlings.  You will just have to trust me and know that it can be done.  First, here is a good overview on what you need to do:  Our Ohio.

There are unique problems to our apartments:  Space and Light.

1.  Space:  it actually doesn't take very much space to do the seedlings.  You can find kits for seedlings that don't even need additional soil.  (I saw one at Target but I can't find it online).  Some of the kits even come with seeds!  All you need to do is find a clear table or dresser top, preferably by a window.

2. Lighting:  As it says in the link I provided, all you really need is two 40 watt bulbs directly over your seedlings.  There are a few people in White Course who actually rigged a suspended fluorescent light over their seedlings and it works very well.  Here is an example:

She has this in her upstairs bedroom.  The light is hanging from a suspension rod!  Ingenious!  Right?  The picture is not the greatest, but you can see that her plants are flourishing.

So . . . now that you know that you CAN do it in our teeny-tiny apartments, get started.  Now is the time.  Have fun!

PS.  Notice that on the sidebar, I have a few links where you can order seeds.  All have been recommended by someone who lives in White Course.