Submitted by Alicia O'Hara Sanford, Social Worker, Albert County Community Health Centre
Starting your warm-season annual seeds in the spring is a great way to get a head start on your veggie garden. Many plants, like peppers and tomatoes, need a long growing season. If they are planted too late, they may not produce a strong harvest.
The best part is the cost savings. One packet of seeds can grow many plants for the same price as buying just one plant at a garden centre. Seed starting also gives you the chance to try different varieties offered by Canadian seed producers. Companies like Revival Seeds and Sow Local Seeds grow crops specifically for seed production in Nova Scotia. This is helpful for gardeners in Atlantic Canada because the seeds come from plants that are already adapted to our East Coast climate. You can also find seeds at local Seedy Saturday events, or check your local library to see if they have a seed bank you can use. The good news is that starting seeds requires very few supplies, and you probably already have most of them at home.
Starting your warm-season annual seeds in the spring is a great way to get a head start on your veggie garden. Many plants, like peppers and tomatoes, need a long growing season. If they are planted too late, they may not produce a strong harvest.
The best part is the cost savings. One packet of seeds can grow many plants for the same price as buying just one plant at a garden centre. Seed starting also gives you the chance to try different varieties offered by Canadian seed producers. Companies like Revival Seeds and Sow Local Seeds grow crops specifically for seed production in Nova Scotia. This is helpful for gardeners in Atlantic Canada because the seeds come from plants that are already adapted to our East Coast climate. You can also find seeds at local Seedy Saturday events, or check your local library to see if they have a seed bank you can use. The good news is that starting seeds requires very few supplies, and you probably already have most of them at home.
You’ll need:
When planting, always read the seed packet. Some seeds need darkness to germinate, while others need light. Keep the soil moist and watch for your tiny seedlings to appear. For best results, I recommend using LED lights over your seedlings. This could be as simple as a desk lamp pointed over top of the plants, or LED shop lights. (Princess Auto often sells 5000-lumen shop lights for about $20.) I hang my lights from a shelf above the seedlings so I can raise them as the plants grow. If your seedlings don’t get enough light, they will become “leggy.” This means they grow tall, thin, and weak. With good light, seedlings stay short and strong. Turn your lights on in the morning and off at night to mimic natural daylight. Just like us, plants need time to rest.
I also like to use a small rotating fan near my seedlings. The gentle breeze helps strengthen their stems and prepares them for outdoor conditions.
Once the weather warms up and there is no risk of frost (for tender plants like peppers and tomatoes), it’s time to start moving your plants outside. Place them in a sheltered area for about an hour on the first day. Bring them back inside, then increase the time outdoors a little each day for about a week. This process is called hardening off. If you plant them outside right away, the plants may be shocked by the wind and strong sunlight.
Remember: seed starting takes patience. But the reward is worth it.
And you’re going to kill some plants along the way. That’s okay too. Even experienced gardeners do!
- Containers with drainage holes (use a tray under to catch any over flow water)
- (Tip: empty berry containers make great mini greenhouses!)
- Soil
- Water
- Light
When planting, always read the seed packet. Some seeds need darkness to germinate, while others need light. Keep the soil moist and watch for your tiny seedlings to appear. For best results, I recommend using LED lights over your seedlings. This could be as simple as a desk lamp pointed over top of the plants, or LED shop lights. (Princess Auto often sells 5000-lumen shop lights for about $20.) I hang my lights from a shelf above the seedlings so I can raise them as the plants grow. If your seedlings don’t get enough light, they will become “leggy.” This means they grow tall, thin, and weak. With good light, seedlings stay short and strong. Turn your lights on in the morning and off at night to mimic natural daylight. Just like us, plants need time to rest.
I also like to use a small rotating fan near my seedlings. The gentle breeze helps strengthen their stems and prepares them for outdoor conditions.
Once the weather warms up and there is no risk of frost (for tender plants like peppers and tomatoes), it’s time to start moving your plants outside. Place them in a sheltered area for about an hour on the first day. Bring them back inside, then increase the time outdoors a little each day for about a week. This process is called hardening off. If you plant them outside right away, the plants may be shocked by the wind and strong sunlight.
Remember: seed starting takes patience. But the reward is worth it.
And you’re going to kill some plants along the way. That’s okay too. Even experienced gardeners do!
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