Seed Starting

A baby isn't the only thing growing around here!

I'm hoping that this will be my year for starting seeds indoors. I have previously never had enough sunlight in my homes to really allow for indoor growing, but now that I have a real HOUSE (!!) I have more windows with more sunlight streaming in all day.
I've also learned more about indoor sowing and am hoping that my research will pay off with fruitful results. Fingers crossed!

Here a few things I never knew about starting seeds indoors:
- potting or seed starting mix is necessary. Regular old soil just won't do.
- rotate your seedlings daily. They will grow towards the sun, so rotating them will help them grow straight.
- not all plants are best started indoors and there are plenty that resist transplanting.
- watering enough (but not too much) can feel like a fine line. Your soil should feel like a damp sponge that's been wrung out.
- harden off your plants slowly and gently. It might seem like a nice treat to set your plants out on your deck on the first sunny warm day of spring, but the heat might actually be too much for them. Try a warm overcast day to start, and of course bring them back in overnight.
- once your seedlings have developed "true leaves" (the new leaves that grow past the baby sprouting leaves) they should be transplanted to a larger pot to continue to grow until they're ready for the garden.

If you live in Nova Scotia and are interested in starting your own garden from seed check out Annapolis Seeds (can be found at the Seaport Market) as well as Halifax Seed.