Use a high-quality seed-starting mix.
Use a high-quality seed-starting mix. A mix is designed for germinating seeds and helping young seedlings grow. It’s lighter and fluffier than potting soil, making it less likely to compact around tender roots. Don’t use garden soil or potting soil, as they can contain disease organisms that may harm your plants. For best results, moisten the mix before you sow seeds.
Plant seeds at the proper depth.
Seeds should be planted at a depth of about twice their width. For example, if a seed is ¼ inch wide, plant it ½ inch deep. If planting in rows, make sure to leave enough space between the seeds to accommodate full-grown plants. This distance is also usually indicated on the seed packet.
It’s important not to plant seeds too deeply because they need light and oxygen in order to germinate. However, larger seeds will require more oxygen and warmth than smaller ones, so it’s key to use the guidelines on the seed packet or find information online or in an almanac for that particular variety of plant.
Once your seeds are planted and covered up with soil, spritz them with water until the soil is moist but not soggy—too much moisture can lead to rot!
Give seedlings plenty of light.
Seedlings need a lot of light, so give them plenty. They will grow toward the light, and weak stems will develop if the seedling is not getting enough light.
If you are using a windowsill for your seedlings, place them at west- or south-facing windows, as these provide more sunlight than east-facing windows. As an alternative to a sunny window, you can use a grow light. Place the lights about 2 inches above the plants and raise them as they grow taller.
Clay pots are porous and dry out faster than plastic pots. If you choose clay pots for your seedlings, use saucers underneath to catch excess water.
Provide seedling warmth.
If you’re using a seedling heat mat, per the instructions on the package, place your flats or pots on top of it. Turn it on before you start seeding, to ensure that everything is warm and ready to go when the seeds are ready for your baby plants. And if you don’t have a heat mat, don’t worry! Your seedlings will grow just fine without one—they may just take a little longer.
Seedlings need light and warmth in order to grow into healthy young plants. Most people suggest placing your flats or pots in a window that faces south or west (with an east-facing window as a close second). If you don’t have adequate windows for this purpose—for example, if all of your windows face north—consider purchasing florescent lights specifically made for growing seedlings.
Water carefully.
Seedlings do not like a lot of water. Most seedlings should be watered from below, with just enough to dampen the soil. To water from below, fill a tray or flat with about an inch of water, and then set your pots in the tray so that the bottom of the pot is immersed in water. Be sure to discard any excess water before you return them to their growing area. If you prefer to water from above, use only room temperature or tepid tap water and apply it very gently, just until the top layer of soil is dampened. Do not overwater your seedlings at this stage—it can cause root rot and other problems that can damage your plants.
If you do get any water on the leaves of your plants, dry them off as quickly as possible so they don’t become infected with mold or fungus (which is more likely if you are growing indoors). Try using a mister bottle instead of pouring water directly onto the plants to avoid getting moisture on their leaves
Caring for your seedlings can be easy if you have the right information
You don’t have to be a botanist to care for your seedlings. After all, gardening is a lot more accessible than farming. For the most part, it’s just a matter of following some basic rules of thumb and water carefully. But it can also be about customizing things for what works best for you. The key is to start with the right product (we love our high-quality seed-starting mix) and then tweak it based on what you think will work best in your garden at home.
For instance, Anne loves her plants outdoors year round, but she doesn’t necessarily want to do that indoors because she has plenty of sunlight through her windows during the day and while she’s sitting at her computer in the evening. So she decides that maybe keeping baby plants in colder temperatures (48 degrees F or lower) would be better suited to her needs.
She goes out and buys baby indoor plants from nurseries like Jostens Nursery, which comes with three potted cats; two potted bonsai trees; two potted orchids; one miniature lemon tree; two baby outdoor corn snake cages; three flowering tropical fish tanks full of water; one Tiki Torch Party Light (no batteries are included); five “Eiffel Tower” floor lamps with no light bulbs included; 32 wax candles (too much light burns leaves); 48 white votive holders (too much light burns leaves); 8 “Hollywood Walk of Fame” stars (“Hollywood Walk of Fame” made up entirely out of real pieces of rock anyway); 3 small silver candlesticks missing their lids (“Silver candlesticks are basically useless for anything other than eating off”, Anne says). All this stuff came along with the package by accident when Anne purchased a pack of indoor plant seeds from Josten’s:
Anne decides that instead, she’ll keep her seedlings indoors in a pot on top of a window sill where they get enough sunlight from natural light sources