Co-op Kids: Seed Starting at Home
Looking for a way to keep kids entertained and get a jump on your spring garden? Starting seeds at home is a family activity that will pay off in spades (garden puns cannot be helped) down the line when you have access to the freshest produce. Children are 5 times more likely to eat vegetables that they helped to grow. If you've got picky eaters, including them in growing and cooking food can help broaden their food horizons.
First things first--you don't need a lot of open land to grow some of your own food. Container gardens and window boxes are wonderful if you're an apartment dweller or you're not ready to commit to your own urban farm. Even devoting a few feet in your flower beds can be a great start. Maybe you can be a part of a community garden in your neighborhood. Even if you don't have a clear idea of what your garden will look like, start some seeds now and figure out the rest later!
You'll need seeds, a growing medium, and a container. Many seeds benefit from starting indoors before the last frost. Here in the Twin Cities, the last frost is usually in early- to mid- May. Some plants do not transplant well or grow so quickly that you don't run into issues waiting until the threat of frost has passed.
I'll show you a few things you can use from around the house to start plants, including newspaper and the ever-valuable toilet paper rolls! Veggies that do best planted directly in the garden and would not perform best started indoors and transplanted include carrots, beets, peas, and most salad greens. Crops like broccoli, tomatoes, peppers and kale benefit tremendously from a head start indoors. Flowers and some herbs also do best when started indoors.
Creating toilet paper tube seed pots:
Starting seeds in biodegradable, compostable materials means you can plant them directly in your garden when the time comes!
Start with several toilet paper rolls, or paper towel rolls. You can cut the paper towel rolls into sections. You want pots that are at least 3 inches tall.
Once you have all the sections of cardboard, you'll need to cut notches into one end of the rolls. If your toilet paper rolls are like mine, the diameter is about 1.75 inches. Cut four notches approximately 3/4 of an inch deep, equally spaced around the tube. If you were looking at a clock, you'd cut at noon, 3, 6 and 9, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Next, fold the four flaps you just created like you’re closing the bottom of a cardboard box, tucking one side above the next flap and below on the other side. If there is a gap between the flaps, just cut the notches a tiny bit deeper.
Creating newspaper seed pots:
Here you'll need several sheets of newspaper and a form--that can of beans you've stocked up on will do nicely.
Fold the sheet of newspaper in half vertically. You'll want to match the long edges together and end up with a tall, relatively skinny piece of newspaper. Line the can up on the short end of the paper with about 2 inches of newspaper extending beyond the bottom of your form. Roll the can up loosely in the newspaper to create a cylinder.
To create the base of your pot, fold the paper in toward the center as flat as possible against the bottom of the can. Continue to fold all along the edge until you've covered the entire bottom of the can. If there are large gaps, scoot the can out a bit and refold the edges until they overlap. To finish the pot, simply slip the can out.
You can reinforce the top edge of your pot by folding the top edge starting at the outer seam--about 1/2 to one inch folded down around the circumference of the pot will add stability to the pot. You can also create small drainage holes in the pot by poking with a fork, a wooden skewer or snipping small slits with scissors.
Once all of you little pots are ready, fill them with moist potting soil or seed starting medium. It's a good idea to do this part of the project either into a waterproof tray or on a covered surface. If its nice outside, do it in the yard! Fill the pots with soil but don't pack it in too tightly.
Follow the directions on your seed packet to see how deep to put the seeds. The easiest thing to do is poke a hole with your finger, a stick or even a pencil. Drop 1-3 seeds into the hole, add a bit more soil, and water. You want the soil to be damp, not sopping wet.
Make sure to keep the pots in a good light source, whether a sunny, south-facing window or using artificial light from a lamp. Check the soil daily to see if they need more water. In a few weeks, if all goes well, it will be time to transition your new babies to their garden home, be it a spot in the backyard, a large container on the patio or a community garden plot.
Happy gardening!