Starting my annual flower seeds indoors

[Lynn248]

Last summer I purchased a bunch of flower seeds with the intention of starting them Indoors.

I know absolutely nothing about this and I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good resource that could help me get started. Book, website?

Do I need a mini greenhouse? Do I start them in one thing then transfer them over to something else until they are ready to be planted? Do I need Lamps? Etc
Thanks in advance

 

[Beth_B]

Hi! Well you don't need light to germinate seeds, just warmth and appropriate hydration. Once they sprout, you need plenty of light...in your zone, at this time of year, that can be a challenge. We are in similar zones...I think you may be starting seeds a bit early? Outdoor frost free date is usually very late May, that is over four months away.

Personally I plant seeds in peat pots so they don't need to be transplanted or otherwise bothered. Sunny window sills and outside as conditions permit. I don't start seeds until late April though.

 

[Lynn248]

Hi
Thank you.
I'm not starting yet, just wanted to start gathering the information and purchasing what I need. According to my seed pkg, zone and last frost chart, I should be starting at the end of March, beginning of April

Thanks for the tip about peat pots, great idea. Am I ok to buy the very tiny round pots or should I go a by bigger to allow room?
1 3/4, 2 1/4??

I found a great YouTube video with a little shelve system and some grow lights that should do the trick. I don't have much light/ window sills so I'll set it up in my warm basement.
Thank you again

 

[Beth_B]

I did tomatoes from seed last year...put two seeds each in peat pots maybe two inches in diameter. Almost each one germinated, so I snipped off the smaller one.

 

[Heidi_H]

I have a 10' x 14' greenhouse and I LOVE it and almost live in there! What I just did was bought a bunch of new 6 packs, like the type you would buy plants in from eBay. I then buy an organic (and my personal preference NON Miracle Grow) Seed Starter Mix and plant a couple of seeds per cell and then just water and wait! The tricky part is watering them without drowning them, try to find a waterier that has a very fine mist. Now, here is where you are going to think I'm weird, if both seeds come up, and they are veggies, I will separate them and replant them in a new 6 pack. I look at it this way, you can never have too many veggies, unless your garden area is limited. (If it is limited, give the extras to some friends, that is what I've done with tomato plants)

Heidi

Here is what I have growing right now.

 

[Lynn248]

Fantastic, thanks for the advice.
This weekend, I started some emerald falls seeds (and a mystery seed I had in a bag ) and already there's gémination. So I'm assuming it's time to use the grow light.
I wonder if one light is enough as it doesn't cover the entire tray?