Having quality, reliable seed starting equipment is a great way to ensure your seed starting success. Growers often consider trays, lighting, shelves, heat mats, and media when budgeting for growing supplies every garden season. Instead of buying single-use plastics that have to be replaced every year, we recommend growing in trays and containers that will last you multiple seasons.
Why start seeds indoors?
Starting seeds indoors helps give the grower a head start on the season. Getting this head start is especially helpful in areas with a shorter growing season. Many varieties also have a higher success rate when started indoors versus direct seeded outdoors.
Another advantage to starting your own seeds is the increase in varieties available to a grower starting by seed versus having only the selection available at a plant nursery.
Finally, starting your plants from seed enables you to have complete control over the inputs used to raise them. Starting the plants yourself is the best way to ensure that your starts have been started with high-quality seeds and soil and have been grown in the way you prefer. For more information on seed starting indoors check out Seed Starting 101: Starting Seeds Indoors for Your Garden.
Having the right supplies for indoor seed starting
Besides the list of seed starting supplies needed to start the seeds, it is essential to consider ways to manage the growing environment. Fans, shelving, and watering equipment are vital gardening supplies for seed starting. You can easily find these items at your local hardware store or look into pre-built kits like this automated grow rack.
It is essential to manage moisture if you are bringing water into your house. We recommend using a dehumidifier in indoor growing spaces to keep humidity levels below 60%, with the ideal range between 40-50%.
Are humidity domes needed for seed starting?
Humidity domes help provide the optimal environment for newly sprouting seedlings. They preserve moisture levels to reduce the risk of drying out and they protect the seeds from pests like mice and insects. Humidity domes are a great tool for seed starting, but if left on too long, they can cause mold issues. Read more about how to correctly use a humidity dome in How to Use a Humidity Dome for Seed Starting.
What are the Best Seed Starting Containers?
The best containers for seed starting will depend on the crop, the quantity you want to plant, and the space you have allocated for the trays. We also recommend that you look for containers that are BPA-free and are made from food-grade plastic.
There are three central reasons why starting your own plants from seed is preferable to buying transplants at your local nursery or big box store.
Choice - When you start plants from seed you have an almost infinite number of varieties to choose from instead of being limited to the two or three basic types on offer. Imagine having not just red tomatoes but pink, yellow, orange, green, and black.
Cost - Starting your own garden plants from seed is far more cost-effective than purchasing starts. Instead of spending a few dollars per plant, you spend a few for a whole packet of seeds and can end up with so many plants you can give them away or sell them. Left with extra starts after you fill your garden? Check out this article for ideas.
Cleanliness - Plants purchased from big box stores are often treated with growth retardants and pesticides to keep them small and clean looking for longer. This extends the amount of time they can be held on the shelf for sale but ultimately can result in plants that never really get as big as they could be. Even treated plants from the nursery can bring home bugs, aphids and fungus gnats in particular can hitch a ride back to your farm. (If you need to buy starts be sure to look at the section in our How to Transplant article on how to choose the best ones.)
Heat Mats for Quick Germination
Heat mats are a valuable tool for speeding up germination and maintaining proper temperatures even in cooler spaces like a basement. Especially when it comes to heat-loving varieties like chile peppers and tomatoes, having a heat mat to warm the soil can mean the difference between a few straggling starts and a full tray of beautiful babies. Don't forget to get a thermostat controller to help you dial in the temperatures even easier when seed starting.
If you are interested in learning more about How to Use Heat Mats, be sure to give this article a read.
Cell Trays for High Production Growing
Anytime you will be growing a large number of any one type of seed using a cell plug tray is the most economical use of seed starting space. Cell trays are great for use with single varieties or a few varieties of the same plant type.
You can plant 3 kinds of kale in the same cell tray but we do not suggest starting kale, cabbage, and bok choi in the same tray. This is because differences in growth patterns can mean that these plants are ready for transplant or hardening off at different times.
Lighting for Growing Seedlings
New seedlings need good light to grow properly. Plants that do not receive adequate light can become leggy as they stretch upward in search of energy for photosynthesis. At best, this results in seed starts that are tall and thin, at worst it can mean your plants fall over and become susceptible to fungal infection when they rest on damp soil.
The ideal grow light for any plant should be:
A full spectrum bulb that closely mimics sunlight.
Placed 3-4 inches above the growing plants and regularly raised.
Run at a cool temperature so as not to burn plants that get too close to it. (This is why we recommend using LED bulbs.)
Be of low enough wattage draw to reduce the risk of overloading your circuit.
If you want to learn more about lighting options you can review this article on Lighting for Microgreens, where the principles apply to any indoor growing setup.
The Best Grow Rack Fans
These indoor grow rack fans are used on our Automated Grow Racks as the included ventilation system. These fans are the perfect size for indoor grow rooms as they provide airflow without the risk of causing damage to tender seedlings. These fans are not high-powered. The gentle breeze also helps to strengthen plant stems and prevent overly leggy starts.
Growing Medium for Seed Starting Indoors
Seeds can be started with a variety of different growing mediums such as coco coir, potting soils, compost, and rockwool.
When searching for good potting soil, look for soils that are free from chemicals, have a balanced PH, and have optimal drainage. Some of the additives you will find in this type of soil are coco coir, peat moss, vermiculite, or perlite. We also recommend looking for a seed starting mix, either soil or soilless, that contains a light fertilizer unless you plan to use worm castings, compost, or a separate feeding fertilizer.
Recipes for making your own seed starting mix
If you do not have access to a good seed starting mix there are a few ways to make your own.
One of the easiest ways to create your own seed starting soil is to mix equal parts of your favorite potting soil with rehydrated coco coir. This gives you all the qualities of potting soil with the increased drainage and fluffiness of coco coir.
The other commonly used seed starting mix is made up of:
1 part well-aged, weed-free compost
1 part decomposed granite, pearlite, or builder’s sand
1 part coco coir or peat moss
For both of these, mix the ingredients well in a large container. Ideally, you should also sift the mix through something like a hardware cloth that has holes around ½ to ¼ of an inch to remove large particles before use. For exceptionally small seeds and fine particles, you can use one of our deep mesh 1020 trays as a sifter.
Caring for your seed starting equipment
Because seedlings are delicate it is particularly important to ensure they have the best environment possible to begin growing. This means providing them with equipment that is clean and free from fungal spores and possible sources of disease.
All seed starting supplies should be cleaned before use and again at the end of the season before being put up for storage. For detailed information, you can read the article onHow to Care for Seedling Trays.
Lights and racks should be kept free of dust and periodically wiped down with a mild hydrogen peroxide or a vinegar solution to kill spores.