Gardening is easy and fun for the whole family. Ace’s Garden Expert, Matt, is here to help you Ace starting your seeds quickly and efficiently!
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Understand Your Climate
- For colder climates, it’s not a good idea to start seeds outside. You don’t want to move seeds outdoors until AFTER the last frost of the season, to make sure you get the growth you're looking for quick and early. As a rule of thumb, this is typically around Mother's Day. For indoor seed starting, you can use seed starting trays or pots. What is great about seed starting pots are the moisture holding material, but also a drain at the bottom, ensuring seedlings get just the right amount of water. Plus, once the plant is ready to be moved outdoors, you can simply bury the pot right in the soil.
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The Right Soil
- A top soil tends to get clumpy and hard to grow in. Your seed is not strong enough to break through the clumps and spread its roots if the soil is too compacted. Using a potting mix is perfect for a growing seed. Potting soils are looser allowing roots to grow and typically have fertilizers and nutrients mixed in to help your plant start growing. Many starting soils have peat moss in them, helping retain water, essential for seedling growth.
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Lighting Inside
- Two things seeds need to grow is sunlight and warmth. When looking for a place indoors to start your seedlings, find a window that gets a lot of sun during the day. If you do not have any sunny, warm windows in your home, use a grow light. These lamps are specially designed to nurture and warm your plants when the sun cannot reach it.
For more helpful tips, visit Ace Hardware's Tips and Advice
Published: 4/4/2020
