Learning to Start Your Own Plants Indoors

If you garden, you've probably been dismayed to discover how expensive purchased plants have become. In addition to the cost increase per flat or container, it has become common for containers to have fewer plants than in years gone by. The cost for purchasing all of your vegetable and flower plants at a nursery has really gone up, making it less economical to have a garden. In addition to the high cost, you are usually limited to just the most common varieties. If you have a desire to grow some of the more interesting vegetables and flowers in your garden, you often have no choice but to start your own plants from seeds. Fortunately, starting plants from seeds is easy, economical and fun.

Planning Your Plant Growing Area

In order to successfully start plants indoors from seeds, you'll need at a table and a fluorescent light source. Although you can purchase specially designed light fixtures for growing plants, all you really need are common utility fluorescent light fixtures. Plants need a lot of lights to grow, especially when they are seedlings. In most cases, you'll need at least two long fluorescent fixtures to go over the average table. You'll also need a good sturdy table that will be able to support the number of plants you wish to grow. You'll also want to have a couple pieces of light chain to support the light fixtures. To set up your growing area, place the table in an area that has easy access, such as the basement. Hang hooks from the ceiling, making sure to install them sturdily so that they can support the weight of the light fixtures. Then, suspend the lengths of chain from the hooks. You can use S-hooks to attach the light fixtures to the chain. By using chains, you will be able to adjust the height of the lights as the plants continue to grow. You'll also need some trays to place on the surface of the table, to catch the water as it drains from the planting containers.

Planting the Seeds

Choose a good sterile planting medium, which will prevent diseases and weeds. You'll also need some growing containers. The multi-pack plastic containers that are commonly used by nurseries are a good option. Fill the containers with the medium, pressing it firmly into the containers. Plant the seeds according to the packet directions and label the containers. Then, water carefully so as not to dislodge the seeds. Place in a warm area until the seeds sprout, then place under the lights, positioned an inch above the top of the plants. Turn off the lights for around 8 hours each night so that the plants can rest properly. Be sure to keep the plants properly watered, and continually raise the height of the lights so that they are always about an inch above the tops of the plants. Eventually you should transplant them into larger containers so that their roots can develop properly. At this point, you may need an additional table and more lights, since they will take up more space. Before you transplant your plants outdoors, harden them off by exposing them to the outdoor environment for a few hours each day, gradually increasing the time. Before you know it, you'll have sturdy plants to use in your garden.