Great Tips For Starting Garden Seeds Indoors With Recycled Containers.

Starting your own garden plants from seeds not only saves you money but can also give you a greater variety of plant choice. Starting your seeds indoors gives the plants a head start that can bring an earlier harvest and greater yield. I have started my seeds in a variety of recycled containers. This year I used saved large and small yogurt containers, single serving ice cream containers, solo cups, paper tubes and newspaper.

1. Save as many containers you want for your seed starting or make some from newspaper or paper tubes.

2. I made my newspaper tubes with two sheets of 9”x9” newspaper advertisement. I folded the sheets in half. Rolled the paper in a tube and inserted one end in the fold. I then cut 1&1/2” slits in the bottom end and folded the ends in to make the bottom. I made the paper tube by cutting 1 inch slits in the end of a toilet paper tube. I then folded the ends in to form the bottom.

3. Label your containers. Do not depend on memory.

4. Don't start your seeds too early. Different plants have different needs. Check your seed packet to find out how many weeks each vegetable variety will take to get ready indoors before your last frost date.

5. Make sure your containers have good drainage holes. Water from the bottom if possible. I use a teaspoon to water my seedlings. This controls how much water and where the water is placed. I have heard a turkey baster is also great for watering..

6. The seedling will need lots of light to prevent spindly plants. A south facing window will do great for lighting. If you need to you might want to use growers lights.

7. Turn the container each day to prevent the seedlings from reaching toward the light and developing weak, elongated stems.

8. Before seedlings can be planted outdoors, they need to be hardened off, or acclimated to direct sunlight and fluctuating temperatures. It is best to do this over several days by placing them in direct sunlight during the morning only of the first day, then increasing their time outside by a few hours each day until time to transplant.

For many other great gardening tips and information check out Grandma's Garden Corner.

Happy Gardening!

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Disclaimer: Grandma Bonnie's Closet was not compensated for the review of this product. I received a free product in exchange for an honest opinion. The opinions in this post are all mine.
We have been making plans this year to become a little more self sufficient. Living a sustainable life is our goal and we are starting with our garden and food production. The first and most important aspect of growing our own food is that it should be as healthy as possible. I like organic and non-GMO foods so that is what we are aiming for here. I started looking into heirloom seeds because they would be a good step forward in a sustainable living situation. This is when I came across Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I immediately emailed and asked to try out their Home Gardener's Collection. This collection includes 20 full sized packets of seeds and Clyde's Garden Planner all in a collectible burlap bag with drawstring closure.

With so many seed companies selling heirloom seed varieties I am sure you are asking, "Why did I pick Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds?" I selected Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds because they work to supply free seeds to many poor countries and here at home they supply seed to many school gardens. Their goal is to educate everyone about a safer food supply. All of their seeds are non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated and non-patented. They are not a member of the pro-GMO American Seed Trade Organization! They do not buy seed from monsanto-owned Seminis. They even boycott all gene-altering companies. So, if you are looking to grow your own garden and you want healthy non-GMO food for your family Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds might just be what you are looking for.
Now let's get on to the fun stuff.

Clyde's Garden Planner

Using the garden planner is easy. Line up the red line on your last spring frost date. Then look along the side and select the vegetable you would like to plant and it will give you an indoor and outdoor planting date. 

For example my last spring frost date is supposed to be April 30th. (Not so sure about that this year.) This would make my date for planting peas and spinach outdoors as March 22 and after. Well, that date passed me by! For some strange reason my garden was covered in snow on March 22nd. Well, any way I am putting the peas and spinach seeds in this weekend rain or shine. Also, when you flip the planner over it will give you fall planting dates.

This is a list of the seeds I received in the Home Gardener's Collection. One package each of: Radish Early Scarlet Globe, Pepper Orange Bell, Peppers Italian Pepperoncini, Pepper Purple Beauty, Snow Peas Sugar Ann, Garden Pea Wando, Lettuce Rocky Top Mix, Lettuce Lollo Rossa, Spinach Bloomsdale long Standing, Tomato Principe Borghese, Tomato Raspberry Lyanna, Melon minnesota midget, Turnip Navet Des Vertus Marteau, Onion Tokyo Long White, Carrot Little Finger, Bean Contender, Eggplant Little Fingers, Basil-Greek Dwarf and Dill-Bouquet.

Today, I am starting some of the other vegetable seeds in recycled containers to keep indoors until the the risk of frost has passed on by. I will be writing another post in a week or so to update you on the progress of our heirloom gardening adventure. You can expect several posts throughout the summer on this seed collection and its progress in my garden. How is your garden adventure coming along? I hope spring has arrived in your neck of the woods. Happy gardening!

Growing A Lemon Tree

Just an up date on Growing a lemon tree from seeds. It has been about a month and I wanted to share with you how well the seedlings are doing.

Mid January

You can read the post about starting a lemon tree from seeds here.

One month later. February 25th.

Over the weekend I spent some time with my grandson Little Bug at the Build and Grow Clinic. We put together a monster truck. 

It was a fun learning experience for both of us. Have you ever been to a Build and Grow Clinic? 

How to Grow a Lemon Tree From Seeds

I planted lemon seeds from a couple organic lemons I had during the Thanksgiving holiday. This is the results so far.

First, I cleaned the seeds with fresh water. I rubbed them with my fingers gently under running water. (This is very important because the acid will prevent the seeds from sprouting.)

Next, I soaked them for three days in a dish of water. 

Last, I planted the seeds in potting soil and put in a sunny window. I water them often not letting the soil dry out.

After three weeks, little sprouts started showing. 

I live in the north so I will keep my tree in a large pot that can be brought inside during the winter months. I have read that keeping it pruned back will keep it a manageable size for my patio. 

What do you think? Have you planted anything lately?