Basement Season
I’m trying to pace myself with my seed starting this year. I usually start things pretty early, and then I end up with a bunch of plants that need to go in the garden well before the Michigan spring has settled into something predictable. So this year I waited until the middle of March to start the early things, and am continuing to start seeds every few days, knowing that I am looking at the middle of May before most of the seedlings will be able to go out (and later for some).
There is a greenhouse in my future, but for now (and for the last 10 years…)I have started my seeds in my basement, kitchen, spare bedroom, or wherever I can find space. My current setup is my fanciest yet, with shelves and lights built in permanently right next to a utility sink. I can’t tell you what a luxury this is compared to some of the makeshift things I have built over the years! I am hoping to build a cold frame this year to hold me over until we eventually put in a greenhouse that will be for plants (of course), but also a place for my winter mood to take the occasional time out.
As a home gardener, I have also stopped buying plastic seed-starting trays. I have a bunch from years ago that I am careful with in the spring, and then wash and reuse until they eventually fall apart. I also save and re-use any plastic pots I get from nurseries. As I need more, I have been experimenting with different environmentally friendly options. The galvanized tray in the photo is lovely – particularly in a sunny window, but too expensive for the quantity of seeds that I start (~1500). This year I am going to try making pots with newspaper for the things that will go out to the garden within a few weeks. I also use some biodegradable pots (be sure they are not made from peat!), and I am hoping to try soil blocking, maybe next year?
As far as a seed starting medium, I use Pro-Mix (organic if I can find it) and vermiculite, which has always worked well for me. My goal is to get the plants outside before I have to pot them up, but that does not always work, so I move them into 4 inch pots and a nice, organic potting soil for the remainder of their stay in the basement.
