Today the ground is frozen with a light layer of snow. Although a few springtime buds have begun to peek their green heads above the cold ground, most everything else in our area is still dormant. Because we have a shorter growing season here in Northern Colorado, it helps immensely to get a jump start on the growing season by starting certain crops early, indoors.

Besides the early head start, why else would you want to start your own vegetable plants from seed?

Cost Savings - If you plan to grow more than a handful of plants, buying seed instead of potted plants will save you significantly. Most plant starts cost approximately $4- $8 depending on the size, while a packet of seeds is often $2 - $3, which can often start 25 - 50 individual plants.
Variety - If you’re interested in growing unique varieties in your garden, you’ll only have limited options by looking through the plants offered at local garden centers. Take a peek at a heritage seed catalog on the other hand, and you’ll have limitless options. I grow for flavor, beauty and connection to my cultural heritage. It’s a special connection for me to grow the same giant, long squash that my ancestors in Southern Italy grew for generations.

Balanced the nutrients and avoid transplant stress - Many beginner gardeners peruse a garden center’s vegetable selection and choose a healthy looking tomato or cucumber plant, bringing it home with optimism. Very often, these starts are quite root-bound (dense, crowded roots inside a very small pot). They look lush and healthy up top, because they’ve been fed liquid fertilizer every couple of days. They bring it home, dig a hole, water and wait. Many of them feel discouraged and say they can’t grow anything when the plant suffers. YOU CAN START YOURS OUT DIFFERENTLY AT HOME AND ACHIEVE GREAT RESULTS!
By starting your seedlings in a balanced mix of soil which has similar nutrients to what you will offer in your garden, your transplants will have the opportunity to thrive.

If you’d like to learn more details about what materials you’ll need to get your own seedlings started this year, join us this Saturday, March 12th for our Seed Starting Basics Class. You’ll get your hands dirty, learn how to make our soil mix recipe and start some seedlings to take home. You’ll go home with our informational packet and one of our favorite garden planners which will tell you exactly when to start certain crops indoors and when to plant out.

Nothing beats hands-on learning to give you the confidence to get started on your own. Grab a friend and reserve your spot before the spaces are full! This will be the only seed starting class we offer this season. We look forward to seeing you then!

Click this link for more info:

https://plentyfarms.org/market/seed-starting-basics-gardening-class

Seed Starting Basics - Gardening Class