Lessons For Seed Sprouting

Lessons for seed sprouting

Garden Clippings for March 7, 2026

It’s almost time. Time to start vegetable seeds indoors.

I have always been an advocate for sprouting your own garden seeds. Yes, you can buy started plants at your local garden store, but sprouting your own seeds gives you the advantage of choosing from a vast variety and doing so at a lower cost.

A reliable growing medium, a variety of containers and a well-lit room is all that is required for backyard gardeners to get started with seed sprouting. For containers you can use inexpensive seeding trays, egg cartons or clamshell trays. Be sure to provide drainage and set the containers on a watertight tray.

A west or south facing window should provide enough light for seedlings. Artificial lights may be necessary if the natural light in your home is inadequate. For growing medium, be sure to use a peat-based blended soilless mix.

Tomatoes and peppers are favorites for backyard gardeners. If you are not fussy about varieties, the seed display racks available at garden outlets will offer plenty of options. But if you want Pink Brandywine Tomatoes or Hungarian Black Peppers you will need to order directly from a seed house.

Itchy gardeners will be tempted to get the ball rolling too early in spring. I recommend sowing seeds 6 weeks before the frost-free date. For southwestern Ontario, that means holding off until early April. Starting seeds too early will result in seedlings that are tall and leggy.

After seeds have been sown, covering them with dampened paper towels will speed up the sprouting process. Remove the towel as soon as tiny green leaves appear. It is not necessary to fertilize small seedlings.

Avoid putting the seeding tray on a cold concrete floor. Bottom heat is a bonus.

Keep an eye on soil moisture levels. Seeds want moisture but don’t want to be waterlogged. It will be helpful to note that greenhouse growers use a light soilless mix to achieve optimum moisture control.

Once seeds have sprouted and have two or three true leaves, you may want to re-pot them into larger 7 to 8 cm diameter pots. If weather is warm enough, I recommend bringing the small seedlings outdoors for short spells to harden them up in preparation for planting the seedlings outdoors around the Victoria Day weekend.