Let summer dreaming begin!

For Christmas I got a greenhouse and have been dying to assemble it and get planting. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had different plans and the few feet of snow piled in the yard is keeping my greenhouse in the box. But seeds can't wait forever, so I've gotten creative and started sowing my seeds hoping the 20 degree sun can still work its magic!

Over the winter I did some research on different ways to start seeding. I wanted to avoid purchasing tons of materials, instead opting to reuse what I already have in the house. For the last several months I've been saving the cardboard toilet paper rolls, as well as plastic containers from produce (strawberries, grape tomatoes, etc) and am now putting them to use. I also picked up my seeds- opting for heirloom and organic seeds. Do your research- many commercial seeds are modified to produce specific fruits- and in my opinion this causes them to lose flavor. Plus, I am not in favor of seeds that have been modified to not die when weed killer is sprayed on it- makes me wonder what is inside my plant, and in turn going inside my body. You can also check your local farms, as many of them sell heirloom seeds and can offer you some advise on planting.

For the cardboard tubes, I cut for slits on the bottom and folded it closed like a cardboard box. Once it was secure, I added my soil (you will want your soil to be pretty loose to help germination. You can purchase seed starting soil or mix some peat into regular potting soil to lighten it up) and then placed them in some tall plastic containers I had saved to hold them up. I opted to mark the plastic container as the water would wash away anything I put on the cardboard. For these tubes, I planted tomatoes (3 different kinds), cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers and sunflowers. Follow the directions on the back of the seed packet as to depth and watering, but keep it to one or two seeds per tube. The idea is that once you have strong enough seedlings, you can open up the bottom of the tube and plant the entire thing right into your garden. It will be hard to thin seeds that grew together in the tube, so be mindful of that.

To use the plastic containers, I snipped the tops off and placed them under the main container to help catch some of the drainage.I used these bigger containers to sow chard, lettuce, kale and spinach so I could space them out in rows easier. I have seeded these directly in the garden before, but I figured I would get a head start on the first crop this year.

Give your seeds a light water- you want to keep the soil moist, but do not over-water! I then put a piece of plastic wrap over the top of each container and place them in a warm, sunny spot. I have been keeping them in my bathroom with the door closed overnight. Since it is the smallest room, it tends to stay the warmest. I then move them to the living room to get the most sunlight during the day. You can purchase a grow light if you wish, but I have never used one and always been successful. Your seeds will germinate anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the plant. Now your job is to keep them moist, warm and in a sunny spot until they get a little bigger! Here's hoping spring is just a few weeks away!

Are you starting your garden from seed? Have tried and true tricks? First time gardener? Leave it in the comments!