All About Seed Starting Kits

Playing plant-God

It is quite a bit of work to start your own seeds instead of buying them from the store. So, organizing and starting your seeds should be something you look forward to. If you want to take some of the hassle out of it, get a seed starting kit that can help you label, organize, and grow your new garden. 

Feeding seedling

Your best bet with a seed starting kit is to employ a soilless mixture.  The blend should have a fine consistency and be approximately equal parts vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and perlite.  Don't assume that this mixture contains all the best nutrients for your seedlings, it doesn't.  The benefits are derived from starting the seeds in a porous environment, thereby providing the adequate water supply necessary for germination.  The mixture itself contains few nutrients; you will need to add weak fertilizers regularly after the seeds germinate.

Keep in mind what you're growing when deciding on a seed starting kit.  If you want eggplants and melons, it's probably best that you spend an extra ten dollars or so for a bottom heated starting kit to give them the soil warmth they thrive in.  Also, while most kits have cells with about 2-inches of depth, some makers offer cells as deep as 3 and 1/2 inches for deeper root development and a more resilient seedling.  These aren't vital characteristics, though.  Personally, I am happy with a kit that contains a seeding mixture, markers, a plastic dome with vents, and an appropriate amount of fertilizer. 

Going hydro

For an unprecedented experience in gardening and botanical education, you might want to try a soilless growing kit like the Aeroponics system.  You can start your seeds in one of the chambers or plant a cutting.  Pumps constantly provide water and nutrients to the roots so you can focus on other gardening duties.  Most exciting, though, is that you can watch the roots grow through a transparent plastic top.  For some gardeners, this method of seed starting may take the fun out of it.

Above all, pay attention to what you are planting.  Seeds that germinate best when cool or without light, should be kept from seeds that thrive in opposite conditions.  It seems obvious, but a careless oversight could result in low germination.  Once they sprout, make plenty of light available and prepare to move them outside.

More information on seed starting kits