Seed Starting

How to Grow Kale from Seed

March 19, 2023 1 Comment

Kale is an extremely popular vegetable. It is easy to grow, and there are hundreds of ways eat this tasty leafy veggie. Keep reading to learn how you can grow Kale in your home garden

This blog post may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase you will be helping me continue my love and passion for gardening.

Before you begin you will need to source out Kale seeds. There are so many retailers that will have many types of kale seeds in stores starting in January and sometimes earlier. If you want more variety than what’s in store I suggest ordering online. Here are some of my favorite places to shop for seeds online.

Now that you’ve got your Kale seeds it’s time to decide when and how you want to plant them. The easiest way to grow kale from seed is to plant them directly in the garden after your first frost date. Kale can tolerate a light frost so you may be able to get away with planting it outside a week or two before your last frost date if you want to harvest sooner! You will follow the depth requirements on the seed packet then once planted, water them in and let nature do the rest! Kidding, well not entirely. You will need to keep watch for birds and other critters that would love to dig up and eat your seeds / seedlings.

Inside or Out?

gardener planting seeds on a tray of soil

Outside

Whether you grow your Kale seeds inside or out is up to you. Both options are wonderful depending on your situation. Starting your Kale seeds outside will be the easiest by far but you will have to deal with pest pressure much sooner.

Follow the planting guide on the seed packet for planting outside in ground. You will likely need to plant your seeds about 2 inches apart and and inch or less down in the soil.

If you also love Zinnias you can learn how to grow them here!

Inside

To grow indoors you are going to need patience and space. Here’s what you need to get your Kale started.

Seed Starting Supplies

You can get high tech/ expensive with seed starting if you want, but you can totally do it low cost. All you need is what’s listed above. Using seed starting mix when starting seeds indoors is important because seed starting soil is sterile. Potting soil can have bacteria that can aid in seedling death called damping off. So you need to keep clean tools, pots and soil for the best germination rates.

How to grow Kale From Seed

Fill your pots with seed starting mix then depending on the size of your pots plant your seeds 1/8 – 1/2 inch down, cover with soil and water them. Be prepared to keep your seed mix consistently moist. Dry soil can be the death of young seedlings

If you don’t have strong window light or overhead grow lights you will get leggy (stretched) seedlings. While you can grow your seeds in a window sill but I highly recommend you get a grow light or two.

Aside from overhead lighting you will want to keep your seedlings in a warm area of your home. Kale seeds don’t need to much heat to germinate so anywhere in your home will probably be fine.

Kale Sprouts

Once your Kale seeds sprout you will want to make sure to keep the soil moist, light consistent and the space warm. Seedlings need at least 13 hours of daylight. This is made easier by the use of artificial lights. You can leave your grow lights on for at max 16 hours a day to keep your seedlings happy.

When you begin seeing roots growing from the bottom of your pots it’s time to repot your plants. If your outdoor temps are warm enough ( Above 46 degrees at night) you can transition your seedlings into your garden.

To learn how to transition your seeds I recommend you read this post!

If it’s not yet time to plant your seedlings outside then continue with regular care until the weather is right. You may have to repot your seedlings several times before transitioning them out into the garden.

green kale
vegetables in close up photography

Planting Outside

Once you’ve transitioned your seedlings it’s time to plant. You can plant your seedlings in containers, raised beds or in ground. When you plant be sure to use an organic fertilizer to feed your plant. Annuals grow quite fast and are very heavy feeders so make sure to provide them with fertilizer all season long.

Growing Kale from seed is such a great way to have healthy and delicious greens all spring, summer and fall what’s amazing is that if you leave your plants in all season they will flower and you can collect seeds from your own plants to grow from your own stock year after year!

Happy Gardening

Ciearra

How to Grow Tomatoes from Seed

February 16, 2023 1 Comment

There is nothing better than a homegrown sun ripened Tomato. If you do not know this yet, there is a BIG difference in flavor of store bought tomatos vs’ homegrown tomatoes and once you’ve tried homegrown you’ll never go back if you don’t have to. So here is your guide to growing your own Tomatoes in your garden.

This blog post may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase you will be helping me continue my love and passion for gardening.

Did you know that there are over 10,000 varieties of Tomatoes? Ranging in flavor from sweet to acidic. There are so many varieties and flavors to choose from!

To get started you need to source seeds. There are many retailers that will have Tomato seeds in stores starting in January and sometimes earlier. If you want more variety than what’s in store I suggest ordering online. Here are some cool places to shop online.

Now that your seeds have arrived it’s time to decide when and how you want to plant them. The easiest way to start Tomato seeds is to plant them directly in the garden after your first frost date. Its a good idea to have a space in your garden prepared prior to planting. You can prepare a bed by tilling the soil and adding in compost prior to planting.

You will follow the depth requirements on the seed packet then once planted, water them in and let nature do the rest! Kidding, well not entirely. You will need to keep watch for birds and other critters that would love to dig up and eat your seeds. While also keeping the soil moist by hand watering or drip irrigation.

Inside or Out?

Outside

Whether you start your seeds inside or out is up to you. Both options are wonderful depending on your situation. Starting your seeds outside will be the easiest by far but you will have to deal with pest pressure from the start.

Birds, chipmunks, squirrels among many others will be after your seeds as soon as your plant them in the ground. Aside from watering nature will take care of them for you. You will have stronger seedlings that grow into healthy plants.

Follow the planting guide on the seed packet for planting outside in ground. You will likely need to plant your seeds about 2 inches apart and and inch or so down in the soil.

Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes

Determinate Tomatoes grow to a certain height and stop. Determinate Tomatoes are perfect for growing in containers and for small space gardens. Different determinate varieties will grow to different heights based on variety but top out at a certain height. Tomato cages are nice but not always necessary depending on the variety.

Indeterminate tomatoes grow to an indeterminate height meaning that they can grow as tall as they please. If you choose to grow Indeterminate tomatoes, be ready to provide a trellising system for them. Simple tomato cages will only be enough if you “Top” your tomatoes at the same height of the cage. If you let them grow taller than your trellising system you are asking for a mess. They will flop over and grow all over the place.

To real an awesome book about tomatoes click here!

Inside

To grow tomatoes indoors you are going to need patience and space because tomatoes sprout and grow very fast! Here’s what you need to grow your own tomatoes.

Seed Starting Supplies

Seed Starting Mix

Small Pots

Grow Light

How to grow Tomatoes From Seed

Fill your pots with seed starting mix then depending on the size of your pots plant your seeds 1/2 inch down, cover with soil and water them. Be prepared to keep your seed mix consistently moist. Dry soil can be the death of young seedlings

Aside from overhead lighting you will want to keep your seedlings in a warm area of your home. Sunflower seeds don’t need to much heat to germinate but do best in a warm room.

Should your Tomato seedlings get leggy there is a fix! You can bury tomato plants deeper into soil and the stem will root. It’s amazing!

Tomato Seedlings

Once your seeds have sprouted you will want to make sure to keep the soil moist, overhead light consistent and your space warm. Seedlings need at least 13 hours of daylight. This is made easier by the use of artificial lights. You can leave your grow lights on for at max 16 hours a day to keep your Tomato seedlings happy.

When you begin seeing roots growing from the bottom of your pots it’s time to repot your plants. If your outdoor temps are warm enough ( Above 46 degrees at night) you can begin to transition your seedlings into the garden.

To learn how to transition your seeds I recommend you read this post!

If it’s not yet time to plant your tomatoes outside then continue with regular care until the weather is right. You may have to repot your seedlings several times before transitioning them out into the garden.

Planting Outside

Once you’ve transitioned your seedlings it’s time to plant. You can plant your seedlings in containers, raised beds or in ground making sure your plant is in full sun. Full sun is at least 6 hours of direct sun oh the foliage.

Fertilizing

When you plant be sure to use a fertilizer to feed your plant. Tomato plants grow quite fast and are very heavy feeders so make sure to provide them with fertilizer all season long. You can use a tomato specific fertilizer to feed them all season long.

Watering

Tomatoes love moist soil as much as they love being fertilized regularly. Keep your tomatoes consistently moist especially if you plant them in pots. You can water them by hand daily or install drip irrigation so that you don’t have to water daily.

Once you grow your own tomatoes you will never look at store bought tomatoes the same. There are so many types of tomatoes that there’s always new tomatoes to try.

Happy Gardening

Ciearra

How to Grow Dahlia From Seed

February 13, 2023 1 Comment

I don’t know if you know this but Dahlias are so easy to grow from seed. They make beautiful cut flowers adding whimsy and wonder to any garden they reside. You can start your Dahlias from seed outside directly in the garden or start them early indoors and get a jump on the garden season.

This blog post may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase you will be helping me continue my love and passion for gardening.

Before you begin you will need to source out Dahlia seeds. There are many retailers that will have seeds in stores starting in January and sometimes earlier. If you want more variety than what’s in store I suggest ordering online. Here are some of my favorite places to shop online.

Now that you’ve got your seeds it’s time to decide when and how you want to plant them. The easiest way to start Dahlias from seed is to plant them directly in the garden after your first frost date. You will follow the depth requirements on the seed packet then once planted water them in and let nature do the rest! Kidding, well not entirely. You will need to keep watch for birds and other critters that would love to dig up and eat your seeds

Inside or Out?

Outside

Whether you start your Dahlia seeds inside or out is up to you. Both options are wonderful depending on your situation. Starting your Dahlia seeds outside will be the easiest by far but you will have to deal with pest pressure.

Follow the planting guide on the seed packet for planting outside in ground. You will likely need to plant your seeds about 2 inches apart and and inch or so down in the soil.

If you also love Zinnias you can learn how to grow them here!

Inside

To grow indoors you are going to need patience and space because Dahlias sprout and grow very fast! Here’s what you need to get your Dahlias started.

Seed Starting Supplies

How to grow Dahlia From Seed

Aside from overhead lighting you will want to keep your seedlings in a warm area of your home. Sunflower seeds don’t need to much heat to germinate but do best in a warm room.

Dahlia Sprouts

Once your Dahlia seeds sprout you will want to make sure to keep the soil moist, light consistent and the space warm. Seedlings need at least 13 hours of daylight. This is made easier by the use of artificial lights. You can leave your grow lights on for at max 16 hours a day to keep your seedlings happy.

To learn how to transition your seeds I recommend you read this post!

Planting Outside

pink ball dahlia flower in selective focus photography

Growing Dahlia from seed is such a great way to add beauty and life into the garden and what’s amazing is that you can collect seeds from your own plants and grow your own stock year after year. Dahlias are amazing in potting arrangements and come in so many different heights. You can add them to your landscape or in a cut flower garden.

Happy Gardening

Ciearra

How to grow Cilantro from Seed indoors

January 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

Cilantro is an amazing herb and grows very easily from seed. It’s native to the southern regions of Asia and Europe and what’s even cooler is that Cilantro seeds have even been found in Egyptian Tombs! Meaning it’s been around for a very long time. Cilantro grows best in cooler weather so growing your spring or fall garden will yield you the best growth. Here’s how to grow Cilantro!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure for more information

Buy Seeds

With so many awesome retailers that offer seeds online the world is your oyster when It comes to where to buy seeds. Here are some of my favorite places to shop online for seeds. If you prefer to go in store you will find most retailers carry seeds in the spring.

Park Seed

Seedville USA

Etsy

Seed Starting Tools

You can get high tech and expensive with seed starting if you want, but you can totally do it low cost. If you need to go the low cost route shop at Dollar Tree or another Dollar store in your area. They all carry seeds and seed starting equipment in spring. All you need is what’s listed above.

Using seed starting mix when starting seeds is important because seed starting soil is sterile. Potting soil can have bacteria that can aid in seedling death called damping off. So you need to keep clean tools, pots and soil.

Getting Started

Now that you’ve got your seeds and supplies it’s time to plant. Add your seed starting soil to your pot and follow the planting directions. Typically planting two seeds per pot or cell if your using planting cells. Two seeds just in case one doesn’t germinate. As your Cilantro grows you will want to keep potting up, not allowing your seedlings to become root bound. Cilantro grows a long tap root and can often struggle after transplanting outside.

Watering

Now that your seeds are planted it’s time to talk about watering. Keeping seedlings watered is so very important. If you let your seedlings dry out you risk damping off. It’s best to water seedlings from the bottom so put them on a tray and allow them to soak up all the water they can within an hour.

Air Flow

When growing Cilantro from seed or any seeds rather, you need air flow. Warm temps and moist soil are a recipe for mold so keep your seedlings in an open area or keep a small fan nearby to help.

Light

Cilantro seeds need light to germinate so keep your potted seeds in a very bright room or under grow lights. Seedlings need at least 14 hours of light to grow properly. If you choose to not use a grow light make sure to provide as much light as you can to your seedlings. Overhead light being the best.

Transitioning

When your area is no longer at risk of freezing temps you can begin transitioning your seedlings outside. Here’s how you do it.

Planting

Once your seedlings are fully acclimated it’s time to move them to their final location. When you grow Cilantro it’s best to not plant them in full direct sun nor during the summer. The summer heat can cause your Cilantro to bolt (Bolting is when your plants flower and go to seed earlier than expected) and after your vegetables bolt the flavor changes. Spring and fall are a great time to plant your Cilantro seedlings. Plant them in a space that gets part sun so 4-6 hours of sun with some shade relief.

Fertilizer

Cilantro thrives with a nitrogen rich fertilizer. Be careful not to over fertilize. Over fertilizing can cause issues within the plant. One issue being a change in flavor. Follow the directions on the package and opt for organic fertilizers if possible.

Ongoing care

Cilantro is an easy and delicious herb to grow. You can begin harvesting when your plant is at least 6 inches tall. Keep on a regular water and fertilizing schedule and you will have happy healthy plants.

Happy Gardening!

Ciearra

Start Seeds Indoors! Here’s What You Need to Start!

November 6, 2022 3 Comments

So you want to start a garden and you’re ready to start some seeds indoors? Seed starting season is upon us, and if you’ve never started your own seeds, there are some things your going to need to be successful. I don’t want to scare you with these items, because you can literally start seeds with a paper towel and a ziplock bag; but if you want to make this a long term hobby there are certain things you are going to want to have at your disposal to make life easier.

This blog post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my houseplant habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep me in the garden. It’s a win for everyone, really.

Start Seeds Indoors! Here’s What You Need!

Seeds

If you want to start seeds indoors, you are going to first need to get some seeds. Usually starting in late January, you will start to see seed kiosks popping up at your local big box stores, grocery stores, and greenhouses. You can also find a ton of seeds online if you prefer to not buy from your local stores.

Unsure of where to shop online? Check out this post with the 12 best places to buy seeds online.

When gardening for the first time, I recommend starting with what you actually like to eat; don’t get caught up buying tons of vegetable seeds or flowers you don’t like. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in the garden, so pace yourself and start with a few veggies and flowers you love.

Pots

Once you know what you want to grow and have your seeds, you need to think about what you’re going to plant them in. You can save money and use milk cartons, yogurt cups, etc; or you can buy seed starting trays. There are so many options when it comes to seed starting pots. Dollar stores often carry plastic pots for plants, and you get about 6 for $1.25; big box stores may charge a little more, or you can shop online.

Soil

Next up is soil. You can use regular potting mix, but when you use seed starting soil you will have a higher success rate with your seedlings. Seed starting mix is sterile, which means no bacteria to infect your seedlings and cause damping off disease.

Grow Lights

You need light for your seedlings; of course you can put them in a sunny window to grow, but in my experience this makes for leggy and stretched seedlings. What works best is overhead lighting. So when starting seeds indoors, grow lights work best if you don’t have a greenhouse. There are so many options for grow lights, so choose what works best for your setup.

Seed Starting Helpful Extras

You’ve got the basics down; now let me show you some helpful extras. I promise you these are so handy and you will want to add them to your seed starting set up.

Drip Trays

Drip trays are the only way you will survive seed starting season. Seedlings need to be kept moist so drip trays come in handy so that you can water your seedlings in place.

Watering Cans

Using a watering can with a long spout is best when it comes to watering your seedlings or filling trays and bottom watering. It makes for less mess.

Shelving

Shelving comes in so handy. You will need a place to set up your seed trays and hang up your lights above your seedlings. These shelves are perfect.

Heat Mat

There are some seeds that need heat to germinate and usually a warm room will suffice, but adding heat will speed up the germination process.

Starting seeds indoors is a rewarding experience, and it’ll save you money in the long run. Buying everything up front can be costly so DIY, and shopping sales and clearance will be your best friend when you first start out. If you’re a first time gardener or indoor seed starter, take it slow. Buy the essentials, seed starting soil, pots and a grow light. It can be overwhelming the first year but hang in there and you will be rewarded when your plants begin to flower and produce food for you!

Happy Gardening

Ciearra

The Full Guide to Growing Garlic! It’s Easy!

September 24, 2022 Leave a Comment

Growing garlic is so rewarding and easy. Home-grown garlic tastes so much better than store bought garlic hands down. Not only does garlic taste better home-grown, but you can try so many different varieties which offer many different flavors. Once you grow garlic for the first time, you will always grow your own garlic.

How to grow Garlic

You can buy garlic from just about anywhere. There are many websites, big box stores, and plant nurseries that sell garlic bulbs for fall planting. You can even grow the garlic you buy from the grocery store! Before you pick out your garlic, you will want to know your growing zone. There are many varieties of garlic and they all grow differently in different zones.

If you want garlic that you know will grow well for you, it’s best to shop with a garlic grower within your state or similar growing zone. I grow garlic in Ohio, so I order my garlic from a garlic seller right here in the Buckeye state. I know that the garlic I order from them should do well for me.

Soil

A good garlic harvest starts with planting in good soil. Garlic grows best in loose soil with a PH between 6.2 – 7. Anything lower means your soil is a bit too acidic, and you will need to add in lime to get your levels up. You can use at-home soil tests that are widely available in store or online. Here’s a test you can snag from Amazon. Growing garlic will require a loose soil. Tilling your native soil will help loosen it up and if needed, you can add in compost to help keep the soil fluffy.

Fertilizing

Prior to planting, I add in my fertilizer. I like bone meal, which is great for planting your garlic in because it helps give your cloves a little root boost prior to winter. Once spring approaches, I start fertilizing regularly with an organic fertilizer. My favorite to use is fish emulsion.

When your garlic begins to produce scapes, lay off on the fertilizer so that your garlic can focus its energy into bulb production.

Planting Garlic

Separate each bulb into cloves, making sure to leave the skin on the individual cloves. Any cloves that are small, rotted, or dried can be left out. Plant your garlic in rows and space out your bulbs 4 – 6 inches apart to leave enough room for your clove to develop into large bulbs. I plant my garlic pointy side up no matter if its hard or soft neck garlic. Planting garlic two to three weeks before your first frost is a great time because it allows the garlic time to set roots before the first frost. After planting, we place a small layer of mulch over the top.

Garlic Scapes

Beginning in May or earlier or a little later depending on your growing zone, you will begin seeing your garlic send up flower stalks also known as scapes. Scapes are delicious but take energy away from the growing garlic bulb. Most gardeners cut these off once they start to curl.

Want to know what to do with your garlic scapes? Check out this post!

Harvesting Garlic

Harvesting time may vary depending on where you live but the rule of thumb is when the lower leaves dry and get crunchy. If you want to take a peek at your bulbs to see if they are big enough; feel free to pull the soil back from the bulb. If you think they need a little more time in the ground, then leave them for a week or two more. The latest I’ve harvested is mid-July. If you leave the bulbs in the ground too long, you risk the chance of them splitting and you don’t want that, as those bulb won’t store very well.

Drying and Storing Garlic

Curing your garlic can seem daunting. All you need is a space that is dry or not too humid and has good airflow. You can put your garlic in your garage or on a covered porch. Be sure if it’s not windy you keep a fan on them to aid in the drying process. I cure my garlic on wire racks in my screened in porch. The goal is for the wrappers around the individual cloves and the bulb to dry at the same pace. It takes around 3-4 weeks for the garlic bulbs to fully dry. Once they are dry you can cut the stalks back and store your garlic. Garlic shelf life depends on how you store them and the variety of garlic you grew.

For Tips on what to do with all of your garlic check out this post!

Additional tips for growing garlic:

Plant in the fall. Garlic is a cool-season crop, so it’s best to plant it in the fall. This will give the cloves time to develop roots before the ground freezes.
Choose a sunny spot. Garlic needs at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.
Prepare the soil. Garlic grows best in loose, well-draining soil. Amend the soil with compost or other organic matter before planting.
Plant the cloves. Plant the cloves 2-3 inches deep, with the pointed end up. Space the cloves 4-6 inches apart in rows that are 12-18 inches apart.
Water regularly. Garlic needs about 1 inch of water per week. Water deeply, but less often, to avoid overwatering.
Fertilize monthly. Feed your garlic with a balanced organic fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
Mulch. Mulching will help to keep the soil moist and suppress weeds.
Harvest when the leaves start to turn yellow. Garlic is ready to harvest when the leaves start to turn yellow and fall over.
Choose the right variety. There are many different varieties of garlic, so choose one that is well-suited to your climate.

Soak the cloves before planting. Soaking the cloves in water for 24 hours before planting will help them to germinate faster.
Cut off the scapes. The scapes are the flower stalks that garlic plants produce. If you want to grow large bulbs, you should cut off the scapes when they are about 6 inches long.
Protect from pests and diseases. Garlic is relatively pest- and disease-resistant, but you may need to take some precautions to protect your plants.

Garlic is one of the easier vegetables to grow. They are low maintenance and there aren’t many pest issues to deal with. Keep up with watering and fertilizing, and you will soon be harvesting your own delicious garlic straight from the garden.

Happy Gardening

Ciearra

Seed Starting

Inside or Out?

Outside

Inside

Seed Starting Supplies

How to grow Kale From Seed

Kale Sprouts

Planting Outside

Share this:

Like this:

Inside or Out?

Outside

Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes

Inside

Seed Starting Supplies

How to grow Tomatoes From Seed

Tomato Seedlings

Planting Outside

Fertilizing

Watering

Share this:

Like this:

Inside or Out?

Outside

Inside

Seed Starting Supplies

How to grow Dahlia From Seed

Dahlia Sprouts

Planting Outside

Share this:

Like this:

Buy Seeds

Seed Starting Tools

Getting Started

Watering

Air Flow

Light

Transitioning

Planting

Fertilizer

Ongoing care

Share this:

Like this:

Start Seeds Indoors! Here’s What You Need!

Seeds

Pots

Soil

Grow Lights

Seed Starting Helpful Extras

Drip Trays

Watering Cans

Shelving

Heat Mat

Share this:

Like this:

How to grow Garlic

Soil

Fertilizing

Planting Garlic

Garlic Scapes

Harvesting Garlic

Drying and Storing Garlic

Additional tips for growing garlic:

Share this:

Like this:

Footer