Be Prepared

How are you when it comes to preparation?

Were you sitting smugly on your throne of piles of toilet paper?

Or dashing through aisles, staking your claim to whatever leftover essential goods you could find, cautiously eyeing others in case they lunged for the last container of Lysol wipes?

I will say I thankfully did think ahead when it came to groceries this time around, but when it came to gardening supplies, I wasn’t quite so prepared.

Order Ahead!

Because of my lack of preparation, I found myself desperately searching for what I already had around the house.

You see, like maybe some of you, I’ve been wanting to start seeds but put off actually ordering them.

Learn from my bad example! Be prepared and order ahead! Especially since if we’ve learned anything from this pandemic, it’s that we never know what the future holds. So, be prepared!

I think there is wisdom in having different seasons (if you live in a climate where you don’t have four seasons this could be different).

Winter is the perfect time to plan your garden and put in your orders for seeds while your garden rests.

Germinate Using Paper Towels

But back to seeds! When materials are scarce, you don’t want to waste anything.

If you’ve found some seeds but have no idea how old they are and if they’ll even grow, you can try this trick (another great solution to this is recording the date on the seed packets for future reference).

Instructions

Most seeds need heat and humidity to begin to germinate (grow).

In order to create this environment for them, you can space them out on a dampened paper towel with another dampened paper towel on top (like a paper towel sandwich).

You can then place your paper towel sandwich inside a plastic sandwich bag. A normal Ziploc bag works just fine too, you just don’t want to seal it. Keeping it open will allow air to still be able to circulate (this prevents mold from growing).

You’ll need to keep these seeds somewhere warm (like on top of a refrigerator, under a grow light, or on top of a heating mat). Try to maintain a temperature of anywhere between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Waiting For Seedlings to Sprout

Seeds will typically take anywhere between one to two weeks to germinate. It could take longer or shorter, depending on what temperature you’re able to maintain.

If you start seeing little sprouts forming, good news! You know these seeds can be planted and you can actually expect something to grow!

In order to help these plants keep growing, make sure you put them in a moist potting mix. You can usually find these at a local greenhouse or nursery.

Pay attention to the seed packet for instructions on how deep they need to be planted.

You will want to make sure you are keeping the soil moist (while being careful not to drown or overwater your plants) and providing the proper amount of light.

If your seeds aren’t germinating or growing any sprouts even after waiting several days, it’s probably safe to assume they’re old seeds and won’t grow anything.

What Do You Think?

So that’s it! What do you think? Seem simple enough? Have you tried this method before? How was your experience? Is there a different method you prefer or recommend?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

And remember to reference our starter guide for any other questions you might have on starting your organic garden!

Happy Gardening!