Though you may start a vegetable garden by purchasing seedlings from your local garden shop, it is preferable to start your garden by growing seeds indoors. For one thing, it’s a lot less expensive than buying seeds every time you want to grow something. Furthermore, you may purchase seeds for more kinds than are available as plants.
Buying seedlings is a more convenient and easier alternative than cultivating seeds home. However, this implies that you are confined to growing only the fruits and vegetables that you can locate. Seeds, on the other hand, provide a wider range of options. Here are some more reasons to start your own seeds inside rather than purchasing seedlings:
1. You wouldn’t go famished.
Relying only on your local garden store or commercial greenhouse to supply plants for your garden is a definite way to go hungry when SHTF. With seed beginning, you know you’ll have enough food to go through calamities and crises for you and your family. This is why seed starting is such an important element of any prepper’s food security strategy.
2. Non-native and seasonal crops can be grown.
The sort of fruits and vegetables you can grow outside will be severely limited by the growth zone you live in. Summer crops, such as tomatoes, basil, and peppers, will not thrive in cold weather. The same is true for cool-season crops cultivated during the summer.
When beginning seeds inside, seasonal crops are not an issue. Indoors, you may manipulate variables like as soil and temperature. This makes it simple to produce seasonal crops outside of their growth season. Start the seeds indoors and transfer them outside when the growth season arrives. Furthermore, beginning seeds inside allows you to produce foods that might otherwise be unsuitable for your natural environment.
3. You can produce crops that are portable.
You may produce portable crops by starting seeds inside. This means your crops aren’t bound to the ground, allowing you to transport them in the event of a disaster or SHTF scenario.
4. It helps you save money.
Seedlings are typically more expensive than seeds since they do not require germination. You already save money when you cultivate your own seeds inside. This money may then be used to purchase more seeds and supplies for your stockpile. Related: (Food supply 101: Top 14 food items for your survival stockpile.)
Indoor Seed-Starting Instructions
If this is your first time beginning seeds indoors, you should avoid growing too many. Begin with little more than a couple of dozen plants in three or four kinds to get a feel for how it works. Starting seeds shouldn’t be difficult, especially if you know what you’re doing.
Here are some more indoor seed-starting tips:
- Seeds need at least eight hours of direct sunshine every day.
- Most seed types require a soil temperature of around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The majority of fruit and vegetable seeds may be started inside, in a greenhouse or in a cold frame.
- Indoors, seeds take six to eight weeks to grow.
- Before planting, soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 24–48 hours. The water softens the stiff shells of the seeds, allowing them to sprout more easily.
Seed starting is an excellent method to save money while assuring a dependable food source when SHTF. It should be noted that not all plants should be started inside. Some seeds are best planted directly on the ground. Keep in mind that various plants have varied requirements. Follow the instructions on the seed packaging to determine how and when to sow the seeds.
HomeGardeningNews.com has more seed starting tips and tricks.
