However, if you don’t think you can wait that long, and are itching to do something for your garden now, you can always start seeds indoors. Starting the warm season crops by seed right now will give you perfect seedlings to transplant to your garden when the time is right. Some seeds that do well in our high altitude climate include: tomato, cucumber, beans, squash and zucchini (to name just a few).
To get started all you need are your seeds, potting soil and a container to plant them in. Paper cups, egg cartons, plastic fruit holders and plastic jars all work great. You can upcycle just about anything in your house as long as you can keep it close to a sunny window and allow for drainage. This saves money and the environment by reusing stuff you already have.
To get started:
- Find your container and make sure the bottom has holes for sufficient drainage. Place potting soil inside and water until it is damp.
- Section off the soil into different planting areas for different types of seeds in necessary (a cut up mac n’ cheese or other cardboard box will do the trick).
- Sow your seeds into the soil as directed on the package.
- Place by a sunny window or keep outside during the day (as long as the temperature doesn’t dip too low) and water just enough to keep the soil damp. Avoid “puddling” which can drown the seeds.
You’d be surprised how easy and satisfying planting your own seeds can be. It’s also a great project to get the kids involved in. They may actually be willing to eat a vegetable if they helped plant and raise it from seed. (It’s always worth a try at least!)
For a tutorial on making a small greenhouse for your seeds, click here.
To learn more: Sprouting Seeds Using Recycled Items
