An Introduction to Seed Starting

The Garden at Blackberry Farm is a favorite spot to visit for guests and team members alike. Our Garden experts tend to the land and its needs every day, rain or shine, to encourage healthy growing seasons and delicious produce.

The team is equally passionate about helping guests enjoy a successful planting and growing season of their own. Time, energy and effort are all a must when beginning and tending to a garden. One way to kick off your gardening season in preparation for warmer weather is seed starting. This means that instead of planting seeds directly into the ground, you begin growing the seed inside, whether in a green house or inside your home, so that your seedlings are ready to go outside when the weather is right in your region.

Easier Spring vegetables like tomatoes, peas, arugula, lettuce and kale are great for beginners who are new to their gardening and seed starting journey. Seed starting often helps with a more successful growing season because you’ve given your seeds time to establish a healthy root system and a stronger sprout in a controlled environment.

How do you begin? Choose your pack or packs of seeds from a local grower, outdoor store or, if you planned ahead, order from your favorite seed catalog. Not all seeds are the same, and it’s good to do research about what you want to grow before you plant. Seed packets often have information about growing that plant printed on the packaging for easy reference.

Add your seeds to small starter containers or trays with a soil mixture that best supports what you’re planting. Find a windowsill or table in your home that you can designate as a growing area, South facing is best, and water occasionally. After roughly eight weeks from planting, you should have a healthy sprout and strong roots suitable for ground transportation.

It’s important to be gentle during transferring your sprouts as you don’t want to cause too much trauma and disturbance to the roots. Gently remove the starter container from the sprout, and place your plant inside its larger growing area with a mixture of the original soil from your start and fresh new soil. Make sure to water once transfer is complete. Then, watch your sprouts grow!

If you’re on property, plan a visit to the Garden and feel free to chat with our Garden team. They’re always happy to answer questions about what’s currently growing at Blackberry Farm, assistance you may need for your own plants or anything you’re curious about in the world of gardening. Happy growing!

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