DH and I are recent transplants to the Great State, and this will be our first garden together. We'd love to start from seed, but for aesthetic reasons, space constraints, family nostalgia and general thrify-ness (DH chimes in "cheap!") I'd like to avoid the grow light set up if I could.
I grew up gardening in Kentucky, but my Granddad always brought young plants out to our house that he had started himself. He started his seeds indoors but without grow lights. He has passed since I left KY and unfortunately my folks, aunts and I can't remember his set up.
1) Has anyone successfully started seeds indoors without grow lights? I have some great Southern windows that get sun almost all day.
2) What is your favorite seed tray set up?
3) When do you usually start your veggie seeds? I've looked up the last frost dates for our zone so I'm guessing most of the veggies I want to grow ought to get going in the next week, but I truly appreciate local knowledge and experience.
Thanks for your help!
Beaner
New to TX and starting from seed - Help!
Hi- Welcome to Texas.
Yes, I grow my seeds with out a light. - I have a table set up in the living room, right in front of the windows. I use bottom heat to start the seeds.
Your correct in the fact that it's time to get the veggie seeds going!
I think if I had to do the seed tray over I would get one that had far less spots in it!
Rj
Thanks for the welcome Rj, we are happy to be here.
One more question for ya - do you start your veggies all at the same time or stagger them?
Thanks,
Beaner
I stagger- simply because I can't keep up fast enough
Hi I moved to Texas from Ohio in late 2005 and I too start seeds without a grow light. I usually start my peppers and tomatoes together. Most of the rest of the veggies like melons and squash, I start outside. I started some purple majesty grass this year too. It sounds like you have a great area to start plants in.
i too sow seeds in the house without lights. i sow mostly flowers. i use little pans that i place inside a baggie after i sow the seeds. and i put the whole thing on top of the refrigerator. the trouble i have found with starting flowers too early is that without a light the seedlings get leggy.
there are some seeds that i put outside after i sow them as i described above. just have to keep them in a shady spot to keep them from baking on a warm day like today.
This year is the first I have tried a veggie garden in at least 25 years. I intend to direct sew everything. For the last 4 years I have had wonderful perenials by just throwing the seed like feeding the chickens. Of course, the bed is amended and ready. The soil in North Texas is clay with lots of caliche. Takes a lot of amendments. Have discovered Living Earth Technologies just recently and they have soil yards scattered all over the DFW metroplex. I live on the South side of Dallas and you are northeast. We 1/2 mile west of 35E right off Beltline Rd.
Your first obstacle will be the soil. I have just order 6 cu. yds. of Specialty Soil which is formulated specifically for Dallas. After you have the beds amended, just pitch the seed and you are in business. D-mail if I can help with direct explanations.
LouC
We start veggie plants, mostly tomatoes and peppers, inside without extra light. I discovered last year that my cheap roaster from Wal-Mart set on the very lowest setting, below the first mark, is perfect for seed starting. Tomatoes were up in less than a week, and peppers took only a couple more days. We keep the seedlings in the sunroom, which has southern exposure, for a few weeks and repot before moving them to the greenhouse. If they start looking leggy, we turn the containers daily.
This year we are still so overwhelmed with cattle that we have not started anything. Everyday we say we will start tomatoes, and perhaps week after next we will! lol Patricia
Welcome GreenerBeaner & Hubby!!
We just moved here the end of last July so this is my first year gardening in Texas too and I am starting seeds inside
You've picked a Super place to come in and ask questions they are all a WONDERFUL group of people full of info, help and fun.
Phyllis
Wow! Phyllis, you're right - it seems I HAVE found the perfect place to ask questions. I never expected to get so much good fed back so fast. Thanks, guys!
Giovanna - I just started my tomatoes and peppers, too. And since you all have had such good success, I'm going to go ahead and go light-less.
MamaJack - our little seed pods are on top of our fridge, too! Now I just have to figure out what to do with our bread...
LouC - we're neighbors! DH and I are near 35 and Beltline too. Thanks for the detailed info. We're going to do a small raised bed 12" deep and will use all new soil since not only is our soil mostly clay, but our yard has pretty poor drainage to boot. We went to the FW Home and Garden show on Sat and lots of prof landscapers there recommended LETCO to us as well. I'm looking forward to checking out their store. Do you think LETCO's Specialty Soil would work well all by itself without being mixed with our yard soil? We're going to direct sow some pole beans and climbing flowers on our back fence so I'll make sure to amend the soil there, too.
Patricia - I understand having life come between you and your gardening! My 5mo old deftly avoided her morning nap when I was going to start some herbs. Hopefully she and your cattle will let us both get our hands in the dirt before too long.
Beaner
and she's not a virgin anymore. lol.
what is this letco place? and if you run across any cool nurseries over that way let me know. i ain't that far from carrollton myself. lol.
by the way where are you coming from beaner?
They are currently spreading the Specialty Soil right now. If you look on the product link there is a description of the content mix. It has about everything needed for the DFW area. Although we have practically the same location description, we are about 35 miles apart. Beltline circles Dallas County and I am at one intersection of 35E and you are at another on the other side of the circle. We have built a huge raised bed in an area where we had to cut down a 40 year old tree that was surrounded with monkey grass. Used the lasagna method to revitalize the area. It is 11X8 feet and 20 inches deep. We have been filling it with leaves and other matter for 4 months. Now they are topping it with the soil as well as adding several inches to each flowerbed. Going to finally total about 8-9 cubic yards. Really glad I have a good crew to work with me.
LouC
LouC - riiiiiiiight. I was warned about the "never assume you know where you are just because you're on Beltline" thing and now I see why. Congrats on getting your soil into that huge raised bed! DH and I are headed over to LETCO this weekend to pick up our soil in bags. Being new Texans, we haven't acquired a pickup yet, so my "crew" (just one man, but a good'un) and I will be making a few trips in the car and spreading the soil ourselves.
Mamajack - I come from Kentucky by way of Indiana and most recently Philadelphia. Talk about a climate change!! My huge wool coat has staying in the back of the closet all winter and I can't beleive I had the heat off yesterday in February!! It is gooood to be warm.
Update: If my DD daughter's afternoon nap is as successful as her morning one, I'll have cilantro, basil, chives and it parsley in seed pods by dinner.
i have a tray of agastache cana and salvia verticillata that are UP!!!!!!!! ONE little sesbania. multiple asclepisas physocarpas. mult. bronze snapdragons. 2 little dieramas. a few thunbergias. some hollyhocks. one little goat's rue..out of hundreds of seeds... this one is hard.
i already set a few of the milkweed outside in the ground. they made it thru fine the mid 30 temps we had last night.
yay me! lol
Barbara!! you got Goat's Rue to germinate? Please save me one of those plants. I have tried two or three times with no luck. I will find something good for you in exchange.
Josephine.
only one josephine. i have sowed them 4 different ways. maybe the winter sow ones will take. but this one little seedling won't grow or die. it just sits there looking o.k. but that's it. i planted them in those peat pots just in case one of them germinated because if you touch that root the plant is dead.
Well shoot!! I guess it is not my time to have one yet, you just can't find those guys anywhere to buy, and they are so pretty. I hope you have good luck with it.
Josephine.
i am going to try until i get some plants. i love them too. and if this year is not the one then i am going to buy some more seeds and start again. we'll get one eventually. i just know it. and if i get an extra one this year it's yours.
Thank you Barbara, you are such a sweetheart!!!
no... i'm not. but you are and that's why i'm giving you my extra one if i get one. lol.