Grow Your Own Seedlings
A guide to helping you start your garden from scratch—which is often a cheaper and more sustainable option.
If you're reading this in January or February, you still have time to start your seedlings for this year's garden! (If you're reading this later in the year, don't stop reading: you probably still have time to catch up!)
In addition to saving a TON of money, starting your own seedlings is a much more sustainable option than buying seedlings from the garden store. For example: think about all the packaging (much of it plastic) required to ship seedlings, potting soil that uses non-sustainable ingredients like perlite and peat moss, and the carbon footprint of shipping a heavy product across long distances - it all adds up!
The good news: when it comes to growing your own, it's easy - and inexpensive - to get started! All you'll need are containers with drainage holes in the bottom, our potting soil, and seeds! When it comes to containers, you can opt for a ready-made option, or use an upcycled solution. Items like small yogurt containers and cans tend to be a good size - just remember to carefully add drainage holes in the bottom before planting! Here's a list of some of our top picks for starting indoors:
PLANT IN JAN. / FEB.
bell peppers
eggplants
rosemary
oregano
thyme
cabbage
PLANT IN FEB. / MARCH
lettuce
kale
kohlrabi
sage
basil
You can see the full planting and transplanting chart for the Philadelphia region on the Farmer's Almanac here!
If this option isn’t the best fit for you – or if you’re getting started later in the season and don’t have time to grow your own – consider buying from a local garden center who grows their seedlings from scratch!