SHIFTING ROOTS

home, garden, food, and prairie lifestyle

How to Start Seeds When Your Home Has no Light or Space

The seed catalogues are calling your name, but your home leaves much to be desired to start this years seeds.  Maybe you don’t have a south facing window, or the one you do have has no ledge to rest plants on, or your apartment is basically a window-less dungeon.  You’d like to get a grow light set up, but let’s be real.  You don’t have the space, your kids or pets would get into everything, and you just feel like scrapping the whole idea.  Besides, who has $200-$600 for a really nice set-up with shelves and everything?

There is another way.

Do you drink milk from plastic jugs?  (Or could you get someone who does to save theirs for you?)

Do you have a small deck or other flat outdoor space that gets a decent amount of light?

Great!  You can start seeds this year. . . even if you live in a place as cold as zone 3.   I’ll show you how.

Have you ever wondered if you can winter sow flowers and vegetables in zone 3? Yes you can! Start your seeds the easy way--even if you have no light and no space in your small house. #wintersowing #seedstarting #gardening #zone3
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Two Easy Tricks to Prevent Mold in Home Grown Sprouts

Growing sprouts at home is an easy way to provide nutritious greens for your family without fancy equipment, and a fun winter indoor gardening project. But many beginner sprout growers encounter one big problem that discourages them from trying sprouting again–mold.

Nobody wants to find mold in their home grown sprouts. Who wants to throw out precious food that you spent all that time growing?

Thankfully, there’s two really simple growing tricks that will stop mold in sprouts–with barely any extra work required on your part.

But first, let’s get to the root of the problem. . .

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Why are my sprouts molding?

Simply put, your sprouts are sitting in too much water. If the sprouts are too wet between rinses and there’s no air flow, this creates the perfect conditions for mold to grow.

No on to the two tweaks that will prevent fuzzy sprouts. . .

1. When it’s time to rinse, do it twice

Sprouts need to be rinsed twice a day, but once just isn’t enough. Put water in the jar, swirl the sprouts, and dump the water out. Do it again, but this time, very carefully let the water drain at a 45 degree angle, trying to keep the sprouts as spread out in the jar as possible. Then. . .

2. Rest the Jar in a bowl at a 45 degree angle to drain the remaining water

You know how when you set the jar back upright, there’s always that tiny little pool of water at the bottom? By setting the jar in a bowl, you prevent water from collecting at the bottom, thus preventing mold.

Finally, when it’s time to store the sprouts in the fridge, there’s one bonus trick to keeping them longer. . .

3. Place a paper towel at the bottom of a fridge smart container for the longest possible life

The towel at the bottom of the container will collect any remaining moisture, and help avoid surprises. You don’t have to use a Tupperware fridge smart container, a regular plastic container or knock off will work too.

Just in case you’re a beginner and sprouting for the first time or two, here’s how you do the whole process step by step. . .

How Do I Start Sprouting At Home?

To start your sprouting journey, you’ll need the following ingredients. . .

  1. Loosely fill the bottom of the jar with sprout seeds.
  2. Fill jar with water and soak for 4-8 hours, or overnight.
  3. You are now starting day one. Rinse the sprouts morning and night, 2 times each time. On the last rinse of each time, carefully follow the tricks above so you prevent mould.
  4. Set the jar in a bowl between rinse times. Your sprouts do not need a lot of light, keep them in a darker room.
  5. Repeat the process until your seeds are ready, anywhere from 2-7 days depending on the variety of seeds you purchased.
  6. When the seeds are ready, follow the bonus trick to store them so they keep longer.

That’s it! I hope you enjoy your sprout growing journey!

You might also like. . .

Do This One Thing to Prevent Your Plants from Dying this Spring

You’ve started your seedlings or purchased plants from the greenhouse, and it’s finally time to plant them! In your rush to grow things you plop them into the ground and hope for the best, only to find your precious plants withered, burned, or looking scraggly at best.

What went wrong?

You, my friend, were probably unaware that plants need to be hardened off–a term to define the process of toughening up your plants to handle life outdoors. Thankfully it’s pretty easy to do, it just takes a little time and a little know-how.

It's time to put your seedlings into the garden, but if you miss this one crucial step they'll likely die. Don't let your vegetable and flower plants that you've been seed starting since February and March go to waste! #seedlings #seedstarting #garden #gardening

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Know Your Last Frost Date

The first step to properly hardening off your seedlings is to know the last frost date for your area. I like to use this finder from the Farmer’s Almanac.

You’ll then start the hardening off process a week before you intend to plant. For example, I typically plant my garden the third weekend in May, so I’ll start the hardening off process the 2nd weekend in May.

The one exception? My heat loving plants like peppers and tomatoes. I’ll start the hardening off process the 3rd week of May and set them out into the garden the 4th week of May, or even the first week of June.

It's time to put your seedlings into the garden, but if you miss this one crucial step they'll likely die. Don't let your vegetable and flower plants that you've been seed starting since February and March go to waste! #seedlings #seedstarting #garden #gardening

Find a Shady Spot

The difference between the amount of light a plant gets outdoors and indoors is huge–even if you grew that plant in a south facing window. Seedlings need to start the hardening off process in a shady spot outdoors and slowly be allowed more light as the week progresses.

Yes, this means you’re moving your plants around a lot. You’ll also likely need to bring them indoors at night, especially at the beginning of the week or if it gets too close to freezing.

If your seedlings live in a temporary greenhouse that zips open and close, it’s probably fine to open the door during the day and close it up at night.

Protect From Wind too!

Harsh winds can also ruin your seedlings. Some gardeners run a gentle fan breeze on their seedlings indoors to toughen them up and make the stems stronger. You don’t have to do this step, but your seedlings should be hardened off in an area outdoors that is safe from strong winds.

If your seedlings are going into a garden area where there is no wind protection, try and use pallets or something to provide a temporary wind break to the area.

It's time to put your seedlings into the garden, but if you miss this one crucial step they'll likely die. Don't let your vegetable and flower plants that you've been seed starting since February and March go to waste! #seedlings #seedstarting #garden #gardening

Cheat and Use a Cloche

A cloche is just a fancy word for a clear cover for plants. It can be something that you buy like these cloches, or you can cut up milk jugs. Whatever you use, they’re a great way to protect your plants and heat up the soil.

I also use mine to keep birds and unwanted pests away.

Do I have to harden off my plants?

Last year, somewhat by accident, I discovered a different way of making starter plants that doesn’t require them to be hardened off. I was trying out winter sowing in milk jugs for the first time and was curious if the method would work with vegetables. It did, and the resulting plants were already acclimatized to the outdoors and didn’t need to be hardened off.

This year I’ll continue to run experiments with more vegetables, but if you want to try it yourself, here’s how.

It's time to put your seedlings into the garden, but if you miss this one crucial step they'll likely die. Don't let your vegetable and flower plants that you've been seed starting since February and March go to waste! #seedlings #seedstarting #garden #gardening

Plant Like This for Best Success

Finally, when it comes time to put your seedlings into the ground, there’s a few simple things you can do to give them a head start.

  • Try and plant your garden in the evening or on a cloudy day.
  • Protect taller seedlings with a cloche, milk jug, or large coffee can from the wind for a few more days.
  • Wait until after the last frost date, and watch the weather to be sure it doesn’t go below freezing overnight.
  • Put your hand in the soil. If it feels cold, it’s probably still not time to plant most of your vegetables.

Hardening off your flower and vegetable seedlings is a little extra work, but that week of effort will pay off big time with a garden that you’ll be proud of.

P.S. If you’re seed starting for the first time and wondering what to use with a grow light, I use a system similar to this seed starting kit. I also love this window sill kit if you’re using natural light.

12 Indoor Winter Blooming Plants to Keep Your Green Thumb Happy this Winter

If you live in the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere, you’re all too familiar with the awkward season between the last hard frost and when it’s time to start your seeds for the Spring.  Sure, you’re secretly relieved to not have to do so much work in the garden, but your green thumb is getting itchy and you’re sick of all the snow and cold.

These winter blooming houseplants provide some much needed colour when all you see is white snow and Spring seems oh-so-far away.

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How to Care for a Poinsettia So it Lasts Until Christmas

I love giving and receiving poinsettias as Christmas gifts, but there’s nothing worse than when your present doesn’t even live to see December 25th!!  If you’re struggling with how to care for a poinsettia plant, this post is for you!

Nobody wants to receive a poinsettia plant as a gift this holiday, only to have it die before Christmas! Avoid that fate with these tips for poinsettia flower care. #poinsettia #Christmas #holiday #houseplants

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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