My Seed Starting Must Haves
Over the last few years, I’ve found myself getting more and more interested in gardening, especially after doing a harvest & learn workshop last summer for peonies. If you’re new here, you may not know but I do not actually have a backyard! So I’m limited to my outdoor space being a balcony, meaning that all of my gardening is done in containers. Well, I’ve decided 2023 is the year that I really give it a good old college try — it was time to figure out seed starting. Every other year I’ve done what just about everyone else does and grabbed young plants from the garden nursery, come home & planted them, but every year I find myself more and more interested in the gardening process, finding ways to extend the season, and frankly wanting to do more than just water everyday.
Before I jump into this blog, I will also mention I am very much still learning all of this. I’m by no means an experienced gardener, I’ve never started any plants from seed before, but I am so excited to bring you on this journey with me. So, let’s jump into this blog!
01. Heat Mat | 02. Cut Flower Garden | 03. Soil Blocker | 04. Vermiculite | 05. Organic Seed Starting Mix | 06. Tray Lid | 07. Seed Starting Tray | 08. Fish Emulsion
What I’m Growing
So, let’s start by discussing what exactly I’m growing, where I got these seeds from, and everything in between. I will admit, much like probably any gardener, I think I went a bit overboard in buying seeds this year, so even though I bought about 15 different types of plants, I’m going to try and limit them down a bit so I don’t get overwhelmed. Plus, I need space for all of these seedlings! I’m growing some vegetables & herbs, and some flowers.
The flowers I’m growing are Zinnias, Lavender, Ranunculus & Dahlias, and the vegetables and herbs I’m growing are Pickling Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Dill, Basil, Thyme, Spinach and Lettuce. All of the vegetable & herb seeds were purchased at Canadian Tire, the lavender & zinnia seeds were from the Summer 2022 Jilly Box provided by West Coast Seeds, the dahlia tubers are from Roam Flora and the ranunculus corms are from Antonio Valente Flowers. Another place I’ve recently discovered for seeds is Whistling Prairie Flowers, however many varieties I wanted are sold out, so we’ll save those for 2024! If you’re in the US, I love Floret Flowers for seeds. Floret also can ship to Canada, but due to the rate of exchange, shipping & duties, it’s easier to just purchase from Canadian growers.
I will also mention it’s important to know your grow zone, as well as your frost dates (if applicable) so you know when your plants can go in the ground. I’ll be growing zone 5B, and my last frost date is mid-May. If you don’t know your zone, you can use this Interactive Plant Map and if you need your frost dates, you can use the Almanac website.
Where I Got My Supplies
Where I’ve purchased supplies for my gardening tools & supplies varies quite a bit, honestly. Primarily, most of the items I have are from Amazon, Lee Valley, Lowes and Canadian Tire. I also have some items from stores like HomeSense, but if you’re looking for more high-quality items, I’d stick to the items from these retailers. Additionally, you can also find some great items on Etsy but much like anywhere, I can’t always speak to the quality, so just make sure you check reviews.
Accounts I’m Following
I’ve been following flower farmers for a while, but since I’ve felt myself getting more excited about this gardening journey, I’ve come across even more accounts that I’ve been loving, finding inspiration from & even shopping from. I’ve also found some amazing books that I’ve added to my wishlist after picking up Cut Flower Garden from Floret. Here are some of the accounts I’m loving recently:
Blossom & Branch Farm
@blossomandbranchfarm
Colorado, USA
Riverfront Florals
@riverfrontflorals
Ontario, Canada
Antonio Valente Flowers
@antoniovalenteflowers
Ontario, Canada
Whistling Prairie Flowers
@farmgirlsk
Saskatchewan, Canada
Floret Flower
@floretflower
Washington, USA
I hope this blog post got you as excited about spring, and the kick off of gardening season as it did for me. I know it was a lengthy one so if you are reading this, thank you so much for sticking with me through that! Let me know if you end up attempting seed starting too, I’ll gladly be your cheerleader through the process.
* Note: Links and linked products featured in this blog post are commissionable links. Should you purchase a product with these links, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you.
