How to Grow Plants from Seeds: Part 2

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This post is something of a continuation or extension of the first post I wrote on how to grow plants from seeds. Using eggshell crates didn’t work out as well as I’d hoped, but I did find a much better way to start seeds. I want to tell you about it here on how to grow plants from seeds: part 2.

Starting Seeds

My adventures as a gardener have been a series of trials and errors over a few year period. Despite the mistakes I have made, I love it! I love watching my plants grow, even if I bought them as a small plant. You can see my original post on how to grow plants from seeds here.

I recently discovered something wonderful I want to tell you all about, windowsill greenhouses! When I was at Home Depot a few weeks ago, wandering around the gardening section, trying to get inspired or find a plant that caught my eye. I had been experimenting with starting plants from seeds, but still found it hard.

I actually had a few start to sprout from the eggshells, as told in my first How to Grow Plants from Seeds post, but none made it past the seedling stage. In the seed starting section of Home Depot, I found a small windowsill greenhouse that came with 12 pea pot pods, perfect for my studio apartment and balcony.

I bought some seeds, placed them in the mini greenhouse, and let’s just say I’m having so much fun I recently bought another! Below are details as to how easy these portable mini greenhouses are, especially for those living in small spaces!

Mini Greenhouse

These greenhouses are available in several sizes, and can be purchased in garden stores or online. I started with the smallest, which is the 12 sectioned one, since I wasn’t sure how the plants would turn out. I ended up getting another, so now I can grow up to 24 different plants, or rotate them, where I have one greenhouse outside and another just starting out indoors. I’m sure many of you can start many more seeds, but I’m really happy these greenhouses come in tiny sizes to fit my tiny lifestyle!

Pea Pots

It looks like all the kits come with pea pots. I love this, since you don’t have to purchase extra dirt for these portable greenhouses. You just add about 1 3/4 cups of warm water over the pea pots and watch them expand! The first time I added water, I added too much at once. I usually pour just a little over all the pea pots, then wait for them to expand before adding more water.

What I also love about these pea pots is that if you run out, you can always buy more pea pots with a pellet refill kit. Again, you can find these online or at a local gardening store. I had the 36 count one, which I’m almost out of, so I’m going to need to purchase another refill kit if I plan on starting more seeds soon, which I am planning on doing since it’s so much fun!

Seeds

Now its time to plant some seeds! Jiffy recommends placing only 3 seeds per pellet. Slowly take apart the netting at the top of each pellet and fluff up the soil. Place your three chosen seeds on each pellet and lightly place under the soil. Pick your favorite plants and watch them grow! I’ve grown herbs, flowers, and vegetables this way. Right now I am enjoying watching my mini sunflowers grow and bloom from seeds using these greenhouses!

Water

I know I already mentioned that water is needed additionally. Some seeds may take awhile to sprout in these greenhouses. If this happens, the pea pot may dry up. Fill a squirt bottle with water and mist the pea pots every few days.

Wait and Sprout

Its exciting to see those first few seeds sprout above the pellets. Once the seedlings are several inches high, take off the lid. Place the seedlings outside in a shady area. I also start planting the seedlings in pots at this stage. I may keep the lid on the other seedlings if they are still small.

How to Grow Plants from Seeds

Not every seed I plant this way sprouts, but its exciting when they do. I have had the most luck with mini sunflowers at the moment, although other plants may grow this way, counting on what time of year you plant the seeds. Remember, gardening is a lot of trial and error, and have a lot of fun discovering which seeds in your area grow using these great mini greenhouses!

How do you start seeds? What would you do differently next time you plant seeds? Let me know what has worked for you in the comments section below!