Growing Vegetables – Starting Seeds Can be Fun!

by Kim on March 12, 2009

Got Seeds?

seeds 3

Our family has decided to plant a garden this year. So we did our research and bought a million seeds! Mostly vegetable, herbs, and some flowers to make it pretty of course!

Gardens are a wonderful way to eat healthier, save money, and teach your children so much!

We didn’t want to spend tons buying little starter trays and pots for ALL our seeds, so we made them.

I never knew you could do this…

IMG 2373

Make your own PAPER POTS!

Can you believe it? Am I the last one to know about it or what?

Here are the watermelon seeds all ready to grow…

Gardening - making a pot 8

Jacob rolled the pots using a cool little wooden pot maker that we ran across online while researching seeds.

We don’t even need to take them out of these pots. All you have to do is plop them in the ground inside their little paper pot. {Once they’re big enough to go outside.} This way there’s no chance of damaging the seedling during the planting process.

Jacob went to a class on worms once {We even had a little worm farm.} and he believes it will be better for our garden with the decomposing paper. Worms love to eat it! Gardens love worms! Sounds good to me!

Gardening - growing in sink and pots

Gardening - growing in hanging pots

We’ve started planting a few seeds in empty pots that we had on the back porch. Who says starting seeds has to be done in only one way?

One year we grew herbs in these hanging pots. The name of each herb was painted on the pot. This was a Mother’s Day gift made by my boys one year. I love it!

All our seeds are doing great and more are starting to pop up and grow every day.

Don’t you love how you can practically watch some of them growing throughout the day? The green beans are just amazing!

We still have a few to get started so we’ll be making more pots tomorrow. It’s really easy to do and you’re recycling! YAY!

As you can see, some of our seeds were planted in egg cartons. We are growing them in the egg shells so we don’t have to cause them any stress when we plant them. These are Zinnias! Pretty! {Obviously picked by me!}

Gardening - growing in egg carton

I saw on Martha Stewart’s website where see put pretty little cut flowers in egg shells for Spring flower arrangements. Try it!

Here’s the watermelon starting to grow…

Gardening - growing in paper pots

It’s time to start planting and we’re almost ready.

Here’s some tips if you’re starting a garden:

It’s best to plant three weeks after the last average frost date. To find out this information for your area check out www.victoryseeds.com/frost.

If you have areas with less direct sunlight try potatoes, herbs, or onions.

For container gardening information you might want to visit www.earthbox.com and www.gardeners.com! Container gardening is awesome!

Gradually move your seedlings outside and don’t plop them in the bright sun right away. Allowing them to adjust slowly will help them to produce food quicker.

Sprinkling coffee grounds around the edges of your growing areas may help to deter slugs and snails.

Adding cornmeal to your dirt can help ward off diseases. Check out www.dirtdoctor.comfor more information on dirt.{Of course}

Worms Eat My Garbage is a great resource for worm information.

We are definitely hooked on seeds lately! Stop by Julia’s Hooked on Houses for Hooked on Fridays.

What kind of gardening tips to you have? I’d love to hear them!

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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }

Terry Kearns March 12, 2009 at 9:26 pm

I didn’t know about newspaper pots. I always wish I had started some seeds.

Terry Kearns’s last blog post..49 Mosaics in Mr. Turner’s Neighborhood on Luckie Street

Blossoming Skillet March 12, 2009 at 9:32 pm

I love the excitement that comes with waiting for seeds to germination! I started some herbs this week and can’t wait to check them this morning. I still have a couple more weeks until I start my veggie seeds, but rest assure they are already picked out…and bought!

Blossoming Skillet’s last blog post..Soft Pretzels

Arleen @ Seasons for All at Home March 12, 2009 at 9:33 pm

Paper pots? What a great idea! I had almost forgotten about using egg shells; those are so charming. I may just have to plant some seeds in them this year! ~Arleen

Arleen @ Seasons for All at Home’s last blog post..Inspiration ~ Ottomans in the Round

Gayle March 12, 2009 at 10:06 pm

Great tips! Oh, I can’t wait to start a garden!

If you do sprinkle coffee grounds, I have read that they can be hazardous to dogs. Make sure they’re not were a dog will eat them.

Gayle’s last blog post..Stuff That Makes Me Smile!

Debbie March 12, 2009 at 10:51 pm

You guys are so resourceful! I’ve always wanted to grow my own fresh herbs. I hate to pay all that money for a bag of basil at the grocery store and then end up throwing half of it away because I didn’t use it all. You’re giving me some motivation to get going and just do it! Thanks.

Debbie’s last blog post..Serious Life Magazine

Indiana Keetha March 13, 2009 at 3:34 am

I don’t know where you got the idea to plant those seeds in EGG SHELLS – - – but that is way cool.

I like the paper pot maker too. :-)

Indiana Keetha’s last blog post..Thrifty Thursday – Treasure Hunt

JanMarie March 13, 2009 at 3:54 am

The paper pots are great. I’ve never seen them but what a wonderful idea! We might have to do some containers on our patios :)

JanMarie’s last blog post..Lessons And The Lions Roar!

Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach March 13, 2009 at 4:30 am

I never knew this! My kids would love this – thanks for the idea!

Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach’s last blog post..OMG NEWSFLASH!!! Slimshots, can you believe…

living with lindsay March 13, 2009 at 8:22 am

Very interesting! I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I’ve toyed with starting a garden, but that would mean I’d have to work in it and I’m kinda lazy. I’d love to have one, though.

living with lindsay’s last blog post..Life Viewed Through the Eyes of a Child

Susan March 13, 2009 at 8:36 am

Wow…great ideas here! My neighbor and I tried a garden last year. Didn’t go so well. Am thinking about some pot gardening instead. You’ve truly inspired me!

Susan

Susan’s last blog post..The Bold Redesigner

Laryssa @ Heaven In The Home March 13, 2009 at 8:42 am

Great job! I need to get my seeds started too. Happy gardening!

Laryssa @ Heaven In The Home’s last blog post..So, Is The Sink Still Clean?

Amanda March 13, 2009 at 8:52 am

You’re making me want to go get some seeds and try this out. Last year, I decided to try my hand at a little gardening. It was a fun learning experience. I started out easy by only planting one vegetable, tomatoes.

I did cheat a little though. I waited and bought the ones that had already sprouted. I got four different types to see which ones we liked best and which grew best for me. This worked out really well, and we had tasty fresh tomatoes all summer. Good luck with your garden.

Amanda’s last blog post..Motivating Your Kids to Read

DesignTies March 13, 2009 at 9:28 am

Thanks for visiting our blog :-) What colour is your scooter??

I wish I had the patience to grow plants from seeds. I’m one of those “I want it NOW” kind of people!! I’m impressed by your dedication to growing your own plants from seeds, as well as reducing waste by using newspaper to make little pots :-) Good job!!

Have you heard of an AeroGarden?? I know a couple of people who have one, and they love it. It’s a little self-contained planter that you use to grow herbs and tomatoes (probably other plants too). You can put it on your kitchen counter, and it lets you know exactly what you need to do and when. Pretty cool, and great for growing your own fresh herbs in the winter :-)

http://www.aerogrow.com/

Happy planting!!

Kelly @ DesignTies

DesignTies’s last blog post..Hooked on… delicious doors!

songbirdtiff March 13, 2009 at 9:37 am

We rent our house, so we don’t want to spend too much time getting the soil healthy for a garden. For right now, we just plant in pots. I already have my little seedlings going though!

This is great information!

songbirdtiff’s last blog post..Rest Stop (Matchbox 20)

Kristen March 13, 2009 at 10:02 am

This is fabulous & perfect timing. I would like to have a container garden this year and was wondering how to start seeds in our little apartment… the newspaper is great! Thanks so much for sharing this!

Kristen’s last blog post..Creating inspiration boards

Buffie March 13, 2009 at 10:39 am

I love the idea of paper pots and egg shells. I really need to get some seeds started.

Buffie’s last blog post..Uses For Old Crayons

Isa March 13, 2009 at 10:45 am

Ooooh I just love this post. I didn’t know about the paper pots, so maybe it’s me that’s the last to know! ;)
I spent many happy years gardening with my son – he’s traded in his gloves for ggirls lately, but I know he’ll be back! Once the magic of growing things gets a hold of you, you are hooked for life!
Happy weekend, and I’m going to come back and peek in on how your garden grows. Lovely blog!
xo Isa

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Jenna @ Newlyweds March 13, 2009 at 11:32 am

Great ideas, using the newspaper and egg shells. We usually plant directly in the ground because we live in Texas and have warmer weather. But I do love the eggs shells and newspaper ideas. Do you add worms to your garden or just naturally occuring worms?

Jenna @ Newlyweds’s last blog post..Remodel week 9

Kimm at Reinvented March 13, 2009 at 12:53 pm

Thanks for the fabulous tips! We’re hoping to plant more vegetables this year, such a great project for the kids!

Kimm at Reinvented’s last blog post..Whiten Up!

lynn@queenofthecastlerecipes March 13, 2009 at 6:46 pm

Love all your seed-planting ideas! My hubby’s the gardener around here. This year he’s experimenting with using small plastic water bottles as little mini-greenhouses for starting seeds. We shall see! Thanks for the gardening inspiration :)

Laura Ingalls Gunn March 13, 2009 at 8:21 pm

I am visiting via H.O.H. Great post!

I hope you’ll stop by for a visit, I am hosting a giveaway.

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Rachel March 13, 2009 at 9:23 pm

I have started a flower pot garden this year for the first time. I’ve never done this before, and I don’t know much about what I’m doing! It’s all new to me, but it’s fun.

I never knew you could start plants in eggshells! Great idea! I just used the peat moss pods. Next year I’ll try one of your suggestions.

Can’t wait to see how your garden grows!

Rachel’s last blog post..Steamer Trunk Mini-Makeover

Mary Beth March 13, 2009 at 10:59 pm

We honestly need to stop meeting like this! I started a bunch of herbs from seeds last Saturday for an upcoming post….cupcakes and seeds and hobby lobby…this must stop! : )

Mary Beth’s last blog post..For the Love of Sewing!

Jannie Funster March 14, 2009 at 9:53 pm

Those little paper pots are very very clever!

I really would like to start gardening, maybe with just a few pots to get my feet wet. My daughter has a bean in a pot she brought from school – that’s a good beginning.

Jannie Funster’s last blog post..$69.97

Julia @ Hooked on Houses March 15, 2009 at 7:56 am

My husband is starting a vegetable garden in our side yard this summer. I’ll have to send him over here to read your post!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses’s last blog post..Hooked on Cool Wall Decals

Allyson March 16, 2009 at 8:31 am

We’ve started lots of seeds this spring, too. The best part is we got most of them for free. Read our post here to find out how we’re Saving Some Green in the Garden.

http://a-heart4home.blogspot.com/2009/03/saving-some-green-in-garden.html

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Rina March 16, 2009 at 2:43 pm

That paper pot is such a great idea!

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