“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.” — John Boswell.

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” — Edith Sitwell.

“Brew me a cup for a winter’s night, for the wind howls loud and the furies fight. Spice it with love and stir it with care, and I’ll toast our bright eyes, my sweetheart fair.” — Minna.

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.” — Albert Camus.

“Every mile is two in winter.” — George Herbert.

“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” — Aristotle.

True winter temps were back again this week. Stay warm and plan ahead. Are you dreaming of summer colors and browsing garden catalogs to help suppress the winter blues? There’s nothing better for cold weather and wintery attitudes than the pleasure of seed starting. While it may be too early to start most seeds in January, it’s never too early to plan, order seeds, and gather seed starting supplies so you’ll be ready to get your hands in the soil for some indoor garden therapy!

Whether you’re an experienced seed grower or among the millions of new gardeners starting seeds for the first time, here’s a list of ideal seed starting supplies to make your seedy adventure a pleasure that yields gorgeous, healthy, strong plants.

Some seeds grow best sown directly in the garden in spring when the temperatures rise and the soil warms. However, other seeds, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, need a head start indoors to produce strong plants ready for the gardening season. Seed packets offer a wealth of information. Take a look at the instructions on the seed packet for information about where and how to sow the seeds.

Before you begin your seed starting journey, keep in mind that plants need adequate light, controlled temperatures, water, and good airflow. To maintain your sanity, you’ll want to avoid starting seeds on your dining room table, unless you’re unbothered by mess. Pick a spot for a comfortable workstation where you have access to electricity, consistently warm temperatures, and mess doesn’t matter. (You will spill seed starting mix and water, so unless you’re lucky enough to own a heated greenhouse, find a corner of a heated basement or craft room for your seed starting activities.)

Once you find your ideal space, start gathering supplies. Make a list of your favorite veggies, fruit, and flowers, and order seeds—pronto. With the surge of interest in gardening, seeds are in high demand, and you want to ensure that your favorite tomatoes or zinnias aren’t sold out.

Once you’ve placed your order, it’s time to gather supplies. Some companies offer seed starting kits with many of the supplies you need packaged together. But many supplies can be found at home. Such seed starting supplies include: seed starting chart for timing, seed starting trays with humidity domes, biodegradable pots, soilless seed starting mix, bucket, soil scoop, heat mat with thermostat, grow light station (light fixtures with adjustable chains and full-spectrum bulbs), timer, extension cord, plant tags, marker or grease pencil, spray bottle, sandpaper or nail file, and small container with lid.

Starting seeds too early can be just as detrimental as starting them too late. It can be a challenge to keep a too-tall tomato healthy inside until May or June. But how do you know when to start sowing seeds, so the plants are ready at just the right time for your garden?

Seed packets offer a wealth of information. You’ll find information about days until germination, as well as days to maturity, along with light needs and other great tips. However, if you’re starting a lot of seeds, it can be tricky to keep track of the different germination times, making it confusing to know when to start growing.

Fortunately, you can find an excellent resource online with Johnny’s Seeds Seed-Starting Date Calculator. First, find your expected last spring frost date. Then, plug the date into the calculator. The calculator tells when to start seeds indoors, as well as when to transplant outside, broken out by crop. This tool helps ensure you start your seeds at just the right time.

Some seeds, like tomatoes and peppers, need warm soil to germinate well. Adding a heat mat with a thermostat to set the ideal soil temperature helps ensure even, speedy germination. Cold soil can inhibit germination, and cold, wet soil may even cause seeds to rot. Using the combination of a heat mat and thermostat allows you to control soil temperature for better germination.

Some seeds require extra encouragement to germinate, especially thick, hard-coated seeds like nasturtium. In nature, an animal might eat the seed, and its digestive juices would break down the seed coating before it passes. It’s easy to mimic nature through “scarification”—nicking the outer seed coating with a nail file or sandpaper to allow the seed to absorb water and begin germination. Be careful, though—only nick a bit of the outer coating without damaging the interior.

Along with some seeds needing scarification, others, like some perennials, require a chilling period before germination called “stratification.” All you need is a small container filled with seed starting mix. Moisten the mix, add the seeds, pop on the cover, and place in the refrigerator. Stratification requirements vary by species, so check your seed packet for more information. Whether the seeds need two weeks or two months, make sure the mix never dries out during stratification.

Enjoy your seeding activities this season and may the harvest be blessed! Happy January!

This fact sheet is provided as an educational service of the National Garden Bureau (www.ngb.org/2022/01/27/15-seed-starting-supplies-to-wmake-the-process-easier/).

“Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. … Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” —Psalm 2:11-12.

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” —2 Corinthians 4:5.

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” —Romans 12:10. “

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” —John 13:34.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” —2 Corinthians 4:16.

“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” —Philippians 4:13.