Do you have any seeds started yet? A few weeks ago, I planted onion and leek seeds because they really need a good head start. I started some lettuce seeds a few days ago which I'm going to transplant into a container later, so I decided to try a new seed-starting kit from Garden's Alive.
The kit is called the All-Roots Seed-Starting System which is considered to be a hydroponic way to start your seeds indoors... and without a lot of complicated or expensive equipment.
The kits come with a sturdy plastic flat, an insert that holds "grow plugs" and a clear plastic dome cover. There are two different sizes of kits: one that holds 55 plugs and one that holds 25 plugs (pictured above). I'm testing both sizes for ease of use and practicality.
So far, I'm very happy with this product. It's very simple and quick to get seeds started. All you do is soak the grow plugs in water for a few minutes, place them into the inserts and fill the reservoir with water until the insert is actually floating in it. I couldn't believe how easy it was and the best part was that I didn't make a mess like I usually do when I'm dealing with bags of seed-starting mix and regular flats with inserts.
You don't have to cover the seeds, which is also a timesaver, and I was astounded by how quickly the seeds germinated. They're already developing a good root system. The instructions say to remove the dome cover when the seedlings are a couple of inches high and to start fertilizing the seedlings with a weak solution. I use fish emulsion fertilizer because it is organic and easy to work with.
The other thing that I know I'm going to like is that the grow plugs help protect the seedlings' root systems so they should transplant more easily when the time comes.
Click on this link to learn more about the All-Roots Seed-Starting System. I just noticed that the 55-cell system is on sale right now for $22.46 instead of $29.95. Once you have the system, you can buy bulk packages of grow plugs for future use.
