2017 Growing Season – Grow Seeds Indoors 2017

Week 2 of the 2017 Season – Grow Seeds Indoors

Hi and welcome back to the Grow To Save blog. My name is Luke and this is an update for week 2 of the 2017 growing season.

Looking forward to Spring in Michigan! But I’m not too happy that dastardly Groundhog was right this year. Anyways, check out the progress on what I’m doing to grow seeds indoors.

This week was a little hectic as we had been planning our daughter’s 1st bday party. We also hosted my parents who had flown in from Texas for the weekend. They came to join the festivities and were here for 4 days. Needless to say, I was a little preoccupied. But it was fun!

However, I must admit that I messed up. Last week I removed the cover from the seed tray. The sprouts had already gotten so tall that I didn’t want to stifle their growth. If you’re looking to grow seeds indoors, this is something you need to consider.

The Bad

grow seeds indoors dying sprouts dying seedlings
Sprouts dying off

As you can see, several sprouts have fallen over and are dying. Even though I had been checking on them nightly and spraying with a squirt bottle to keep moisture up, they were dropping like flies. I think the mistake was not checking the water level in the reservoir tray. When I finally did, it was bone dry.

I think there are 2 reasons for this: One, the cover being off means the moisture was no longer trapped and evaporation happened. Two, I think the heating mat significantly attributed to this.

The Good

grow seeds indoors hatch green chilis spinach sprouting seedlings
Spinach and Hatch Green Chili

There is some good news though. One of my Hatch Green Chilis and a Spinach have finally sprouted.

Mold was beginning to grow in a few of the Sugar Snap Pea pods. Now it’s gone and I’m sure it’s from the dry conditions.

Even better was a few hours after refilling the tray, some of the sprouts that are laying down in the picture were standing back up.

Lighting Change

One other thing I did was lower the lights closer to the tray. As you can see in the before and after, they are much lower than they were.

I’m interested to see if this will show more positive results by next week. Getting the lighting right is definitely one of the challenges to master to grow seeds indoors.

grow seeds indoors grow light
Grow lights position: Before
grow seeds indoors grow lights close to plants
Grow lights position: After

Change of Scenery for the Moringa

The Moringa Oleifera trees got moved to a South facing window. I’m really hoping they will come back strong. I have confidence in the one on the right since its trunk is still green when you look at it up close. But the one on the left is almost entirely brown and dead looking now. Only time will tell I suppose.

grow seeds indoors Moringa Olfeira in window
Moringa in South facing window

Stinkin’ Groundhog

why to grow seeds indoors
Snow in mid-March

As you can see we got littered with snow over the weekend. Not being from Michigan, all I can say is, “darn you Punxsutawney Phil!” Yet another reminder that even though the time changed this weekend, Spring is still elusive in the frozen North. But it feels so close!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Even more, I hope you can learn and benefit from it in your own growing adventures. If you did, please share with friends who might benefit as well!

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