Some garden items ready to grow — indoors

If you are getting anxious to begin gardening in 2023, there are a number of plants and crops that you can begin to grow indoors right now. In fact, some of these can be grown indoors all winter long. This week, here are some of my favorites to start now, indoors, from seed.

First, in preparation, you will want to be sure that you have a good light source for your seedlings. Whether this is a sunroom or a bright sunny window or, preferably, a growing light setup, you will need to provide an alternate source of light in order to keep your seedlings strong and healthy. A bright room simply is not enough for many of these plants.

Growing lights, especially the newer LED variety, have become so simple and so inexpensive that it is relatively easy to set up a nice array. Some have arms that are bendable; others are old-fashioned, hanging array lights. There are also grow lights that you can screw into just about any light fixture or lamp. Explore your options at a local garden center or hardware store.

The other thing you will need is a good seed starting mix, as well as appropriate containers to start your seedlings. Chances are, you already have excellent containers around the house. Plastic containers from the deli or grocery store work wonderfully, especially rotisserie chicken containers and those with domed lids. Classic seed starting trays, with or without cells, can be purchased at most garden centers.

You have probably all seen some of the fun and unusual ways to start seeds, such as in half of an egg shell, ice cream cones and other materials that decompose naturally when planted. These are great ways to grow seedlings and recycle. A simple internet search will show you these options.

One of my favorite plants to start this time of year indoors is lettuce. You can grow a variety of lettuce in a windowsill, a sunroom or under growing lights. Lettuce is extremely easy to grow and doesn’t require full sun like many other plants. Start it now, and cut and come again. You can sow lettuce seeds in a growing bowl, pot or seed starting tray. You can harvest directly from these plants, without needing to transplant in the garden. Lettuce is a plant you can grow all winter long indoors.

Another plant that is great to start from seed now is basil. Basil requires a bit more brightness to thrive, so place near a bright sunny window or under growing lights. There are many varieties of basil that you’ll find from seed at the garden center. Mix and match for a nice variety.

Nasturtiums are also a great plant to start now from seed. The large seeds make them easy to grow indoors, and the lush foliage is edible, along with the flowers. They have a slight peppery taste.

Another of my favorites to start indoors from seed, making it very inexpensive to grow, is dill. Dill has so many great uses in cooking and it is also a great pollinator plant, as well as a host plant for black swallowtail butterflies. Start indoors now and transplant outdoors in May.

Root crops such as carrots and radishes are also excellent to grow indoors. You can grow these in pots that are 8 inches or so deep, simply scattering the seeds over the surface of the potting mix. Radishes can also be grown as a micro green. Simply snip the shoots off when they are about 1 inch or 2 inches high and enjoy their sharp, crisp radish flavor.

For all of these varieties of plants, simply follow the directions on the seed packet. Most seed packets contain excellent information on how to grow, when to plant, when to transplant outdoors, if necessary, and other information.

Be sure to use a high-quality seed starting mix. This sometimes makes all the difference in the world. You get what you pay for, so don’t worry about spending a few extra bucks on a higher quality seed starting mix. Ideally, for most of these, you want to use a specific mix called a “seed starting mix.” Regular potting soil might be too heavy.

Watering is also key to successful seed starting. Start with a mister or spray bottle for an an even layer, then water appropriately depending on the package directions. Watering from below, in a tray, is often better than drenching from the top. Providing the right amount of water at the right time is crucial. You don’t want seedlings to dry up, and you also don’t want them to rot in a mix that is too saturated. Evenly moist is the key.

Enjoy starting these plants and many more from seed as the growing season begins to warm up.

Rob Zimmer is a nature and garden author, public speaker and radio show host on WHBY. Readers can find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RobZimmerOutdoors.