Planting a seed: If I can do it, YOU can do it!

Easy does it!

I know that the idea of starting seeds and actually having them successfully germinate, grow, and mature into food might appear daunting. It’s hard to imagine that the little microscopic seed that you can barely see with the naked eye will one day be an 8-foot tall tomato plant! Nothing short of miraculous if you ask me! But I’m here to share with you today, that if I can do it, YOU can do it! 

Growing up in California I did NOT have a green thumb. In fact, I think my gardening thumb was black!  And if I couldn’t sow seeds successfully in the paradise weather of California what made me think that I could grow from seed at 8300 feet in the non-hospitable gardening climate of the Rocky Mountains?! One answer: I was ready.

Here are a few tips that I found to be the KEY to my success!

Start where you are! You do NOT need to be a master gardener or have any gardening experience for that matter to successfully start seeds. Start where you are! All of us at one point in our gardening journey knew nothing about growing food. By being where you are, you then have an opportunity to ask for help and receive some support from those who do have experience! Click here for words about seed starting from the Alameda County Master Gardeners. Once on the page, look in the Sprouting Section for the document titled "Growing your Vegetables from Seeds." You're just a sprout away!

Find a teacher: This was one of the main keys to my success. Here in Westcliffe, Colorado we have a wonderful gardener offers free seed starting classes every year. I made sure I jumped on that opportunity and received hands-on teaching on how to start seeds. I highly recommend finding a class in your community!

Participate in a community garden: Don’t have time to sit in on a class? No problem! Participate in a community garden and ask the other experienced gardeners to show you how they do it.

Search YouTube! It goes without saying, the internet is an incredible resource for…EVERYTHING! Search “seed starting” videos and you will be amazed at how much you can learn about gardening right through your own computer!

Ask a friend—ask the Victory Garden Foundation! Throughout the next few months the Victory Garden Foundation will be out and about all over East Bay California participating in all sorts of gardening events. We’d love to have you join us. We’d be thrilled to teach you! Click here to discover events near you!

Don’t give up: unless you really want to! In fact, utilize all of your ‘failures’ as opportunities to learn, grow, and expand your gardening talents. If you listen, the plants have a lot to teach you!

Thanks to our

Guest Blogger: Kristie Nackord is the 'herbalicious herb girl' behind Spirit Horse Herbals. She is passionate about growing her own food and medicinal herbs in the mountains of Colorado. For more information on Kristie please visit: www.spirithorseherbals.com