How to start strawberry seeds indoors

Strawberries are easy to grow from bare roots, but growing them from seed is a bit more challenging. Although we include brief detailed instructions with our seeds, we wanted to post this blog to help identify and remedy some of the germination hurdles some folks have been having. Growing strawberries from seeds indoors can be a fun and rewarding project for gardeners of all levels. In this blog, we will guide you through the process of growing strawberries from seed indoors.

Step 1: Choose the right kind of strawberry seeds

Select the right kind of strawberries for your home or garden. Most Alpine or wild varieties have lower yields, but a much more intense flavor unique only to their variety while more mainstream and hybrid varieties have a higher yield but a more mild-tempered flavor. Some strawberry varieties produce runners and some do not.

Step 2: Gather materials

Step 2: Gather Materials You will need the following materials to get started:

• Strawberry seeds

• Seed starting soil or coco coir (avoid using recycled outdoor soil)

• Seed trays or pots

• Plastic wrap or a plastic cover

• A spray bottle or watering can

• Grow lights

Step 3: Prepare the soil

Fill the seed trays or pots with seed-starting soil. You can purchase seed-starting soil at a garden center or make your own by combining peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. Moisten the soil with water until it is damp but not soggy. Avoid reusing outdoor soil when starting your seeds, which may harbor disease, bug eggs, and not retain moisture like coco coir or seeds start mix does. You can transplant to a sterilized soil or potting mix after the seedlings have sprouted.

Step 4: Plant the seeds

Sow the strawberry seeds on top of the soil, spacing them about an inch apart. Press the seeds lightly into the soil, but do not bury them too deep. Cover the seed tray or pot with plastic wrap or a plastic cover to create a humid environment for the seeds to germinate. After speaking with some folks, we learned that seeds were being buried in the soil. Strawberry seeds need light to grow, if they are covered with soil, they will not germinate. The soil should be 45-60 degrees (F) and they need to be covered to preserve the humidity.

Step 5: Provide enough light

Place the seed tray or pot under grow lights. If you are using a windowsill, make sure the plants get at least six hours of sunlight per day. If you are using grow lights, keep them on for 14-16 hours per day.

Step 6: Water your seeds

Keep the soil moist but not wet. Use a spray bottle or watering can to water the seeds gently. Avoid overwatering, as this can cause the seeds to rot. Once the seeds germinate and the plants start to grow, you can water them more deeply.

Step 7: Transplant the seedlings

Once the seedlings have two sets of true leaves, they are ready to be transplanted into larger pots or containers. Gently remove the seedlings from the seed tray or pot and transplant them into the new containers, being careful not to damage the roots. At this stage, you can use potting soil, if you choose to reuse outdoor soil, sterilize it with hot water and allow it to cool prior to transplanting your seedlings.

Step 8:Caring for your seedlings:

Place the plants in a sunny location and water them regularly. Fertilize them every two weeks with a balanced fertilizer. Remove any runners that appear, as these can drain energy from the main plant. You can expect your strawberries to start producing fruit in about 3-4 months.

Patience & attention to detail are key to successfully growing strawberries from seed

Strawberry seeds can take 6 weeks to germinate. They are sensitive and temperamental, & if conditions aren't just right, little to no germination can result. The biggest identifiers we have recognized are seeds getting buried in the soil, as well as seeds not being covered. Strawberry seeds need humidity and light to grow. Sprinkling them on the soil surface and covering them will give them the optimal environment to germinate. We provide instructions with our strawberry seeds to give you the knowledge to succeed. We encourage those who wish to grow strawberries from seed to adhere to the instructions as closely as possible as these can be temperamental to grow. We are always happy to help if you have any questions, just send us a message via chat or email. Happy growing!

White Alpine Strawberry / Pineberry seeds

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Wild Musk Strawberry seeds

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Yellow Wonder Strawberry seeds

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White Soul Strawberry seeds

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Alexandria Alpine Strawberry seeds

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Starting chili seeds indoors

Here are some helpful tips for starting chili sand tomato seeds indoors.

If you are a chili lover and want to grow your own chilies, starting chili seeds indoors is a great way to get started. By starting your seeds indoors, you can control the growing environment, protect the seedlings from pests, and get a head start on the growing season.

Here are some steps to follow when starting chili seeds indoors:

Tip #1 - Choose your chili seeds:

Many varieties of chili seeds are available, so choose the type of chili you want to grow. Make sure to select seeds that are suitable for indoor growing.

Tip #2 - Choose the right container:

Select a container at least 2-3 inches deep with drainage holes. You can use plastic pots, peat pots, or even egg cartons.

Tip #3 - Prepare the soil:

Use a good-quality seed-starting mix or make your own by mixing equal parts of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. Moisten the soil but make sure it is not too wet. We use coco coir due to the value and neutral ph/acidity.

Tip #4 - Plant the seeds:

Plant two to three seeds per container, about ¼ inch deep. Cover the seeds with soil and gently press down.

Tip #5 - Provide the right growing conditions:

Place the containers in a warm, sunny location where the temperature is between 70-80°F. Use a seedling heat mat to provide bottom heat if necessary. We've had folks reach out to say they didn't have many or any seeds germinate. Upon some discussion, we found that they didn't have consistently warm soil for their chili seeds. Chili and pepper seeds must have warm soil to "wake up" and grow. Even cooler evenings can stunt and decrease germination. It's best to direct sow in spring if you are in a warmer zone, or start indoors using a germination mat if you are in a shorter zone.

Tip #6 - Water and fertilize:

Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Use a spray bottle to mist the soil when it starts to dry out. Fertilize the seedlings with a diluted liquid fertilizer once a week.

Tip #7 - Thin out the seedlings:

Once the seedlings have sprouted, thin them out by removing the weaker ones, leaving the strongest ones in each container.

Tip #8 - Transplant the seedlings:

When the seedlings have grown to about 3-4 inches tall and have at least two sets of leaves, they are ready to be transplanted into larger containers or into the ground. Remember to harden your seedlings prior to putting them in the ground. You can harden off your plants by following this schedule:

Day 1: Put seedlings outside in a partial sun or shade area for 2-3 hours. Day 2: Put your seeds out in the partial shade for 3 hours. Day 3:Put your seedlings in full sun for 3 hours. Day 4: Put seedlings out in the full sun for 3-4 hours. Day 5: Transplant your seedlings to their permanent spot.

Success with your chili starts

By following these steps, you can successfully start chili seeds indoors and enjoy a bountiful harvest of delicious chilies. Remember to provide the right growing conditions and care for your seedlings, and they will reward you with a spicy and flavorful harvest. To view all of the seeds of the chili we offer, click here.

Seed start update soon!

Hello everyone! We are almost ready to start our seeds here in zone 5a and 5b. We will be starting our broccoli, cabbage, onion, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mustard, and lettuce seeds soon!

Our growing season is short, usually mid-May through mid-October. We start most of our cool crop seeds in March. We noticed with our eggplants and chilis, begin to produce high yields of gorgeous fruit....just as our kill frost hits. We are starting some varieties earlier this year to experiment and see if we will have better results sooner.

We have started 28 chili varieties and some strawberry seeds since these can take a long time to mature. Melons, pumpkins, squash, and other cucurbits grow so fast that we wait until early May to start them as they can grow rootbound in their starting containers so quickly.

We appreciate everyone's support this year. We welcome our customers who followed us from Etsy, and our new customers as well. Currently, we are short-staffed, but we have some help arriving in March. Once we are caught up, we plan to create some more seed bundles, and hopefully start selling some new merchandise. Things we are thinking about are our mushroom kits, UV / water resistant stickers to label the outside of containers (i.e. herb stickers), other kits, and garden tools. We are also adding some houseplant seeds to the collection soon. We have considered selling live plants, but if we do it would be local, at least for now. We experience very cold temperatures the majority of the year. If we tried to ship live plants during our winter time to those in warmer zones, there is a risk of the plants not showing up in the best condition so we are considering options.

If you are in Colorado, we are possibly expanding to some local garden centers in Colorado Springs and Littleton with aspirations to expand further. We are new to the wholesale playing field and there is a lot to learn, but we are enjoying the scholastic journey. We are also looking to attend some markets in Colorado Springs once we are able to procure a POS system and find a way for customers to create an order on tablets so they can see pictures and videos of what the seeds will grow vs just buying a pack of seeds.

We appreciate everyone's support and we will have a blog update soon. Feel free to share any photos of the seeds you've grown. Please remember, we are always here to help you. If you are experiencing any issues or have any questions, please don't hesitate to message us, we are here to help. Happy growing!

What do you look forward to starting indoors each year?

Seed starting is always so much fun! What variety or varieties do you look forward to starting each year?