Planting a few extras will help you make up for any losses, particularly with plants known for having lower rates of successful germination.
9. Seed Starting Mix
Another absolutely essential propagation supply is growing medium.
If you are sowing specialty seeds such as succulents, you’ll need to choose an appropriate starting mix for the species you’re growing.
But for most popular garden annuals and perennials, a soilless mix is the best choice, such as Rosy Soil Seedling Mix, available via Walmart.
Rosy Soil Seedling Mix
Wondering if you can just use soil from your backyard to grow seedlings instead?
There are a few reasons why doing so may turn out to be a poor choice rather than an economical one, namely the presence of weed seeds, microbial organisms that cause damping off, and potentially poor drainage.
Our guide to choosing the best potting medium for seed starting has more information. (coming soon!)
10. Spray Bottle
While it’s possible to water your seedlings with a small watering can, jar, teapot, cup, or whatever else is handy, using a spray bottle will give you much greater control over how much water you provide, and help to prevent damage to delicate seedlings.
Correct watering is such an important aspect of propagating seeds that I consider a spray bottle to be a required supply, on equal footing as a good quality growing medium!
You can use a plain plastic spray bottle or a glass one.
If you plan to repurpose an empty household spray bottle, select one that has never contained harsh chemicals, as residues can damage young seedlings.
Glass Spray Bottle
You can find glass spray bottles available for purchase from Amazon.
11. Widger
When removing young seedlings from their trays to transplant, you will need some way to lift them out without pulling on the stems.
A widger solves this problem!
To use, you stick the widger into the soil and under the roots of the seedling to lift it out of its tray – and out it comes without damage to the roots.
As a DIY alternative, you could also use a small spoon, a popsicle stick, or a plant marker to lever your plant out of its growing cell.
Give Your Seedlings a Fresh Go
Now you know what supplies to use to give those young plants the best possible beginning.
From essentials like pots, medium, and seeds, to those “nice-to-haves” like cold frames or greenhouses.
Do you have any other favorite supplies for starting seeds that you’d like to share with our readers? Drop your ideas in the comments section below.
And if you have any questions, leave them there as well and we’ll be happy to help you troubleshoot!
Looking for more information about propagation? We have more reading for you right here:
