The KelKel Farm

Growing seeds indoors doesn't require a lot of money or fancy equipment, but premade grow table kits can be quite expensive. I've saved over $500 by creating a DIY version that works just as well for a fraction of the cost.  Top: Lee Valley Grow Table Bottom: My DIY Version My first few seasons of starting seed indoors I used my Grandfather's "Professional" Light Table - it was a gift from his children one year and cost well over $1,000 at the time. It had three tiers of shelving with adjustable fluorescent tube fixtures that got quite warm. The plastic shelves were removable for easier cleaning. It worked really well and the plants benefitted from the adjustable lights. My Grandpa's Grow Table - 3 Tiers, 4 Ft Long, Approx $1000 value.  When I decided to expand, I looked at purchasing a similar light table - the cheapest option for a similar size (4 feet long, three tiers) was well over $700. I figured I could DIY for cheaper, leading me to buy a metal 5-tier ...

Spring/Summer means the return of Petunias, my favorite flower. I have been growing them from seed for several years now (which is difficult based solely on how small the seeds are!) and I try to collect seed at the end of the season. I also end up buying 2 or 3 unique varieties every year. Luckily the seeds tend to be quite inexpensive when compared to their plant counterparts. Especially when you collect them for free! I've included a picture-tutorial at the bottom of this post to help with petunia seed collection. A selection of Petunias I grew in 2020 Petunias are an incredibly diverse flower and come in a wide variety of shapes and colours. They serve well in multiple applications, including bedding plants and hanging containers. They are incredibly forgiving if you forget to water and grow quite quickly - three plants will easily fill a hanging basket. We typically put 5-7 in our hanging garden boxes in front. That's just two petunia plants! I typically start petunia seed...

In my last post I broke down how to have the best chance at seed germination, if you missed it you can read it here:  Seed Starting in 5 Easy Steps    If you were successful, you should see small green leaves emerging from the medium within 3 - 14 days. If there aren't any sprouts after two weeks you can try and troubleshoot the issue, or discard and start over again. I have been growing from seed since 2016 and sometimes still have issues with seed germination.   The first signs of life! The first set of leaves (called Cotyledons) act as sensors for the seed, they determine if there is enough light to provide food for the roots. They will stretch out and up on a long stem searching for light over the first few hours after emerging. This is when it is vital to provide plenty of light - either a sunny window or artificial lighting. The first "True Leaf" on the left, and the "Cotyledons" on the right - they look very different therefore it is easy to identify them...

Starting plants from seed may seem daunting, but it can be incredibly rewarding and is an affordable way to experiment with a variety of different plants - both edible and ornamental. My first experience with seeds was growing chives in third grade. Now I have over a decade of experience and  I still occasionally have seed struggles. I've broken the process down to made it a little less intimidating for beginners, or anyone with an interest in growing plants from seed. First things first is the seeds themselves - you want to pick varieties that will thrive in your  Growing Zone . If you're unsure what that means please check out the link for information on growing zones.  The easiest way to choose good seeds is to purchase seeds from local seed companies that do germination testing and trial gardens - they have already done the hard work sourcing varieties that will do well in their zone. This also doubles as a great way to #SupportLocal.   Growing Zones for Sou...

There's just something mesmerizing about a freshly stocked seed display... It's easy to get lost in the bright colours and various shapes, little packages of potential. A favorite past-time of mine in the winter is to review seed catalogues (typically print copy but pdfs are becoming more common) for the same reason - they're just really beautiful to look at.  Burpee Seeds (I haven't tried them - they financially support Monsanto)  Over the years I have tried a handful of different seed companies, although I try to order from exclusively Canadian companies.  The only exceptions so far have been Valley Greene (which I bought at a local surplus depot) and this year (2021) when I placed an order with Baker's Creek based out of Missouri. Here's a list of companies I have used and my thoughts on them.  OSC / Aimers (Waterloo, ON) OSC Display in a local nursery I was lucky enough to be born and raised in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario - meaning "OSC" or Ontario...

 The KelKel Farm as a concept started in 2014, with a dozen or so potted tomatoes on the back deck and a single raised garden bed. The excitement of growing my own food from a tiny seed was enough to get me hooked on gardening.  At this time I was doing all my seeding in partnership with my grandfather, using the adjustable light table in his basement. It was a present from his children and cost well over $1,000 when it was purchased. He hadn't used it in a few years and was thrilled to dust it off for me.  Grandpa's Light Table in 2016 In early 2017 I purchased a metal shelving unit from Canadian Tire and some 2ft Sunblaster LED's from Lee Valley, it worked alright but the lack of adjustable shelves meant the majority of my seedlings were quite leggy (stretched out stems). The capacity was also limited. My first attempt at a grow light table I quickly realized that wasn't going to work for my needs and purchased a 4ft x 6 ft metal storage unit from IKEA, I purchased so...