SPECIAL SECTION // H O M E & G A R D E N
Gardening is
something the
whole family
can enjoy.
Sowing
the
seeds
Growing your own
vegetables can be
easy, educational
and delicious
b y R AC H E L H A L L I W E L L
COSTCO
CONNECTION
Check your local
warehouse and
Costco.com for
gardening tools,
garden beds, plug
herb plants, soil
and more.
F
or those who enjoy growing their
own vegetables and herbs—a
pastime that took off during the
COVID-19 pandemic—spring has
months of great promise. As the days
begin to lengthen you can start sowing
seeds in anticipation of the growing
season ahead.
Mastering the basic horticultural skill
of starting your own produce from seed
indoors is both easy and rewarding. Here
are some tips to get the best of this year’s
garden bounty.
Great beginnings
You don’t need a heated greenhouse
to do this; even seasoned growers use
their windowsills to grow seedlings. Take
gardening expert Charles Dowding
(charlesdowding.co.uk), a Costco member and champion of no-dig gardening.
“All my early sows go on windowsills,”
he explains. “It’s fun to watch them
germinate and see the tiny shoots come
up—and sowing indoors means you’re
getting back in a positive, growing frame
of mind even if it’s still cold outside.”
Germination, Dowding points out,
doesn’t require light—just warmth. “You
can use a warm cupboard, and then as
soon as you see little shoots pop through,
bring them into the light.”
From seeds to success
You need basic equipment: shallow
seed trays for scattering small seeds
before carefully transplanting the emerging seedlings into larger pots; modular
plug trays for larger seeds. If you reuse
old containers, make sure they’re
thoroughly cleaned first. A proprietary
fine seed compost is best, as this will
contain few nutrients, which could
damage sensitive seedlings.
48 Costco Connection APRIL 2021
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3/12/21 9:28 AM
