How to germinate seeds at home with recycled things?

Bored at home? Are you convinced that during isolation you cannot do any gardening tasks at all? If you have answered yes to either of these two questions, let me tell you something: put on some gloves, it’s time to sow. Seriously, it’s an order (more like a recommendation). The body needs to move, and the mind needs stimulation. Faced with this situation, there is nothing like -continuing- growing plants, or starting to do so. Even the little ones will benefit, as they will be able to know how they are born crops, and even sure they dare to help take care of them.

In many articles we talk about the fact that in order to grow, plants need sunlight, something that may be insufficient in homes, but that does not mean that nothing can be sown. In fact, there are many that will surely give you and your family more than one joy. So let’s see how to germinate seeds at home using things we already have and / or with those that we can get without having to leave the house.

Table of Contents

  • 1 What do seeds need to germinate?
  • 2 List of things you can use to plant them
  • 3 Seed germination at home step by step
  • 4 What are the plants that will germinate well at home?
    • 4.1 Trees and shrubs
      • 4.1.1 Tree of love
      • 4.1.2 Bauhinia
      • 4.1.3 Heather
    • 4.2 Aromatic
      • 4.2.1 Parsley
      • 4.2.2 Ruda
      • 4.2.3 Thyme
    • 4.3 eatables
      • 4.3.1 Chard
      • 4.3.2 Strawberry
      • 4.3.3 Heat
    • 4.4 Flores

What do seeds need to germinate?

Seeds need light, water and soil to germinate

For the experience to be enriching, it is important to start at the beginning, which in this case is to find out what the plants need in order to germinate. Basically, they need three things: light, land and water.. The quantity and / or intensity varies depending on what type of plant it is, as well as the species to which it belongs; Thus, for example, sunflowers will only germinate if they are on the ground and exposed to full sun; on the other hand, geraniums will do better if they are, also on the ground, but in semi-shade.

Another example, aquatic plants or riverside plants, such as reeds, water lilies or papyrus, germinate in aquatic environments, such as rivers or swamps. To imitate these conditions, in cultivation what is done is to sow them in glasses with water, or by wrapping the seeds in kitchen paper previously moistened with water.

List of things you can use to plant them

What can be used to sow seeds when it is forbidden to leave the house? Today, thanks to the Internet, the truth is that the same as when you can. But in order to avoid making purchases of things that are not essential, we are going to take a look inside the house to see what we find. For instance:

Homemade seedlings

Cardboard boxes are useful as a seedbed

Any cardboard box, without the one-sided flaps and laminated, will serve as a seedbed.

You will surely find some of this:

  • Milk containers: once they are empty, clean them well with water and dish soap and then make a small hole in the base with scissors.
  • Yogurt glasses: the same.
  • Plastic water bottles: When they are empty, drill a hole in the base.
  • Cardboard boxes: these have to be laminated, using superglue or another similar glue. You can use the grocery bags. Then, make a hole in the base. In addition, you have to remove the flaps on one side.
  • Laminated cardboard: you can make your own seedbed with this type of cardboard, the size you want. Do not forget to make a hole in what will serve as a base.

When they are ready, or almost ready, you can encourage your children if you have to paint the external face of these new seedlings with the colors that they like the most.

Homemade watering cans

Plastic bottles will serve as watering cans

If you do not have a conventional shower but you have a simple plastic bottle at home, you do not have to worry. In the cap, or if you prefer it a little lower, in the part of the transparent plastic, make some small holes with the tip of a pair of scissors. It will be for those where the water will come out.

Think that the bigger they are, the stronger it will come out and the faster the bottle will empty. It is therefore important to make many small holes so that the water comes out slowly but surely.

Water

The water to irrigate the seedbeds it must be as pure as possible. The ideal is that of uncontaminated rain, but not all of us live in areas where it rains frequently; so that bottled water suitable for human consumption will also serve you, and even tap water if you have previously let it sit overnight.

Substratum

The substrate is something that, if you don’t have it, you have to buy e.g. here!. If an old substrate is reused and there are pathogens in it (fungi, viruses, bacteria, or malignant insect eggs) they will cause many problems.

Now, they will also serve you, temporarily until they germinate, things like:

  • Cotton: it must be moistened well before with water.
  • Kitchen paper: place the seed, wrap it with the paper, and then moisten it with water.
  • Gauze and the like: the same.

Homemade fungicides

The fungi kill the seeds and seedlings almost overnight. To avoid this, especially if you plant trees or shrubs, It is highly recommended that you have copper or powdered sulfur on hand, or failing that, cinnamon (also in powder). With this, you will keep them away from your seedbeds.

Seed germination at home step by step

To germinate the seeds at home you have to follow this step by step:

  1. First, put them in a glass of water for 24 hours. The next day you will know which ones will almost certainly germinate (they will be the ones that sink) and which ones will not.
  2. Then fill the seedbed you have chosen with substrate.
  3. Then put a maximum of 2-3 seeds in it, and cover them with a thin layer of substrate.
  4. Lastly, sprinkle with cinnamon, sulfur, or copper, and water.

If at this time you do not have substrate, wrap them in kitchen paper, for example with a little sprinkled cinnamon, and place them in a tupperware to keep them moist.

Now it will remain to locate the seedbed in the room with more clarity of the house, and ensure that the substrate remains moist.

What are the plants that will germinate well at home?

En general, the plants that will have better germination and optimal subsequent development indoors are those that, if grown outdoors, could be placed both in the sun and in semi-shade Well, they would grow correctly regardless of the amount of light they received. Fortunately, there are many:

Trees and shrubs

There is a great variety of species of trees and shrubs that live in areas where the sun does not reach them directly. If you have an outdoor space with little light, even if it is small like a balcony, you can plant the following:

Tree of love

The tree of love is a small tree that can be planted at home

Image – Wikimedia / Batsv

El tree of love or judas tree It is a beautiful deciduous tree that fills with pink flowers in spring, before its leaves sprout. It reaches a maximum height of 12 meters, although the normal thing is that it does not exceed 4-5 meters, which is why it could also be considered a small tree or even a large bush. It resists pruning and frost up to -18ºC.

Bauhinia

View of a young Bauhinia variegata

Image – Wikimedia / Daniel Capilla

Our Bauhinia or cow leg are small deciduous trees that reach a height of 5 to 6 meters, rarely 7 meters. Even so, they tolerate pruning well, so they can be kept more like shrubs or trees. Its flowers are beautiful, large, pink, red or white. As if that were not enough, they resist cold and frost down to -7ºC.

Heather

Heather is a small shrub

Image – Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz

La heather or calluna is an evergreen shrub that it barely reaches a meter and a half in height. Its leaves are small, like its flowers, which are lilac. These sprout from summer to autumn, grouping in spiky inflorescences. It does not tolerate lime, but it does tolerate pruning and frost down to -12ºC.

Aromatic

Grow aromatics at home from seeds? Of course! Why not? It is common to see them outside, in gardens, patios and terraces, but there is more than one that can be had indoors. These are just some of them:

Parsley

Parsley can be sown at home

El parsley It is a biennial plant (lives two years) of annual cultivation that reaches a height of 20 to 75 centimeters. Its leaves are petiolate, smooth or curly, and are widely used as a companion or decoration to salads, soups, tortillas, etc.; although they are also edible.

Ruda

Rue is an aromatic that germinates well at home

The plant known by the name of Brown It is a very peculiar aromatic: its leaves give off an aroma that some may not like, but others will come to hate. It is a small shrub that reaches a height of 50 to 100 centimeters characterized by having dark green leaves whose taste is bitter. For this reason, it is always used in small quantities, alone or with onion, garlic and / or pepper.

Thyme

Thyme is a small aromatic shrub that lives well in the home

Thyme It is a shrub or shrub of small size that reaches between 15 and 40 centimeters in height. Gives off an intense, very pleasant aroma. It produces small leaves and florets from spring to summer. In the kitchen it is used as a condiment for stews, sausages, sauces, but it should not be combined with oregano or marjoram.

eatables

If you want to get started in the world of urban gardens, even if you are indoors without being able to leave, you can do it. For now, these are some that will grow well in indoor conditions (but yes, the seedlings have to be placed in the room with more clarity of the house):

Chard

Swiss chard is a biennial herb that germinates well at home

Chard is a biennial herb (it lives two years: during the first it produces leaves, and the second it blooms and dies), although it is grown as an annual. Reaches a height of about 40 centimeters or so, and is cultivated for its leaves. With them, you can make delicious salads using the youngest leaves, or as a cooked ingredient in a dish.

Strawberry

The strawberry plant is small, and edible

Is there someone in your family who enjoys eating strawberries? If so, you know: sow. It is a small perennial plant, about 20 centimeters high, which produces edible red fruits. These are consumed fresh, either alone as a snack, in fruit salads, with cream, or in the form of ice cream or smoothie.

Heat

Fava beans are plants that produce edible seeds

Image – Wikimedia / Meneerke bloem

The broad bean plant is a very fast growing herb that reaches a height of 1,6 meters. It is grown for its seeds, broad beans, which can be eaten fresh or stewed.

Flores

If you want your home to have reasons to smile every morning, flower plants cannot be absent:

Tuberous begonia

Begonias are ideal plants to grow at home

Image – Wikimedia / Maja Dumat from Deutschland (Germany)

Begonia is a perennial herb that grows up to 50 centimeters tall. Its flowers are small, very pretty, about 3 centimeters in diameter and pink in color. It blooms almost all year round, especially from spring to summer.

African daisy

Gerberas are plants that produce very pretty flowers

Image – Wikimedia / Ziko

You may also know her by the name of gerbera. It is a pretty perennial or perennial herbaceous plant that reaches a height of about 30 to 40 centimeters, and that produces flowers similar to daisies of colors such as red, pink or orange in spring-summer.

African violet

The African violet is a small plant that produces pretty flowers

Image – Wikimedia / Wildfeuer

La African violet or Saintpaulia is a herbaceous plant that grows to around 15 centimeters tall. Its leaves are fleshy and very hairy, which makes them feel soft to the touch. It produces small flowers about 3 centimeters in diameter, white, purple, purple or light blue in spring and summer.

So what, do you dare to sow seeds at home? If you say yes, you will see how well you are going to have a good time.

How to germinate seeds at home with recycled things?

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