Last year about this time my friend Jennifer posted a guide for making an Easy Seed-Starting Rack on the Backyard Farming blog. This past Saturday my husband decided it was time to make our own. This isn’t exactly like the one Jennifer and Jeff made because we used the materials we had in our basement (8′ piece of shelving), some 2×4’s from the barn, and some pulleys from my husband’s grandfather. Oh yeah, and baling twine. Baling twine is a farmer’s best friend. It’s as useful as duct tape. Duct tape and baling twine–it’s all you need to build ANYTHING.
We did have to purchase the lights and were very grateful that Jennifer and Jeff already researched this part of the project for us. Their knowledge saved us a bunch of money. We knew we could buy the standard fluorescent bulbs and still sprout seeds. Click HERE to see their results from last year.
Last night my eight-year-old daughter and Nate planted tomatoes, green peppers, and jalepenos in the seed trays. There’s nothing like seeds to give you hope that spring will come. Now it’s on to building the hoop house in our garden so we’ll have somewhere to transplant these seedlings in about six weeks.
That man I married fifteen years ago today can do just about anything I tell you. He truly is the Renaissance Man as his coworkers aptly named him some years ago. Happy Anniversary Nate! I love you. And now I best go check those chicken eggs.
Happy anniversary!
One observance from my rack last year: I started with the lights 4-6 inches above the plant trays. At this height the light was more concentrated in the middle (since the fixture is narrower than the tray). To help with even light distribution, I rotated the pots in the tray every day. As the seedlings grow I raised the lights. Once higher, the light distribution evens out. I may choose to buy more fixtures and hang two side by side (so that the light width is the same as the plant tray width). But really, rotating the pots seemed to work just fine.
I’m so glad you did this project. Jeff bought that very bag of soil mix for me. Seeds are just about my very favorite thing.
Oh, much nicer than the floor in front of my back slider door! Good luck!
What a great idea! It makes me want to play in the dirt. Bailing twine, duct tape and a jack of all trades Renaissance man, the three essentials to living in the country.
Happy Anniversary. Good luck with the seeds. I can’t wait to hear how it all turns out.