This blog was originally posted on Monikahibbs.com. All rights are credited to Monika Hibbs.
If you’re planning a garden and thinking of starting from seeds, now is the time to start! This is
my second year of planting from seeds, so I’m a little less intimidated and have a better sense
of what worked and what didn’t in my garden. If you’re interested in what I planted before, you
can check out a post I made last summer with a legend of the layout of our garden beds.
Without a doubt, seeding is a time consuming process that requires planning and patience, but
the process is fairly simple once you get the hang of it. There are great resources online at
PlantSomethingBC.ca by the BC Landscape and Nursery Association and on YouTube where
you can find advice and guidance. You can also head to your local garden centre or nursery to
help you get started. Workers are super knowledgeable about what grows well locally and can
steer you in the right direction on different varieties of plants. Make sure you grab whatever
seeds, trays, and dirt you’ll need while you’re there.
Seeds are also very affordable, and it’s surprising how quickly they can fill up your garden. I’ve
learned that less is definitely not more when it comes to planting, and always seem to need
more than I thought. I noticed last year I would buy five trays of seedlings that seemingly
disappeared once I started planting. Although the time investment in planting seeds is greater,
the bounty is also so much larger.
One thing to keep in mind during seeding is the time pockets of when things are blooming and
sprouting, so you can enjoy a nice variety in your garden from spring to the fall. The time
investment you put into your garden now, with all the additional planning, maintenance, and
babying the seeds and seedlings, will be so worth it when everything is in bloom.
While I seeded both flowers and vegetables last year, I found the most joy from my flower
gardens. Creating a bouquet from flowers I had grown was incredibly rewarding, and there’s
such satisfaction and a sense of pride in growing your own flowers.
My mum and I both love gardening, and it’s great to be able to share some of the work between
the two of us. If you can, I recommend planning your garden with a friend. They can plant half of
what you’d like and you can both share in the rewards.
The perfect spring and summer activity, gardening has quickly become a favourite hobby of
mine. I can easily get lost in the process, escaping into my garden to enjoy quiet moments away
from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.
This project is supported by the BC Government’s Buy BC Partnership Program; delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC with funding from the Government of British Columbia.
The Government of British Columbia is committed to working with industry partners. Opinions expressed in this document are those of Monik Hibbs and not necessarily those of the Government of British Columbia or the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.
