Seed starting: growing your own vegetables from seed

Starting vegetables from seed can save money and give you access to thousands of vegetable varieties not available as transplants. We will start with a discussion of the history of seed saving and then learn which seeds are best planted directly in the ground and how and when to start them. Then we will move on to talk about seed that are best started indoors, including the importance of cleanliness, viability, seed starting mixes, containers, how many seeds to plant and how deeply, watering, fertilizing and providing light and heat for your seedlings. We will discuss hardening off seedlings and how to transplant them into the garden. Together we will mix up a seed plating medium and participants will plant several 6-packs of seeds to take home. A resource list will be provided.

The class starts at 10am and finishes at 1pm.

Instructor: Birgitt Evans

Location: Alameda, High Street

The Institute of Urban Homesteading's classroom is a gathering place to research, ferment and learn together. We feature small class sizes and experiential learning.

Our mission is to

Offer affordable classes in the art of living in an urban environment

Preserve a slower, more intentional, more sustainable and more pleasurable way of life

Rescue the lost arts of the garden, the kitchen and things done by hand

Imbue everyday tasks with wonder and beauty

Promote self-determination and the ability of each person to educate themselves

The Institute of Urban Homesteading is a response to current interest in food security, localization and self-determination. We are riding the wave of a massive global movement to change our relationship to food and resources. Necessary components of this movement are small-scale person-to-person, person-to-land based projects. IUH seeks to fill this need and to model sustainable, local direct-action through education. We intend to conserve both personal and global resources by staying home and tending the garden.

So please come on down to our kitchen garden and workshop to learn with us and teach us. Let's make friends, grow food and expand the urban knowledge base!