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Seed Starting 101 eBook is HERE!

April 2nd, 2013

After much work, it’s nice to announce that the Seed Starting 101 eBook is finally finished. After much debate about putting it out as a regular e-book for a few dollars on Amazon or somewhere else, I decided to offer it as a downloadable PDF for free. A big thanks to those of you who have donated to support our efforts.
seed starting 101 cover image
Inside the book, there are 20 pages filled with photos and information. I also included my chart on the shelf life of seeds.
free eBook pages
If you have any questions or find any mistakes, please let me know. With this format I can easily add things to the book if needed. Hopefully this is early enough for most of you. Feel free to pin this book and share it with others. I’m hoping more and more gardeners will find joy in nurturing their own garden plants from seed.

Have you already started seeds for the 2013 gardening season?

Download the Seed Starting 101 e-book PDF (12.2 MB)

25 Comments to “Seed Starting 101 eBook is HERE!”
  1. Jennifer Fisk on April 2, 2013 at 6:52 am

    Seed starting is the project of the day. I usually start tomatoes in mid March but a friend who gardens extensively for her own use and to sell told me she waits until early April to start them. I’ll probably start some broccoli too.
    It must be spring because my Rhubarb is up about an inch.

    Reply to Jennifer Fisk's comment

    • Susy on April 2, 2013 at 8:10 am

      No tomatoes here yet, I’ll wait to start those after tax day. I will be starting peppers though. Cabbages were started last week, broccoli and kale will be started this week. I’m still learning the best times to seed things here in Maine. I think I could have seeded kale a month ago because it could have been planted out last week.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  2. Chas on April 2, 2013 at 7:52 am

    Susy, how generous! Thanks so much. I have gardened for a while now, but there is so much to learn and I know I will learn a lot from you through this. Thanks again!
    Blessings to you guys!
    Chas

    Reply to Chas's comment

  3. Kay on April 2, 2013 at 8:54 am

    That is very kind of you!

    Thanks.

    Reply to Kay's comment

  4. Isabelle Goyer on April 2, 2013 at 9:11 am

    Thank you very much! It is so generous to share your knowledge… It will help me get started!!

    Have a beautiful day! :-)

    Reply to Isabelle Goyer's comment

  5. Kiskin on April 2, 2013 at 9:25 am

    A wonderful wonderful e-book! And so thorough – loads of interesting and useful information! Thank you!

    I am a winter sowing convert myself, and have already sown many lettuces, cabbages, peas, chards, kales, herbs and flowers – they are all sitting in their containers outside, in the snow. I wish it would melt already!

    I am also much into biodynamics and am waiting for the right day to winter sow my tomatoes. :)

    Reply to Kiskin's comment

  6. Kate on April 2, 2013 at 9:26 am

    This is wonderful! Thanks so much.

    Reply to Kate's comment

  7. tj on April 2, 2013 at 9:28 am

    …I had to come out of the shadows to say, “thank you”! This is very informative and something I will definitely use. I have various books, articles on the subject but it can become confusing the more you read because everyone has their own method. I know I’ve often thought that you should write an actual “book”, I’d buy it as so would so many others. Just my humble opinion, no pressure. *wink*wink*nudge*nudge* ;o)

    …Again, thank you!

    …Have a wonderful rest o’ the week you two!

    …Peace & blessings. :o)

    Reply to tj's comment

  8. Kaytee on April 2, 2013 at 10:02 am

    Thank you so much Susy. Even after starting most of my own seeds for the past 4 years, it’s still nice to see what other experienced gardeners are doing and to learn something new. I have most of my seeds started already except for tomatoes and some flowers (peppers just got started).

    Reply to Kaytee's comment

  9. Momma Fargo on April 2, 2013 at 10:20 am

    OMG! What a beautiful book. I downloaded it right away! Thank you so much. I can’t wait to read it!

    Reply to Momma Fargo's comment

  10. amy on April 2, 2013 at 10:25 am

    Thank you:) I have started about everything…..but like a few others stated….There is so much information out that it is quite confusing!…..So having one resource from someone you trust and know…..knows their stuff…..well….that is fantastic!…..I do have a question…..why does it always seem to take forever for the peppers to germinate?

    ps…..I made good use of the chart on the shelf life of seeds you posted earlier in the year…..Saved me much aggravation…especially regarding the onion family! Blessings.

    Reply to amy's comment

  11. Sarah R. on April 2, 2013 at 10:51 am

    Thank you so much! I can’t wait to read through it!

    I’ve started some tomatoes and broccoli already this year, and I’m pretty excited that (so far, anyway) the seedlings appear to be doing much better this year than last year, when I had complete seedling failure.

    Reply to Sarah R.'s comment

  12. Maybelline on April 2, 2013 at 12:48 pm

    This is a lot of beautiful work. You really should go the e-book route.

    Reply to Maybelline's comment

  13. Colleen on April 2, 2013 at 1:00 pm

    Susy I have been watching and waiting for your e-book. Thank you for the time and energy you have put into this book. I have been gardening for several years, but there is always more to learn and new ideas to try.

    Once the seed catalogs start showing up in the mail box it’s so difficult to wait to start seeds. Living in the PNW we have been able to start quite a few vegetables. We have peas, carrots, swiss chard, broccoli, cabbage and lettuce in the garden. With your encouragement to purchase a heat mat, and Dr Earth Orgnaic Starter Fertilizer, I already have an abundance of little seedlings waiting indoors for the next step. I am most excited about the pepper seedlings, we saved seed from one of our favorite peppers last year and the seeds are growing.

    Thank you to both you and Brian, I have learned so much from the two of you and look forward each Monday to a new podcast and your daily blog.

    Reply to Colleen's comment

  14. DebbieB on April 2, 2013 at 1:16 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge, gathered all in one place like this.

    Reply to DebbieB's comment

  15. Carolyn on April 2, 2013 at 3:34 pm

    I am anxious to read your book. Yes, I have started my garden from seed. Living in sunny California and having grow lights I get to start early.

    Tomatoes, squash, lettuce, spinach, onions, peppers, beans, snap peas, cucumbers, basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro and first time- Celery from seed. Already in the ground and growing wonderfully.

    Harvested spinach and lettuce this morning. I have also shared my seedlings with friends and a neighborhood garden.

    Reply to Carolyn's comment

  16. Wendy on April 2, 2013 at 3:49 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing; I can only imagine how much hard work this was.

    I used several tips from the podcast you did about starting seeds; so far I have brassicas, lettuce, and spinach sprouting up in my garage. Outdoors so far i’ve planted peas, spinach, and beets. Hoping to get some carrots, lettuce, and Swiss chard in the ground today.

    Reply to Wendy's comment

  17. Dillon on April 2, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Thank you! I dropped a fiver in your donation pay pal because you offered such a beautiful resource for free. I really appreciate it.

    Reply to Dillon's comment

    • Susy on April 2, 2013 at 7:56 pm

      Thanks so much, we appreciate the support. Now off to work on the next eBook!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  18. KimH on April 4, 2013 at 11:24 am

    Looking forward to reading your book when I get a moment or get back home.. I dont care how much a person knows.. you can always learn something new every day…

    I’ve got peppers, tomato, cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts under lights at home in the basement.. and that is all I got up before I had to leave town… I’ll be starting a lot more when I get home.

    It was a bad time for me to go out of town but you cant tell babies when to be born. I have a brand new 1.5 week old granddaughter and Im in Texas for a couple weeks. <3

    I also have a bunch of milk jugs Im using to try out winter sowing.. and I've got all manner of things in them.. veggies, herbs, flowers, etc.. I'd love to find this to be a viable and super easy way to sow plants.
    So far, they just look like milk jugs with dirt in them. ;)

    Reply to KimH's comment

  19. Charlotte on April 6, 2013 at 10:31 am

    Thank you for sharing this; I would gladly have paid for this, and I know that you know many of us would have. It *is* very generous of you to make it free. We appreciate it.

    Reply to Charlotte's comment

  20. MountainMisty on April 16, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    I’m signed up to support the podcast and blog thru a monthy paypal subscription. I did feel I inclined to provide a small extra contribution for the seed starting eBook though…because I believe in value for value. :) It is a beautiful eBook and it was very generous of you to provide it for free. Love your podcast, blog and all of your efforts.

    Reply to MountainMisty's comment

    • Susy on April 16, 2013 at 7:59 pm

      Thanks so much, we really appreciate the support. I’m getting started on the second eBook now.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  21. Janine @ RusticKitchen on April 18, 2013 at 6:01 pm

    Susy, thanks for this lovely primer. I can’t wait to see what sprouts in your garden this year!

    Reply to Janine @ RusticKitchen's comment

  22. Donna McFarland on July 1, 2013 at 5:16 am

    You’re fantastic…what an angel you truly are! Thank you…times a thousand for helping so many! As a struggling newbie at the gardening experience, it’s a complete God-send to find this! :)

    Reply to Donna McFarland's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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