The Rusted Garden Blog

You don't have to spend a lot of money on specific grow-lights for seed starting plants indoors. You often pay 2 or 3 times more for a product that is labelled a grow-light. You can make the lights yourself by simply buying the correct fluorescent tubes or LED lights. You can find them at any hardware store. The money you save can be used to buy seeds and seed starting supplies. Here is the video that covers this blog post.   I am describing a lighting system that is for growing transplants. We aren't using these light for fruiting and...

Growing tomatoes is a little more than digging a hole and planting it, but not as complicated as many make it out to be. Here is a list of tips that will help you grow large, productive and healthy tomato plants. The video covers all the main points in detail. 1) Purple stems and undersides of leaves are normal and a sign of a healthy plant when the rest of it is green. 2) Purple veining and yellowing can be a sign of under nutrition or over fertilizing. It is important to feed your plants low and steady amounts of...

You can grow wonderful tomato transplants without grow-lights and you can use this same method with other flowers, herbs and vegetables. It is pretty simple. The video explains the principle and shows you examples of vegetables grown using this method. In short... take the seed flats out during the day when it is not freezing and conditions are good and bring them in at night.  You need grow-lights indoors because a window doesn't provide enough direct light and your seed starts will get tall and leggy. Taking them outside during the day, addresses this issue by exposing them to the...

I answers all those questions (30+) everyone asks about starting herbs, flowers and vegetables in doors under grow-lights. Questions like... How long do I leave the lights on? Can I use a window? When do I water? Do I have to start them in small cells? What is a seed flat? How do I use a heat mat? How many grow lights do I need? A great video for those of you just getting started in well... indoor seed starting. Check out the video for more information and detailed answers. If you watch the video through my YT Channel and...