A Step-by-Step Guide for Growing a Fire Escape Garden: Step 2

Even though it’s mid-February, I’m already getting started on planting my fire escape garden. I live in Zone 7 (according to this gardening zone map), so I’m starting the seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last chance of frost. They’ll be ready for transplanting outdoors in mid-April.

Step 2: Setting Up The Seedling Nursery

My goal with seed starting is to spend as little money as possible without sabotaging my seedlings. I want to avoid buying special garden products and substitute household items when I can (according to the tips in Yankee Magazine’s “Pantyhose, Hot Peppers, Tea Bags, and More-for the Garden: 1,001 Ingenious Ways to Use Common Household Items to Control Weeds, Beat … and Save Time”. So, for the past couple of months, I’ve been saving the following supplies for seed starting on a budget:

• Egg cartons
• Yogurt and butter containers
• Coffee cans
• Crushed tomato cans (28-oz. size)
• 2-liter plastic seltzer bottles

To make seed-starting trays to vaguely resemble these fancy Burpee trays, I cut off the lids of the egg cartons and set the egg-shaped trays inside the overturned lids. I also poked drainage holes in the egg cups with the tip of a pencil. I plan on planting four egg trays’ worth of seeds.

Later, I’ll transplant the seedlings to the yogurt cups and coffee cans filled with potting soil and fertilizer. The final step will be transplanting the seedlings to their permanent home pots on the fire escape, covered with individual “greenhouses” made out of 2-liter bottles with the bottoms cut off, just until they get their bearings in the new environment.

But first things first: with the egg trays awaiting their seeds, I went to Home Depot and purchased a big bag of Miracle-Gro seed starting mix ($3.67) and 3 seed packets: Burpee’s “California Wonder” bell peppers ($0.95) and Italian parsley ($1.07) and a packet of Ferry-Morse “Kentucky Lake” pole beans ($1.07). Notice that the seed prices at Home Depot were much cheaper than buying direct from the Burpee web site!

I also realized that I would need a light source to encourage germination. My southern-facing windows, while sunny, wouldn’t offer enough hours of sunlight for sturdy plants. I coughed up $39.49 for a Hydrofarm 2-Foot Jump Start Grow Light Systemon eBay, which is basically a full-spectrum fluorescent light with reflector hood and a metal stand on which to mount the light. The light can be lowered or raised according to the height of the seedlings. I easily assembled the kit and placed it on top of my fridge, since seeds need warmth for germination and the top of one’s refrigerator is a constantly warm (and cheap) nursery.

Next, I filled the egg trays with seed starting mix and used a plastic fork to gently plant the seeds in each little cup. I reused some plastic plant labels to keep track of which seeds were in each cup. I planted 12 cups of peppers and 6 cups each of parsley, basil, arugula and Swiss chard from seeds I already had. I’m going to plant the beans directly in the pots outside in April, and I have yet to buy the tomato seeds.

In addition to light and warmth, seeds also need humidity to sprout. Taking a tip from Yankee Magazine, I took a dry-cleaning bag that was in my coat closet and cut it in half crosswise. I tied one end of each section with a twist tie, then slid the seeded egg trays into the plastic and twist-tied the other end. The plastic will keep the soil moist and help germination – and it didn’t cost anything beyond my once-a-year dry-cleaning bill. Once the seeds sprout I’m going to remove the bags and keep the seed trays watered. Stay tuned!

More from Metro Cheapo’s Fire Escape Garden Guide
Step 1: Choosing Your Plants
Step 2: Setting Up the Nursery
Step 3: Taking Care of Seedlings
Step 4: Transplanting Seedlings
Step 5: Hardening Off
Step 6: Maintenance (coming soon)