Starting Seeds In Small Spaces

I live in a very small (some would call it "tiny") house, and am starting to plan my garden. Which means starting some seeds indoors or in a greenhouse. I was speaking with my friend about it, and she suggested looking into a method called Seed Snails.So while I was researching anyway, I figured I'd share my findings with you in case anyone else out there is interested!

Seed Snails are a space-saving method of starting your seeds indoors. They also prevent seedlings from becoming root bound. All that is required is: soil, water, wrap material, container to hold "snails," and seeds.

 

Prepare Your Wrap Material

For your wrap material, use something that won’t break down with moisture, such as foam wrap or some sort of large sheet plastic that you're about to throw out. For example: a bag of dog food! Whatever material you choose, cut it into long sheets, around 6" x 18" or longer.

 

Add Your Soil

When you have your sheet of wrap laid out in front of you horizontally, take your soil mix (make sure it is nice and moist), and put a layer of it across the entire wrap. Approximately 1/2" thick will do the trick. Leave a bit of space at the far end of the wrap.

 

Roll Your Snail

Now that the wrap is covered in soil, roll it into a tight spiral starting from the end that is covered in soil.

 

Prepare Soil, Plant Seeds

Hold your roll/snail upright and tamp down the soil in the roll so that it is flat and level, making it easier to plant your seeds. Now plant your seeds according to the regular instructions. If you need more soil, just unroll the snail and add more! Then roll it back up. Roots will grow downwards and not out very far due to the narrow but deep space available.

 

Cover with something to keep the heat in, such as a reused plastic bag, and wait for those seedlings to sprout and grow before it’s time to transplant.

 

Store in a container that will catch any water that seeps out. You can store as many seed snails together as you can fit!

 

Check out our friends at Sima's Roots Fruits and Bear Roots Forest if you're looking for workshops, online classes, or thinking about ordering plants for this spring!

 

Happy planning & planting!

Miriam