I recently got interested in gardening, and I am currently at the very beginning of it all: the seedlings phase. The number of resources I have read and watched just to make this work is, I think, borderline unhealthy. Maybe it is best to write them all down here: what I went through and what I have learned so far from this new activity I have found myself into.

Why I Finally Decided to Use My Apartment Balcony

This is the first apartment I have ever lived in that comes with a balcony. I moved in at the end of last summer, and those early autumn days out there were some of my favorites: working, sipping coffee, watching people walk by or catching the tram coming and going. Then winter arrived, long and brutal and cold, and the balcony became a place I could only stare at from inside. Well, classic Finland’s winter, what did I expect? Therefore, I genuinely miss my time in balcony. So when the warmer seasons started feeling closer, I made a promise to myself that I am going to give that balcony a better set up to enjoy.

Part of giving better one meant making it feel alive. Plants, I thought. Some greens out there. And as a bonus, my desk faces the balcony. So whatever grows outside becomes a living backdrop to my whole workday. A view worth sitting down to.

What Seeds I Chose to Grow and Why I Started with My Grocery List

Since the end of winter I had been turning over the question of what to plant. I wanted something I could actually harvest, something with a tangible reward at the end. Of course, I knew I would already love just seeing green things growing around me but having something to eat from it felt like a good extra reason to care. So I did what made the most sense: I checked my grocery list.

Chilli was right there at the top, as expected. I eat chilli in almost everything, so it became my first priority. I went to a local store that had a generous shelf of seed selections and picked two chilli species, both sitting close to the spice levels I grew up with back home: Capsicum annuum and Capsicum chinense. While I was looking at the available potting soils for them, I noticed that the soil suited for chilli works just as well for tomatoes. That felt like an open invitation to grab a cherry tomato seed too. I picked Solanum lycopersicum.

Then, somewhere else on that same shelf, I found a basil variety with a lemon scent. Ocimum basilicum L. It reminded me immediately of a basil from my home country that I almost never find in local supermarkets here. Into the basket it went.

Four seeds total: two chilli species, one cherry tomato, one lemon basil.

Beginner Mistakes I Made and What I Learned from Starting Seeds Indoors

Now, I mentioned I am a complete beginner at this. And looking back at how I started, I did make some mistakes along the way. So I want to write down what I have learned for my future self, and for anyone else who is just as new to this as I am.

How to Plant Seeds in a Propagator for the First Time

Use a small propagator, or any small container that fits seedlings. Fill it with soil up to the rim, then make a little hole with your finger, a pen, the back of a spoon, whatever is closest. Drop the seed in, then cover with the soil. Spray the soil until you can see it dampen but stop well before it becomes waterlogged. Pour a little water into the tray beneath the propagator too. Then close the lid. That enclosed humidity is exactly what the seeds need to wake up at that stage.

How Often to Water Seedlings and What to Actually Watch For

Every two to three days, or whenever the soil is starting to almost dry out. Always check the water level underneath the propagator and refill it when it runs low.

When to Open the Propagator Lid and How to Give Seedlings Enough Light and Air

The moment you see something pushing up through the soil, open the lid. The intense humidity has done its job. What the seedlings need now is light as much and as close as possible. If you are doing this indoors, set up a grow light and keep it near. Give them wind too. A small fan nearby works well, mimicking the outdoor conditions that naturally strengthen the stem. Think of it like sending them to the gym. If you do not have a fan, some sources suggest gently touching the seedlings a few times a day. It sounds strange, but the idea holds up.

Waiting for True Leaves: What Comes Next After Germination

Right now I am in the waiting stage where I monitor for the true leaves to appear, which is the signal that the seedlings are ready to be moved into their own pots. I find myself checking on them more than I probably should, but aren’t those what most of gardeners, especially the beginner ones, do?