What Every Seed Starting Squad Member Needs to Know... (FAQs)
What Every Seed Starting Squad Member Needs to Know....
1) Why does Growing Hope need my help?
We need your help growing vegetable seedlings in your home because without you, we do not have heated indoor space to start enough plants for our programming, to share and distribute widely in the community, and for our education and demonstration urban farm site at the Growing Hope Center. We need 75 households to participate in our Seed Starting Squad program this year, in order to grow nearly 8000 seedlings!
2) Tell me the basics- what does it mean to be a Seed Starting Squad member?
As a Seed Starting Squad member volunteer, you will learn indoor seed starting basics using a light stand and care for 2 flats of Growing Hope plants at your home for 4 weeks. Growing Hope provides the seeds, trays, and soil mix for the trays you are growing for us. You will also have room to grow an additional 2 flats for yourself! Growing Hope will not be able to provide materials for any trays you grow for your own needs. Light stands are available to borrow or purchase.
3) Sounds wonderful- how does it work exactly?
After you register as a Growing Gardens Member, you will be assigned a Saturday seed starting workshop appointment date and time in March or April (see below for dates and times). At the workshop you will: 1) Learn hands-on seed starting instructional basics 2) Plant and take home 2 flats of vegetable, herb, or flower seeds to germinate and grow for Growing Hope 3) Learn how to assemble a simple indoor light stand, and 4) Borrow or purchase a light stand to take home with you (if you do not have one already). Over the next 3 weeks, you will germinate and grow seedlings in your home, and return them to us on your assigned return date.
4) Do I need to have had any experience starting seeds indoors?
No, you do not need to have had any experience. We hope that this will be a great way for you to learn some seed starting basics and to give you the confidence and materials you need to get started this year! We are grateful to also have more experienced seed starters on the team as well, and welcome a range of skill levels. We will provide detailed information about the day-to-day care of your seedlings and be available to help answer your questions by phone once you are growing at home.
5) Do I need to have my own light stand?
No, we have a limited quantity of light stands available for Seed Starting Squad members to borrow. Light stands are also available for purchase!
6) What physical indoor space do I need for the light stand and plants?
Our light stand footprint is 4.5 feet by 2.5 feet and they are 3 feet tall. They are built so that the plant tray flats sit directly onto the floor or a table below the lights. We recommend you have a safe place for your seedlings and light stand- it should be free of dogs, cats or small and curious toddlers. If you do not have an extension cord, it will need to be quite close to an outlet with two available 3-pronged plugs.
7) Do I get to keep any of the seedlings that I grow?
You will have space to grow a total of 4 flats with your lightstand - 2 for us and 2 for you! Growing Hope will provide all the supplies you need to grow the 2 flats you will return to us. We will not provide materials for the trays you are growing for your own needs. Seedlings will be available for sale at our spring plant sale on May 11th & 12th.
8) How much time will this take?
You will participate in a 1.5 hour seed starting workshop to learn how to plant your seeds, pick up your Growing Hope trays and seed planting materials and light stand components (if you don’t already have one). For the 4 weeks you care for your seedlings, plan to spend approximately 10 minutes per day with them. This small, regular time commitment includes watering, general light stand maintenance, and observation of the growth of your plants. You will also need to plan a 20 minute trip to drop off your seedlings (and light stand if you borrowed one) back at the Growing Hope Center on your assigned return date, 4 weeks after your planting day.
9) How much will this cost?
This year we're asking again that all Seed Starting Squad members become a Growing Gardens Member, for which the membership fee is $5-40. Membership benefits include 2 FREE coupons for Growing Hope workshops, a Quarterly newlsetter, acess to Growing Hope's tool lending and library, and more! More details about membership benefits are available by clicking here or by giving us a call.
10) When and where are the seed starting workshop planting and seedling return dates this year?
You will be assigned to a workshop time of either 10:30am-12pm or 1-2:30pm. Seedlings must be returned between 10am-2pm on your assigned return date. The planting workshops will be held outdoors in the hoophouse at the Growing Hope Center, located at 922 W. Michigan Ave. Ypsilanti, MI 48198
You will be asked to give us your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice of the following Saturday date options:
- Workshop #1 - March 17th with Return Date April 14th
- Workshop #2 – March 31st with Return Date April 28th
- Workshop #3 – April 14th with Return Date May 7-9th
11) Sounds wonderful- how do I get started?
Call Growing Hope at (734) 786-8401 and speak with our volunteer coordinator, Ed or go directly to fill out an application form to become a Member of Growing Gardens!