Grow Seedlings without Grow Lights

In this blog post, I want to share a neat little trick to help you grow your seedlings without needing grow lights. As a gardener, I know that you need grow lights to grow healthy, nice, and straight seedlings. However, not everyone has access to grow lights, and they can be expensive to buy. That's why I am going to show you how to grow your seedlings using just cardboard boxes and aluminum foil.

First, you need to get a cardboard box. You can use any cardboard box you have, but I find that fruit boxes from grocery stores work best. They are sturdy and thin, which is perfect for putting them on window sills. You can also use bigger boxes to even the entire tray of plants in there.

The next step is to line the cardboard box with aluminum foil. The shiny side of the aluminum foil reflects light, making it perfect for growing seedlings. Cut the aluminum foil to the sides of the cardboard box and press the aluminum foil gently at the back of the cardboard box to line the cardboard box completely. Use tape to secure the aluminum foil in place.

Once your cardboard box is lined with aluminum foil, you can add your six cell packs right into the box. You can also place a six cell pack into a mushroom container, which catches water so that it doesn't make a mess. You can then make a stand out of two by fours to make the box multi-layered into two layers so that you can add your plants on the bottom and on the top.

The light reflecting from the back of the cardboard box helps to grow the seedlings healthy and straight. Having the stand in the box helps to maximize the space used in the box as well. You can place the box right on the windowsill or next to a glass door to catch the maximum amount of sunlight that falls on the window. You can also elevate the box by placing it on top of another box so that the box faces the glass. This way, the plants can soak up all the sunlight that comes through the door.

I also lined the insides of the big box completely with aluminum foil as well, and you can place the entire seed starting tray inside this box. You can place this box right next to a window or a glass door and grow 38 to 64 seedlings depending on the number of cells in your tray, all without needing to buy any grow lights.

This method works great, and I have used it to grow seedlings all throughout the winter indoors, right next to my window or windowsill. However, if you live up north, where you don't get any sunlight during winters, or you only get one or two hours of sunlight, then you might need grow lights to grow your seedlings in winter or early spring before you can plant them in spring and get a head start on growing a vegetable garden.

In conclusion, this little trick can help you grow your seedlings without needing grow lights, which can be expensive to buy. All you need is a cardboard box and some aluminum foil, and you're good to go. I hope you found this blog post helpful and that you can grow lots of seedlings without needing to buy any grow lights. Happy gardening!