Growing Seed Starts in the Arizona Desert & Transplanting Them into Our Wicking Beds
Growing food in the Arizona desert isn’t for the faint of heart. Between scorching summer temperatures, freezing winter nights, and relentless winds, every season brings a new challenge. But over the years, we’ve learned that creating protected growing environments gives our plants the best possible start.
In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how we grow our vegetable seedlings in our greenhouse before transplanting them into our self-watering wicking beds here at Get Fascinated Family Ranch.
If you’d like to follow along, be sure to watch the video that accompanies this article.
Why We Start Seeds in the Greenhouse
Our greenhouse gives seedlings the chance to establish healthy roots before they’re exposed to the harsh desert elements.
The Arizona desert can be unforgiving. Summer temperatures regularly climb above 110°F, winter nights can become surprisingly cold, and the wind seems determined to test everything we’ve built.
By giving our seedlings a protected environment during their early stages of growth, we greatly increase their chances of becoming strong, productive plants.
We’ve also learned that using shade cloth makes a tremendous difference during the hotter months. Different vegetables benefit from different percentages of shade, and finding what works has been invaluable. During colder months, we use plastic coverings as windbreaks and to help trap warmth.
Growing beautiful seedlings doesn’t mean much if they can’t survive once they leave the greenhouse.
Learning Through Trial and Error
Gardening has taught me one lesson over and over again: failure is simply another opportunity to learn.
I’ve had plenty of successes, but I’ve also made my fair share of mistakes. Every failed crop pushes me to understand what happened so I can improve the next time around.
One thing I’ve discovered is that protecting plants from cold is often easier than protecting them from extreme heat. You can add warmth when temperatures drop, but when everything is baking under the desert sun, there’s only so much you can do.
Since we don’t have a well, our irrigation water is stored in large totes. During the summer, the water can become incredibly hot—hot enough to stress the plants when watering. They definitely let you know when they aren’t happy!
Our Ongoing Pepper Challenge
People always say peppers love the heat.
Well… ours haven’t gotten that memo yet.
Ramon and I cook with peppers all the time, so growing them successfully is important to us. Even though they continue to challenge us, I’m not giving up. One of our biggest off-grid goals is growing as much of our own food as possible, and peppers are definitely staying on that list.
Tomatoes Have Been Much Kinder
Thankfully, tomatoes have treated us much better.
We’ve had great success with several different varieties, especially cherry tomatoes. They seem to thrive in our garden.
Now, my beefsteak tomatoes don’t exactly look like the giant beefsteaks they’re supposed to be. They may be smaller than expected, but they make up for it with fantastic flavor. I’ll happily keep working on improving their size while enjoying every harvest.
Greens Love the Garden… Until the Aphids Arrive
Leafy greens grow wonderfully in our gardens.
Unfortunately, so do aphids.
As soon as temperatures begin climbing, they seem to show up overnight. Since we grow organically, controlling them takes persistence and creativity. It’s a constant battle, but one that’s absolutely worth fighting if you want healthy, chemical-free vegetables.
Let’s Plant Some Seedlings!
When I start my seedlings, I begin with an 11-pound compressed block of coco coir.
We usually purchase ours through Home Depot because the price has been very reasonable, although you can also find it from Amazon and other gardening suppliers. Most of our seeds come from True Leaf Market.
So, what exactly is coco coir?
Coco coir is made from the outer husk of coconuts. It’s an organic growing medium that’s clean, lightweight, and easy to work with. We’ve been using it to grow our microgreens for over five years with excellent results.
Because it’s a sterile growing medium, you generally don’t have to worry about insects or unwanted pests. It’s also commonly used by mushroom growers and even reptile owners as bedding.
Preparing the Growing Medium
Simply add water to the compressed coco coir until it expands into a soft, fluffy texture.
I fill 2-inch by 2-inch black plastic nursery pots almost to the top without packing the material down too tightly. Then I place 32 pots into a standard 10-inch by 20-inch nursery tray without drainage holes.
Now we’re ready to plant.
Planting the Seeds
I use a thick Sharpie marker to make a planting hole roughly half an inch deep in each pot.
There are lots of ways to plant seeds. Some gardeners use seed dispensers or seed wheels designed for different seed sizes. Others simply use their fingers.
Personally, I use a simple little metal seed scoop that cost around a dollar. I’ve used it for several years and absolutely love it.
I pour a handful of seeds into my palm, scoop up three to five seeds, and drop them into each planting hole. As soon as I finish a hole, I cover it immediately with my finger.
Why?
Because I get distracted.
The dog walks in.
Ramon asks me a question.
My mind wanders.
Covering each hole immediately lets me know I’ve already planted that one.
The beauty of gardening is that there’s no single “correct” method. Find what works best for you and stick with it.
Don’t Forget Your Plant Labels
You can fill all 32 pots with one vegetable or mix several different varieties together.
Either way, label everything.
Many seedlings look nearly identical during their first few weeks of growth, and it’s much easier to identify them while planting than trying to guess later.
Why I Plant More Than One Seed
When I first started gardening, I followed the common advice of planting one or two seeds per cell.
Sometimes nothing germinated.
After spending time preparing trays only to end up with empty pots, I decided to change my approach.
Now I usually plant three to five seeds per pot.
If they all sprout, great! I can thin them later or leave multiple plants together if I’m growing leafy greens.
For me, that method has worked much better.
A Helpful Germination Tip
One trick that’s worked really well for us is clipping the very tip off larger seeds like pumpkins, zucchini, and squash before planting.
Doing this often helps them absorb moisture more quickly and speeds up germination.
Watering New Seedlings
After planting, I give everything a gentle mist or light shower.
The goal is to thoroughly moisten the growing medium without washing away the seeds.
During the winter, I generally water once per day.
During the summer, I usually water twice a day because the desert heat dries everything out so quickly.
Watching Them Come to Life
Most vegetable seedlings begin emerging within five to seven days.
Watching those tiny stems push through the soil never gets old.
Some appear bright green while others have beautiful shades of red or purple.
Squash and zucchini often emerge wearing their seed shells like little helmets.
As cute as they are, seedlings are also very delicate. Never let them completely dry out, especially during hot weather. Once they wilt severely, they often don’t recover.
The First Transplant
Every vegetable grows at its own pace, but eventually each one reaches the point where it’s ready for a larger home.
At that stage, I transplant each seedling into a one-gallon nursery pot.
This allows the root system to develop further before facing the harsher outdoor environment.
I consider this my version of “hardening off.”
The plants usually remain in those pots for another two to four weeks, depending on the variety. During that time they develop stronger stems, larger root systems, and become much more resilient. I’ll often prune or trim them as they grow so they’re already accustomed to being handled.
By the time they’re ready for our wicking beds, they’re no longer fragile little babies.
They’re teenagers.
Strong.
Healthy.
Ready to thrive.
From there, all we can do is give them good soil, consistent water, sunshine, nutrients, protection when needed, and a little patience.
Hopefully, they’ll reward us with baskets full of fresh vegetables.
And that’s a win-win for everyone.
Thanks for Getting Fascinated with me today!
Watch the Video
Want to see this entire process from start to finish?
Watch our YouTube video as I demonstrate exactly how we plant our seed starts and prepare them for life in our desert garden.
If you’re following your own off-grid or homesteading journey, we’d love to have you along. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, explore more articles here on our website, and join our email list to receive our free Off-Grid Ranch Starter Guide and future gardening tips.
