🌱 As We Grow: Starting Our First Planting Series! 🌱

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in our As We Grow series, where we share real, step-by-step examples of indoor growing using the Kratky method. Each planting container is labelled and dated, making it easy for you to follow along—from seed starting and germination, all the way to harvest—and in some cases, even to the next generation of seeds!

Each of our six growing containers includes three plant pods, each holding the growing medium. We're using clay pebbles, but if you're building your own, you can also use small stones or gravel (4mm or smaller).

🌿 This Week's Plantings:

• Plant 1

• Plant 2

• Plant 3 (Full links to each plant’s Plant Share or Wellness In Action page will be included so you can easily learn about their health and wellness benefits!)

💧 Starting the Germination Process:

To begin, we mist the grow medium to provide enough moisture for the seeds. We also use removable humidity domes to help the seeds germinate. Once most plants develop their true leaves, we remove the domes—this allows more light and airflow, helping the plants grow stronger.

Even after dome removal, we’ll continue misting the medium to encourage the roots to reach down toward the nutrient solution.

🧪 Adding the Nutrient Solution:

Once the roots are ready, we introduce a mild nutrient solution to the container. A weaker mix at this stage helps reduce algae buildup and supports healthy root growth.

If you're not painting your containers, keep a close eye out—algae often starts in one spot and can quickly spread, slowing root development and harming the plant.

🔬 Our Basic Nutrient Mix (for 20L):

• 16g Masterblend Tomato Formula

• 8g Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom salt)

• 16g Calcium Nitrate

Mixing Steps:

1. Mix 4L of Masterblend in a bottle, shake until dissolved, and pour into your 20L bucket.

2. Mix 4L of Magnesium Sulphate, shake, and add.

3. Top up to 8L, stir, and then add another 8L of water.

4. Mix 4L of Calcium Nitrate, shake until mostly dissolved, and add.

5. Stir thoroughly.

We don’t pH adjust our solution—it’s simple and works well for us using the non-circulating Kratky method.

💡 Bonus Tip: Hydrogen Peroxide

We add a capful of hydrogen peroxide to our spray bottle when misting seeds—it helps with germination and neutralizes chlorine in tap water. If algae appears in your main container, clean it and add a capful of hydrogen peroxide to help protect the roots and reduce regrowth.

🌼 Exploring New Plants & Wild-Harvested Seeds:

Many of the seeds we grow aren’t found in stores. Some have been harvested from the wild, allowing us to expand our offerings with powerful, health-supporting plants.

We’re currently processing and preparing to grow:

• Motherwort

• White & Red Clover

• Blackcap Raspberry

• Asparagus

• Creeping Charlie

• Strawberry

And we’re actively seeking seeds for plants like Comfrey and more to add to our collection.

🌍 Join Us—Grow With Purpose!

This series isn’t just about gardening—it’s about showing what's truly possible, even from a small apartment. We're proving that with the right methods and mindset, anyone can grow their own food, improve their health, and create meaningful change.

🌱 Follow along as we share every step—the successes, the lessons, and the discoveries—so that you, too, can be part of a movement focused on health, self-reliance, and community love.

💚 LIFE – Love Is For Everyone 🍽️ FIFE – Food Is For Everyone