Starting seeds indoors is a rewarding and effective way to get a head start on your garden. However, it does take time and materials. Here's one way to cut down on the use of both.
It's best to start seeds in a dedicated seed-starting mix, because this offers the lightweight texture, moisture retention and sterility that germinating seeds require. However, it does not provide the nutrition that seedlings need once they've sprouted and begun to develop further, which is why we soon transplant them into a more robust growing medium. This task takes time, and the seed-starting mix is discarded having barely been used.
To use less seed-starting mix from the onset, and to skip the step of potting up into a fertile growing mix, try this trick:
Use slightly larger seed-starting pots or trays than you normally would. Fill them halfway with a regular, nutrient-rich, quick-draining potting soil (add a little perlite to improve drainage if you wish). Then fill the pots the rest of the way with your sterile seed-starting mix. This way your seeds will sprout within the seed-starting mixture. As the seedlings grow, their roots will push down into the fertile potting soil, giving them a nutritious boost.
