When should you get started?
- February is the optimal time to seed leeks, onions, and celery.
- Early to mid-March is the best time to plant early season cold-tolerant plants like broccoli, cabbage, and head lettuce, and long-season heat-loving plants like peppers, okra, and eggplant.
- If you mainly just start tomatoes at home, you can wait until early April.
What is the easiest way to start seeds?
These elements are among the most important information to look for:
- Planting time: Most seed packets will tell you quite clearly if the seeds can or should be started indoors. ...
- Days to maturity: This will tell you how long the plants take to produce edible fruit or ornamental flowers. ...
- Light and water needs: The seed package will tell you if the seeds need lots of light. ...
When should seeds be started indoors?
What is the planting date when a seed package says to plant in early spring “as soon as the soil can be worked?” A. That depends on how wet or well drained your soil is. In raised beds with well-drained soil, that could be late February or early March. Wait until April if your soil is heavy with clay.
When should I start planting in my garden?
What to plant
- Spring garden. Popular spring lettuces include spinach and arugula. These tender greens need to be planted early in the spring.
- Fall garden. Kale is a good plant for fall or winter gardens because in the cooler temperatures, it loses some of its bitterness.
- Other plants. Herbs are tasty additions to your garden but are best in their own season. ...
What are the steps in planting a seed?
Seven Steps, from Seed to Garden
- Get the timing right. The goal with seed starting is to have your seedlings ready to go outside when the weather is favorable.
- Find the right containers. ...
- Prepare the potting soil. ...
- Start Planting. ...
- Water, feed, repeat. ...
- Light, light, light! ...
- Move seedlings outdoors gradually. ...
How to determine when to plant vegetables?
You need to know your local growing season. Once you find your average frost free date, plug that date into the chart and use it to calculate when to plant vegetables.
When should I start onions?
I don't like the extra hassle of starting seeds super early, so I don't sow seeds until around mid March – except for onions, which I sometimes start in February.
Why do we need a planting schedule?
A planting schedule can help you to spread your planting out so you don't feel rushed. When you try to cram too much to do in too little time, it doesn't get done properly. Vegetable gardening should help relieve stress, not cause it. In this article, I'll share when to start seeds indoors and outdoors, with charts for fall and spring.
How to harden off seedlings?
To harden off seedlings, I place them outside in a protected location on a nice day. Indirect sunlight out of strong winds is best to start. Make sure they are not in strong direct sunlight.
Why do I sort my seeds into crop families?
I like to sort my seeds into crop families, because when you grow plants that are similar, they have similar care needs.
When transplanting a plant into the garden, is it best to pick a slightly overcast or windy day?
When transplanting into the garden, it's best to pick a slightly overcast with little wind, if possible. I plant later in the afternoon, so the small plants aren't exposed to the midday sun on their first day out.
What Does “Harden” Your Plants Mean?
In the chart, you'll see the word “harden”. When you start plants inside, they need a gentle adjustment period before moving out to the garden full time. This is referred to as “hardening off”.
When Should I Start Seeds?
The following table indicates when to start seeds relative to your spring frost date.
Note for Hot Climate Gardeners
Frost dates are the most common indicator for figuring out when to start seeds. However, if you live in a hot, dry climate, or at a high elevation, frost dates might not always be your best guide.
Get your seed starting dates automatically calculated for you!
Staying on course and starting seeds at the right time requires just a bit of planning and organization. Imagine a tool in which you type in your frost date, and it automatically calculates the following for EACH CROP:
When Should I Plant Seeds for Fall?
The following table indicates when to start seeds relative to your fall frost date.
Is it important to plant garlic in the fall?
Fall planting is an important aspect of the year-round harvest. Get more tips for preparing the garden for fall here. Don’t forget to plant your garlic! Here’s my favorite variety.
Find out when to plant vegetables with the Almanac's planting guide!
We'll tell you the earliest dates to plant vegetables in the spring and the last dates that you can plant for a fall harvest , based on average frost dates for your location.
Spring and Fall Planting Guides
Our vegetable planting charts are not only personalized to your zip code, but are also printable so that you can take them with you! In case you missed it, look at the top of this page and enter your "City, State" or Zip Code in the field. (If you live in Canada, enter your "City, Province" or Postal Code.)
What time of day should I transplant seedlings outdoors?
It is best to transplant young seedlings early in the morning. You want to avoid direct sun hitting fragile root systems of these new seedlings, so avoid afternoon transplants. If you decide to plant in the afternoon, use a bag or a cover to protect the roots and have a spray bottle handy to rewet the seedling's root system to avoid allowing them to dry out.
What happens if you plant seeds too early?
Seeds planted too early may require the grower to pot up or transplant into a larger pot or grow bag until it is safe to bring them outdoors. For some in growing zones with a shorter season, this is a regular practice for plants such as peppers, tomatoes, and many flowers to spend a few weeks in a larger container before going outdoors.
Why start seeds indoors instead of buying transplants?
It is also a way to give you control over what nutrients and what pesticides are used in the rearing of your plant. Lastly, the range of varieties available to a gardener to purchase by seed is much more vast than what you will be able to purchase from your local nursery as a seedling.
What if I have leftover seeds from last year?
Most any seed packet will have a date somewhere on the label such as “Packed for 2022.” If your seeds are only a year old go ahead and try planting them. Most seeds are good for one to two years. After that the germination rate will decline sharply. If you have older seeds you wish to use it is a good idea to do a germination test before planting.
How moist should soil be for seedlings?
The seed starting mix that you use should be slightly wet, but not dripping, like a wrung out sponge. It should hold well together when pressed firmly into your cell tray or pot, but not so saturated that it will not hold any air for the seeds to germinate. This should be the case throughout the entire seed starting process, even after germination. Overwatering will cause an anaerobic environment that will lead to die-off and rot.
How do I stratify seeds?
Stratification of seeds is any process designed to mimic the natural conditions needed to break the seed’s dormancy. Cold stratification, soaking of seeds and scarification are three main methods of stratifying seeds that are used for planting at home. The fourth method of heat stratification is only used for seeds that need to be exposed to high temperatures before germination to simulate a wildfire.
Should I cover seeds with plastic wrap?
It is possible to protect your germinating seeds by covering them with plastic wrap. While this will help keep some of the soil heat in, it will not protect your seedlings from pests very effectively and can only be used once before discarding. Instead, we recommend investing in a reusable humidity dome.
