When is a good time to start planting seeds and bulbs indoors? This is a common question I hear during this time of the year. I know the feeling as once March arrives, I get the spring fever badly and I want to start things of all sorts, but I have to hold myself back to avoid problems. Some of the key things one has to keep in mind when starting plants early are to have the right set-up and know what your seeds or bulbs will do between now and when they can go outside. At this point, we are looking at 8-10 weeks before you can start setting them outside to experience real life and we have about 11 weeks before we can begin planting in the garden.
Many plants can come up quickly when planting from seed. Often, we only seed things early indoors that take time to grow outside and might need a slightly longer season. When you are talking about vegetables, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussel sprouts are a few that benefit from starting a bit early. Of those, the peppers should be started first. They will emerge and then just sit for weeks as they thrive in warm temperatures to get growing. Tomatoes I like to start a little later along with the cabbage, broccoli and Brussel sprouts. Those should be started more at the end of March. If you begin them too early, they will become leggy or too tall and not thrive well once placed outdoors. Plant accordingly when it comes to vegetable seeds.
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There are a few annual flowers that benefit from an early start indoors. If you have ever grown geraniums from seed, you will realize starting them inside in mid-February is the best bet. These seeds take a long time and have a low germination rate of about 40-60%. Once they emerge, they are slow to grow. Other items such as impatiens, coleus, petunias and snapdragons benefit from an early start. Impatiens and coleus can suffer from a condition called ‘damping off’ when young. This is a fungal disease borne in the soil during cold and damp conditions. The plant stems tend to rot beneath the soil line and then fall over. These types of seedlings need heat and light watering to keep them going. Snapdragons and petunias have such fine seed that sometimes it is beneficial to get them started to create a plant big enough for transplanting when the time comes.
If you like a challenge and enjoy starting your perennials from seed, why not give it a try. Most perennials from seed will not bloom in their first season but oftentimes will reward you with flowers in the second year. Patience is needed when starting them from seed. Some perennials are biennial, which means they are vegetative during the first year and bloom in the second. After they bloom, they often reseed and begin the cycle all over again. Read the seed packages carefully to know what to expect. There are a few perennials that will bloom in the first season.
I like to start certain bulb plants early in the season. For me, I enjoy elephant ears, caladium, begonias and canna bulbs. Caladium, begonias and elephant ears I usually plant up on April 1, which give them about six weeks of indoor growing before they can be set outside. These three bulbs along with Callas need heat and time to get started, so one must be patient with them. Cannas can be a little faster, so I plant them around April 15. As long as they have sprouted by planting time, they can be set in the ground to continue growing at the end of May.
Having the right setup will make all the difference in the world when you begin your seeding venture. The two main things that will be needed are heat and light. I like to begin my seedlings in these little pop-up greenhouses that you can buy in any mass market. There are about 3 to 5 feet tall and have two to four shelves per unit. They run about $40 or less either online or in stores. Add a few grow lights inside and a small space heater with a thermostat and you are ready to go. I usually place the grow lights on a timer to allow 8-10 hours of light per day and the thermostat on the heater is set between 80 and 85 degrees. Always check your plant daily to make sure the soil has not dried out during the germination process and if the new seedlings are stretching a little, move the shelf closer to the light. A short and healthy plant will fare much better once placed outdoors than a tall and leggy one.
Know the time frame for each plant you may start early and give them the best chance while indoors with the proper attention. Seeds in the mass market can be cheap, which makes them easy in which to experiment. I grow a few things indoors that are easy and reliable to me and the rest I either direct sow into the garden when the temperatures are right or I support the local nurseries! I will admit, I get more items from the nurseries over what I seed or plant early, but it is good to do a little of both to test your level of patience.
Allow yourself a little fun this month and see what you can be successful in growing. You may be amazing at the sense of accomplishment you feel when the middle of summer arrives and you can tell people that you grew this or that from seed!
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March 06, 2021 at 08:00PM
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When should I start seeds indoors? - Jamestown Sun
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