Don't Start Your Seeds too Early!
It’s January and I know very soon, I’m going to be itching to plant my seeds indoors. This is such a joyful time of hope and anticipation.
I know, you’re itching to start your garden too. But hold on to your horses…
One of the most common mistakes you can make is starting crops too early inside.
Why is this a problem?
Nothing stresses a plant more than being confined for too long.
They deplete resources from the potting mix and they start to grow their roots in circles, becoming root-bound in their tiny pots.
Unless you have A LOT of space and plenty of lights, it’s best to practice restraint and start your seeds a bit later.
Here’s how to figure out planting dates for your garden plants.
Figure out your last frost date.
Read the back of your seed packet or look up your specific variety in a seed catalog. It should give recommendations on when to plant indoors. They will say something like: plant 6-8 weeks before the last frost. For this specific example, I’d go with the 6-week start date.
If they recommend to direct seed, start indoors only 2 weeks before planting out OR just direct seed. These plants usually don’t appreciate root disturbance.
Write down on your calendar what you’re starting and when.
Take notes as you go, throughout the growing season. If something gets really root-bound and is sluggish to grow after you pop it in the garden, make a note. You might try to start a week later the following year. Your garden journal is your biggest friend. If you don’t have one, start one NOW.
So, you might be wondering what I’m starting first?
By the way, I’m starting seeding a full week later than last year.
In 2022, all my cool season crops were spot on in regard to planting time. But all my warm loving crops could have benefited from getting started a week (or two) later.
Just for you, here’s a sneak peek at my first week of seed starting, which is coming up fast folks!
Turnstone Farm seed starting the week of March 12th:
Oregano
Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
Snapdragon - Potomac Varieties. These guys grow relatively slow and love the cool spring temps. I try to start these as early as I can because they can be planted before the last frost.
If I was starting perennials that I may want to bloom the first year, I’d start them now too.
Thats it for my first week of planting.
Happy garden planning!