It isn’t too late to start your seeds indoors! Spring seems right around the corner, but for us in Ohio, we’ve still got a while. The last frost date in my area is listed as April 20th, but local gardeners always go by the Mother’s Day rule for spring planting.
With that date in mind, we’ve got 8 weeks until we can plant outdoors – which just happens to be the perfect amount of time for tomatoes & peppers. Here’s a few tips for starting your seeds.
- Refer to your garden plan – or make a garden plan if you haven’t done so already. It’s quick & easy to do and ensures that you have enough of the supplies you need when it gets to planting time.
- Select suppliers – there are tons of seed & seedling companies out there, do some research to find a good intersection of quality products with great pricing.
- Determine last frost date – this is the most important thing unless you’re growing under cover of a greenhouse, or using frost blankets. Check out your last frost date here.
- Check planting instructions & set a planting date for each crop – this is important so you don’t have pumpkin vines growing in your closet in March!
- Location, Conditions & Care – make sure you have a location that will get 8-12 hours of sunlight or from grow lights. Keep your seed trays in a well-ventilated area that is around 70 degrees for optimal germination. And finally, be sure that you are checking daily for water, fertilizer needs, and turning trays if seedlings are reaching.
There is nothing more satisfying than watching the seeds you’ve sown, sprout & evolve into the plants in your garden – and eventually become the salsa in your fridge!
Stay tuned for more gardening tips through the spring & season. And drop me a line if there’s something you are curious about and I’ll tackle that issue in a future post – thanks & happy gardening!
There is nothing more satisfying and magical than starting seeds. Nice post.
I have vols so I have to replant grass. Ugh!
They can be huge pests that’s for sure!
I dunno what to do yet! 😫
I’ve never had to deal with them but may be a good idea for a future article!
Basic rule of thumb for us, jump start with indoor seeding, use only heritage seeds when introducing something new, always harvest your own seeds from existing plants, and absolutely zero chemicals from Monsanto, Bayer, or anyone else.
Spade and mulch following the last harvest and again a couple of weeks prior to spring planting.
Goes without saying a deer fence ( which expands incrementally each year) where necessary and a resident hound or two or three to discourage area forest denizens from viewing your garden as a buffet.
Gardening is more than the satisfaction of putting healthy nutritious food on the table, it is a bonding experience and life lessons for children – for the entire family.
Thanks for sharing and love the great insight in the last line!