In general, you should start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last frost date in your area. For example, our average last frost date here in growing zone 4b (Minneapolis, MN) is May 15th.
When should you start seeds indoors? Start seeds six to eight weeks before the last frost in your area. 2 Most plants are ready to go outside four to six weeks after you start the seeds.
The best time to start seeds is usually late March to late May. Only the southern zones are suitable for starting plants from seed in the earlier months. Give the plant enough time to germinate and grow to an appropriate transplant size.
It might not feel or taste like it at the moment, but for most areas of the country, July through September are the months you'll want to start your fall/winter seeds indoors to transplant out in your garden 6-8 weeks later.
For many garden plants in fact, a soil temperature below 50°F can be a problem. With temperatures in the 40s, seeds will readily absorb water, but not start to grow.
In order to grow strong, healthy seedlings, it's super important to provide the proper lighting for them right from the start. That being said, you don't absolutely need indoor seed starting lights if you have a sunny windowsill, porch, or another space filled with natural sunlight.
If you start your seeds too soon, you will likely end up with larger plants that are ready to go outside far before weather permits. You may wind up having to repot your plants into bigger pots multiple times before they are finally able to be planted in the ground.
Leafy greens and Brassicas: Lettuces, spinach, and Swiss chard can be planted from seed or from transplant this month. Plant members of the Brassica family, including broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower, from transplant. Kale can also be planted from seed in October.
By soaking the seed, it enables the new growth from the inside to push through the hard shell and grow. The seeds that could benefit from a good soaking include: corn, pumpkin, beans, chard, beets, and peas. The seeds you shouldn't soak include: carrots, lettuce, radish, celery, turnips, and spinach.
A sunny windowsill is a good place to put sprouted seedlings. Lightly brushing the seedlings encourages the growth of strong stems. Most seeds will not germinate without sunlight and will perform best with 12 to 16 hours each day.
It's never too late. It just matters what you put into that garden. It's too late to grow tomatoes in your Chicago garden in September because you'll be getting cold weather soon, but you could still grow carrots, radishes, and lettuce plants.
Most seeds require about a 6-8 week growing period before they're ready to be transplanted, which means the bulk of your indoor seeding should happen in February (early-to-mid February for Alexandria, and mid-to-late February for Lothian).
Yes, seeds normally need to be watered at least once per day to keep the soil moist, not permitting it to dry out. In especially warm climates (or depending on your soil or garden setup), you may need to water more than once per day. Check on your seeds or seedlings frequently to make sure they have plenty of water.
In most cases, seeds will germinate within three weeks (after that, try starting a new round of seeds). spot in your house (preferably a south-facing window). Continue to keep the mix moist, but not overly wet. Seedlings should be watered once a day or every other day, depending on how much sun and heat they get.
Place the seeds in a warm location.
Check the seed packets to understand the ideal soil temperature for each plant. Then place the seed tray in front of a windowsill that receives partial sun, or place the seed kits on a heating mat to maintain an even temperature and light. South-facing windows generally work well.
By midsummer you should be knee-deep in tomatoes, beans, zucchini, and peppers, so it can be hard to remind yourself to shop for seeds for your next season of vegetable gardening. However, July and August are the best time to get a start on fall and winter food gardening.
When it's October, people often wonder if it is too late to plant new seed. The good news is if you hurry, seed can still be planted in October with the hope that it will survive the upcoming winter. Although September is the best time, often we can still plant grass seed up to October 15 with good results.
Depending on the type of seed, it is definitely not too late to plant grass seed in October. Cool season grass seed varieties like Jonathan Green Black Beauty grass seed do well with planting in October. The most important thing is to lay the seeds down at least 45 days before the first threat of frost.
You won't have to water after they are planted, preventing seed movement. Create a mini greenhouse by covering the seed tray with a plastic tray or plastic wrap. This will keep the moisture and warmth inside, and you shouldn't have to water again till after the seeds have germinated.
Vegetable and flower seeds may be kept for one year without appreciable decrease in germination. Storage may be extended to 10 or more years under proper conditions. Seed moisture and storage temperature are the most important factors in determining how long seed can be stored.
Some pests may feed on wet seeds, so it is important to dry them in order to avoid pests and diseases that can easily attack seeds when they are wet. Some seeds germinate a stunted seedling if they are not dried, so it is important to dry them to improve the germination rate.
For many years, fluorescent shop lights were the go-to seed starting bulbs for gardeners, but LEDs have quickly replaced them as the standard choice. LEDs are usually more expensive than fluorescent bulbs, but they are very energy-efficient and long-lasting.
Like most things in gardening, there are always exceptions to this rule of 2-3 seeds per hole. If you're planting large seeds like cucumbers, melons, or pumpkins, you should only use one seed per hole. However, you can still plant seeds close together and then thin them out once they've established themselves.
On the other hand, if you don't want to mess with repotting seedlings and just want to plant the seeds in their permanent container, you can start your seeds in a good potting mix that'll continue to help them grow sturdy and strong.