When to Start Your Seeds Indoors | Gardener's Supply (2024)

FAQs

When to Start Your Seeds Indoors | Gardener's Supply? ›

Most seed packets suggest a planting time, such as "sow seeds indoors six weeks before your average last frost date." To calculate your planting date, start by determining your average last spring frost date, mark it on a calendar, and count back in one-week increments.

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.

Even if the last thing you're thinking about in January or February is the garden, it's actually a great time to start seeds indoors for frost-hardy leafy greens and for slow-to-get-started herbs.

Some are quick to germinate, taking 1-2 weeks at most, such as chillies, beans, sunflowers and pumpkins. Some seeds take more like 2-4 weeks, such as mango and parsley. Others, depending on how warm/cold it is, take closer to 2 months, for example avocado.

For instance, your packet may read “start seeds indoors 2-3 weeks before transplanting.” From your last frost date, April 21 for example, count back 14-21 days to arrive at your seed starting date, determining the best indoor starting dates are April 1 to April 8th.

If you start too early, you might end up with leggy, overgrown plants that need babying until the frost disappears and the soil warms. Start too late, and you'll be drooling over your neighbor's BLTs while forlornly waiting for your plants' blooms to turn into fruit.

Moisture Matters – After planting, water seeds with a gentle mist or shower. Avoid using a strong splash or spray, which can dislodge seeds. It is vital to keep soil consistently moist. In a sunny spot, this may mean watering twice a day.

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.

Some flower varieties should be started in January. In a warmer environment you can plant certain vegetables, but must be ready for a frost. Indoor herbs are always great to grow in a sunny windowsill.

Sow seeds early in the morning so the water has enough time to permeate the soil and get warm throughout the day. You can do it in the evening but make sure the seed flats stay warm overnight. Keep sown seeds away from direct sunlight and keep at a temperature of 75F-90F degrees—double check for specific seeds.

How long should seedlings stay in starter trays? ›

Typically, your seeds will stay in their seed tray for 4-6 weeks. After this period, you will either need to transplant the new seedlings into larger pots or transplant them outside. Check your seed instructions and pay attention to your frost dates before transplanting young plants outside.

When stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, seeds for many garden vegetables will be viable for around 3 years. Some, like onions and parsnips, are viable for only a year or two. Others, like squashes and tomatoes, last longer, for 5+ years.

Watering. Check on your seedlings at least once or twice a day to see if they need misting. You want the surface of your soil to stay lightly damp because if your seeds dry out they won't germinate but if they stay too wet, they could rot. When at least 1/2 to 2/3 of the seeds sprout, you can remove the cover.

March is the perfect time to get those tomato and pepper seeds started indoors so they can be ready for an early spring planting! Also now is a great time to start planting cool weather vegetables that can withstand those last frost days of March and April.

There are still dozens of seeds to start in May. It can still be cold at night, so some seeds will continue to benefit from starting indoors in a warm room. Most seeds will germinate faster and more evenly if heated from below with a heating mat.

The best way to get a head start on growing tomatoes is to start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost date in your region. Whether you're growing cherry tomatoes or hot peppers, visit your local garden center to pick up supplies and seeds.

January is a great time to start planning what vegetable varieties to be grown in the garden. Look through your catalogs and find the vegetable seeds for your garden. Some flower varieties should be started in January. In a warmer environment you can plant certain vegetables, but must be ready for a frost.

Seeds require a certain temperature to germinate. Each plant has a specific optimum and a range within which germination will occur. The closer the temperature is to the optimum, the quicker germination will occur. Most seeds germinate when the soil temperature is between 68° and 86°F.

Starting seeds indoors gives your vegetables, herbs, and flowers a head start so they can grow larger and have better (and longer) harvests or flowering periods. With a few basic supplies and a little patience, it's easy and fun to start seeds indoors.