When to start seeds is matter of timing

Does the recent mild weather here in the Delaware Valley have you itchy to get seeds started for this season’s garden? Spring is just around the corner, but hold tight: Start seeds too early, and you might end up with leggy, overgrown plants that need babying until frost disappears and the garden soil warms.

Start seeds too late, and you may find yourself drooling over your neighbor’s tomato-laden BLTs while forlornly willing your plants’ flowers to turn into fruit.

So, how do you know when it’s prime time for seed starting? Here are some tips for timing seed starting from the National Garden Bureau.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO GROW? >> Some plants, like peppers, tomatoes, and some perennial flowers, benefit from starting seeds indoors, as they need warm temperatures to germinate. By starting these seeds in late winter or early spring, you’ll have hearty, healthy, strong plants ready to go in the garden after the last spring frost. However, some plants, like beets and carrots, dislike root disturbance, while others, like cucumbers, grow so quickly and easily that it makes sense to direct sow them in the garden.

CONSIDER THE SEASON >> For many of us, tomatoes, peppers, and basil fill our summer garden beds. But while summer offers a rich bounty, spring and fall gardens offer equally extensive harvests of coolseason crops like lettuce and broccoli. Also consider cool-season flowers, like pansies and snapdragons.

CHECK SEED NEEDS >> Most seed packets offer excellent information, such as days to germination, ideal soil temperature, how deep to plant the seeds, days to maturity, plant spacing, sun needs, and more. Also, some seeds, like lettuce, need to be sown on top of the seed starting mix, as they need light to germinate. And some seeds, like borage, need to be kept in the dark until they sprout. (All seedlings need light as soon as they germinate, though.) Some seeds, like tomatoes and peppers, germinate more quickly with the use of a heat mat to warm the soil. Using a waterproof heat mat can shave time off your seedstarting schedule.

KNOW YOUR AREA’S FROST DATES FOR SPRING AND FALL >> One of the most important items for seed scheduling success is knowing your area’s frost dates — the time when it’s safe to plant warm-weather crops in the spring, and the date when the first frost arrives in the fall. To easily learn the frost dates in your area, go to Dave’s Garden at https://tinyurl. com/2p8ajvr8 and simply plug in your zip code. Plan around the frost dates but play it safe and wait an extra week before planting tender crops, like tomatoes, in the garden.

USE A SCHEDULING TOOL TO START SEEDS >> While you can create your own seed starting schedule using the information on the seed packets, Johnny’s Selected Seeds makes planning easier for you. Go to johnnyseed.com and search for “seed starting date calculator.” Simply enter your last frost date and the calculator will tell you when to start each type of seed indoors.

7.ADD TIME FOR HARDENING OFF >> Before you put your tender young plants into the garden, they need to “harden off,” i.e., get acclimated to outside conditions. Introduce the plants to the outdoors slowly. Look for a partially sunny spot in your garden and start by giving

your plants about an hour of outside time. Day by day, over a period of ten days to two weeks, slowly increase the amount of sunlight they receive until they’re out about eight hours a day. If the nights are still cold, move the plants inside overnight. Keep them hydrated: wind and sun will make them thirsty. Conversely, if they’ve withstood a rainstorm, make sure to pour standing water out of trays. And be sure to protect from hungry wildlife.

Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@gmail.com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Pam’s naturerelated books for children and families are available on Amazon, at Amazon.com/author/pamelabaxter.

PHOTO BY PAM BAXTER Tomato seedlings need some toughening for transition to outdoors.