The flower seed and bare root catalogs are starting to flood into my mailbox. This is a good reminder that now is the time to sort through any existing seed packets you already have, start ordering any new seeds you want, and plan your spring planting schedule.
It may be cold, even snowy, in your winter garden, but Spring really is right around the corner. The winter solstice is past and the days are begining to be just a little lighter for just a little longer. This is the time to get your seeds started indoors, that is if you want to plant a garden from seed.
I’ll admit, my vegetable garden and annual flowers are a combination of starts that I purchase at local plant sales and starts I begin from seed on my own. Because my cat has a tendency to eat houseplants, seedlings have even less opportunity to thrive in my house — even when covered in a start box. And, I don’t have a greenhouse. So, those plants I start from seed are usually those that I sow directly into the ground at different times in the spring, once the soil has warmed — cucumber, peas and greenbeans are good examples. Plants like tomatoes, head lettuce and peppers I usually purchase as starts from local plant sales. (I do keep a crop of seed-sown mixed lettuces throughout most winters. And, note that snow peas are direct sown in early spring where cucumbers are sown much later.)
But even buying starts can pose problems in western washington. Usually the sales occur in spring when our weather snaps rapidly back and forth between warm and cold. Generally, the soil hasn’t warmed enough to give heat lovers like tomatoes and peppers the environment they need to thrive. So, what to do with those starts once I buy them? I’ve had success fostering along these starts using a few methods.
- When I didn’t have a plant eating cat, I would keep them in my south-facing window plant stand and foster them there until it was time to move them outdoors. Then, I would move them to my west facing, but protected front porch to “harden” them off. (Hardening is basically a way of slowly getting them used to an outdoor environment after being indoors or in a greenhouse.) Eventually, I would then move them into the garden.
- Borrowing time with a friendly greenhouse. When I’ve had access to a greenhouse, I would keep my starts there until it was time to move them to the hardening off stage and then into the garden.
- Most recently I have begun keeping my starts in a west facing hoop house in my garden. This hoop house is a small patch of garden that I keep for my vegetables. When I am starting plants and trying to protect them from back-and-forth spring weather, I keep the plants in their dark colored containers placed on the garden bed. The bed is then covered, with lots of airspace around the plants, with a thin, breathable clear plastic. This plastic helps retain heat and moisture while allowing the plants air circulation, which helps keep down fungal attacks. As well, by keeping the plants in their black containers, their roots benefit from additional heat as the black absorbs sunlight. And root warmth is a key in developing strong plants.
- Note: Depending on how developed a plant start is when I purchase it, I may choose to repot it before I put it in the hoop house. So, if it is root-bound in a 4″ pot when I buy it, I may replant it into a gallon size pot (or larger) for its time in the hoop house.
- I begin hardening off plants in the hoop house by pulling the plastic open on warmer days and closing it on cooler nights. Eventually, as evenings warm, I will begin removing the plastic for full 24-hour periods. But, I keep it close at hand in case we have a cold snap.
Each of the techniques above has worked really well for me. Remember, gardening is an art form in which you work with living things. Each environment is different as is each plant cultivar you select and each gardener’s talents in caring for their plants. Trial and error is the best way to find your best method.
So what about starting from seeds? Again, I prefer not to do a lot of indoor seed starts because it is a constant battle with my cat. However, I encourage everyone to give it a shot. If you’re just trying your hand at starting seeds, start with something easy like green beans. Likely, you grew these in a milk container in the first grade and saw how easy they are to grow. If you’re more advanced or more ambitious, give other plants a try.
- Keep seedlings moist. They can die very fast from lack of water. They’re babies afterall!
- Plant them as deep as each seed needs. Some seeds require light to germinate; others do not. Some need to be soaked overnight. Others need to be eaten and digested by a bird before they will germinate. Nature is amazing. Know your seeds before you try to get them to germinate.
- Give the seedlings bottom heat. Bottom heat helps encourage root growth, which is critical to your plants success
- Be sure to start the seeds in small planters and replant them into the next size up container as needed. And keep your salty fingers off their roots when you transplant or you may cause root death. And be sure not to plant too many plants in one container. Seperating your seeds well when you sow them will make seperating your starts and replanting them much easier when the time comes.
- Give your seedlings air circulation to avoid fungal infections
Warm, wet environments are loved by both your young seedlings and their nemisis, botrytis. Botrytis is a fungus that will decimate starts and seedlings in less than a day. And once it has infested a crop of seedlings, it will spread rapidly. If you see it growing among your starts, remove the infected seedlings immediately to avoid further infection and change the seedlings environment, getting more air and perhaps less water to the starts. A simple change of environment can make all the difference.
Regardless of whether you choose to start your annual garden with seeds or starts, now is time to begin planning. Choose your seeds and get them started. Research local plant sales. And start making lists of what you want in the garden, how large each plant will get, what exposure each plant needs, and how many of each plant makes sense for your space. When I start plants from seed I always end up with more starts than I need. Friends love to get the extras!
Following are a few Seattle area plant sales that I suggest visiting. There are many more in the Seattle area, so consider this just a start:
Overwhelmed by the idea of starting an annual vegetable garden? Contact Garden Mentors for a consultation to get you on the right track with planning, shopping and planting expertise at your disposal!
