It still feels like an eternity away…
Walking around barefoot in green grass…
Plugging my fingers deep into the cool soil…
Counting dozens of little seeds in my palm…
Winter is very long in Wyoming. There has been many a year where it felt like spring would never, ever come.
And that’s pretty much where I find myself at the moment. It’s brown outside. And the snow is dirty and lingering. And there isn’t a speck of anything green to be found anywhere.
But before I know it, I know I’ll be running around like a crazy homesteader-person trying to coordinate planting, and spring chicks, and watering, and digging.
No matter how much I plan, it’s always a little hectic in the spring, BUT, there are a few things you can do to make life a little easier. And that’s why I put together this handy-dandy little guide so you know exactly what to expect with your seed starting– whether you’re planting seeds indoors or direct-sowing outside.
(And for those of you who live in the warmer climates, you’d better get hopping, as I imagine your gardening season is much, much closer than mine!)
Helpful Seed Starting & Planning Links:
- A “virtual seed rack” of high-quality, non-GMO seeds
- Frost Date and Garden Zone Chart
- 8 Re-purposed Seed Starting Pots
- DIY Soil Block Maker
- Homemade Potting Soil Recipe
- 21 Plants for Your Fall Garden
- Seed Starting System
Simple Seed Starting Guide
Beans:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best.
Time Frame: Anytime after your last frost date, when the soil is at LEAST 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Planting Notes: Beans do NOT transplant well. These need to be direct sown in the garden. Consider soaking the bean seeds in warm water for a few hours before planting.
Other Handy Info: How to Save Bean Seeds
Beets:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best
Time Frame: Two weeks before your last frost date
Planting Notes: One beet “seed” is actually multiple seeds, so you will need to thin the plants as they mature. Thankfully, beet root and beet greens are both delicious and can be used in many ways.
Other Handy Info: How to Can Pickled Beets
Broccoli:
Planting Method: Best if started indoors.
Time Frame: 6-8 weeks before your last frost date.
Planting Notes: Set broccoli seedlings outside when the plants are 5-6 inches tall/approx. 2-3 weeks before the last frost date. If you live in a cooler garden zone, you can direct sow your broccoli seeds in the garden one month before your last frost date.
Other Handy Info: How to Plant Broccoli in Your Fall Garden
Brussels Sprouts:
Planting Method: Best if started indoors.
Time Frame: 6-8 weeks before last spring frost date. You can also direct sow your seeds 4 months before your first fall frost date.
Other Planting Notes: Plant brussel sprouts in the garden after the danger of spring frosts has passed and your seedlings have their first true leaves.
Cabbage:
Planting Method: Best if started indoors.
Time Frame: 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost date.
Planting Notes: Transplant cabbage seedlings when they are 3-4 inches tall, which should be about 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost date. You can also sow seeds outdoors in the spring when the soil is thawed enough to plant.
Other Handy Info: How to Make Your Own Sauerkraut
Carrots:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best
Time Frame: Begin sowing carrot seeds in the garden 3-4 weeks before the last spring frost date.
Planting Notes: Carrots take a long time to germinate, so be sure to diligently water the soil where you planted them to ensure it stays moist. In Zone 8 and warmer, you should plant carrots in the fall or winter.
Cauliflower:
Planting Method: Best if started indoors.
Time Frame: In general, start 4-6 weeks before you are planning on putting them outside. (Cauliflower can be tricky. They should be started early enough that they can mature before the heat of summer, but not so early that they freeze with hard frosts.)
Planting Notes: When the seedlings are about 5-6 inches tall, they can be planted outside–this should be about 3-4 weeks before the last expected spring frost date. If spring Cauliflower doesn’t work, consider planting it in the fall.
Corn:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best
Time Frame: Plant corn seeds directly in the soil two weeks after the last spring frost date, when your soil temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Planting Notes: Corn is a heavy feeder and needs rich soil, so be sure to amend with plenty of compost.
Cucumbers:
Planting Method: Direct sow OR start inside
Time Frame: You can start cucumbers indoors two-three weeks before planting, but don’t do this unless you can keep your seeds at 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit by day and no colder than 60 degrees at night in your home. You can also direct sow them into the garden 2-3 weeks after the last frost date. Since they are so frost-tender, you might want to consider planting a few seeds per week in case you get a freak frost after the last spring frost date.
Planting Notes:These tender plants shouldn’t get set into the garden until soil temperatures are around 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is usually at least 2 weeks after the last frost date in the spring.
Other Handy Info: How to Make Old-Fashioned Fermented Pickles
Lettuce/Greens:
Planting Method: Direct sow OR start inside
Time Frame: I usually direct-sow my lettuce seeds directly into the soil (wait until soil temps are at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit), but you can also start lettuce indoors if you want a jump start on your harvest, especially since many lettuce varieties cannot handle warm temperatures. To start indoors, sow as early as 10 weeks before the last frost date in spring, and keep them cool (below 70 degrees). Transplant the seedlings when the soil can be worked in the spring.
Planting Notes: Lettuce bolts in warm weather, so consider either sowing seeds or transplanting your plants into the garden a little bit each week (ie succession planting). The warmer it gets, the more shade you should give your lettuce/greens.
Other Handy Info: 9 Greens You Can Grow During the Winter, Spinach Quesadilla Recipe
Peas:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best
Time Frame: Direct sow your peas outside 4-5 weeks before your last frost date, when your soil temperature is at least 45 degrees.
Planting Notes: You can start peas indoors even earlier if you want, however, they don’t do very well with being transplanted, so be very careful with the young roots when moving them. Consider succession planting and sow some peas each week to try and have the biggest harvest possible.
Peppers:
Planting Method: Best if started indoors first
Time Frame: Start the seeds indoors at least 8-10 weeks before the last frost date.
Planting Notes: Keep your indoor pepper seedlings warm, keep the room around at least 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not plant them outside until your garden is averaging 65 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night.
Other Handy Info: Homemade Pico de Gallo Salsa, How to Make Hot Pepper Jelly
Potatoes:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best
Time Frame: You can start planting seed potatoes (parts of whole potatoes with at least 2 eyes per piece) directly in your garden anytime after the soil can be worked in the spring. Hard frosts might damage some of your potato plants, so if you are concerned, plant them only 1-2 weeks before your last frost date.
Planting Notes: Potatoes are cool-season plants and they can survive a few light frosts.
Pumpkins:
Planting Method: Direct sow OR start inside
Time Frame: You can start pumpkins indoors, about 2-4 weeks before your last frost date. Plant your transplants outdoors after all frost danger has passed and when your soil temperature is at least 65 degrees. Pumpkin seeds can also be directly sown in your garden, however, they have a poor germination rate if the soil is less than 70 degrees. The warmer the soil, the better!
Planting Notes: Pumpkins enjoy rich soil amended with lots of compost.
Other Handy Info: The Best Pumpkin Pie Ever, How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Radishes:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best
Time Frame: Radishes are a cool weather crop that is best grown by direct sowing. You can start trying to grow radishes as soon as the soil is workable in the spring, usually about 2-4 weeks before your last frost date.
Planting Notes: Depending on your variety, some radishes are ready to harvest in as little as 22 days. Since they become bitter and often bolt in warm/hot weather (anything over 65 degrees), you should consider experimenting with radish seeds and use succession planting. Direct sow some radishes seeds as early as you can in the spring, and then continue up to the last frost date for optimal harvests.
Squash:
Planting Method: Direct sowing is best
Time Frame: You can also direct sow your seeds outdoors when the soil temperature is around 60 degrees. This is usually 1-2 weeks after your last spring frost date. You can start squashes indoors, just be careful with their roots when planting in your garden because they are somewhat sensitive to transplanting. Start your squashes indoors 3-4 weeks before your last frost date. Do not transplant outdoors until all danger of frost has passed.
Planting Notes: Consider direct sowing some more of your squash seeds in early/mid-summer in case your first crop has issues with spring pests.
Tomatoes:
Planting Method: Best if started indoors unless you live in a very warm climate.
Time Frame: Start your seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date.
Planting Notes: Do not transplant outdoors until all danger of frost has passed and your soil temperature is at least 60 degrees. Tomatoes are one of the most sensitive plants to transplanting. You can minimize transplant shock on your tomatoes by hardening them off for 1-2 weeks before planting them. Planting them deep in the soil helps dampens transplant shock as well.
Other Handy Info: How to Freeze Tomatoes, 40+ Ways to Preserve Tomatoes
I LIKE YOU BIOG THAT COMES TO MY EMAIL ADRESS , I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE ORDER HAIRLOOM SEEDS FROM WHERE YOU ORDER YOURS AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I CAN SAVED SEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR PLANTING FROM HAIRLOOM SEEDS.
http://www.rareseeds.com/ is where you can order heirloom seeds. You can save seeds from heirloom plants, I have had good results saving seeds from the plants grown from seeds I bought at rareseeds.com. They have several good books for sale on their website too
You can save Heirloom seeds for the following year, if your talking tomatoes there are a few steps that need to be adhered to all that info is available on web.
I am in zone 7 and start my peppers, tomatoes, petunias and moonflowers 12 weeks prior to last spring frost date. I mark all the plants on my calendar so I know what to start when. I grow about 40 different plants and veggies every year from seed. You can purchase Heirloom seeds on Ebay cheap!
Great guide! I too always feel rushed and unprepared in the spring even though I’ve had a long dreary New England winter to plan! I have a spreadsheet of all of the crops I plan on planting and how early to start them compared to my last frost date so I can at least know if I’m behind getting seedlings started (which I usually am!)
What is “winter”?
Anna, in southern Arizona
HaHa! Right!
Carol in Southeast Texas
Ha! Yes, my AZ readers probably don’t relate to much of this post!
I do! We live in the mountains of Arizona. This state has much more to offer than cacti!
I love Baker Creek seeds! They are the best & have such an awesome germination rate. This guide is neat. Great resource!
Too funny for you to send this out!!
I was thinking of my garden the other night and thought of starting seeds instead of buying plants.
I am anxious for warm weather to get here!!
Thanks for reminding me! Soon I’ll be starting my Carmen Peppers and my tomatoes indoors. It’s such a pain, but i can’t count on our nursery carrying the variety i like best.
So much great information! My kids have been perusing the seed catalog and planning the garden…too bad we have a few more months before we can plant!
I see your Baker Creek seeds! Have you ever visited their place? It is a wondrous place to be! 🙂
I haven’t visited– just seen pics and it looks amazing!
Thanks for all the great info! My friend is really excited about starting a garden this year, so I’ll pass this on to her too!
😀
Starting seeds in indoor greenhouses is such a great way to milk an extra month out f the growing season. I like how all the ones you show are nearly fail proof for new gardeners too!
Yes– I like the fail-proof ones. 😉
Great article! I am about to start my first vegetable garden and I am very excited and enthusiastic to learn everything there is to know. I am looking for tips and interesting infographics like this one: http://visual.ly/best-time-plant-different-vegetables. I have started to plant the seeds and I hope that everything will turn great! Thanks for sharing! I will keep following your posts.
Is there some where, an online resource maybe, where you can find out what grows well in your area and when and how it is suggested to plant?
I usually use a zone map like this one, and then shop for seeds/veggies that are geared towards our zone (many seed catalogs will designate, or tell you how many growing days you need) http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
We bought our farm last year and this was my first year trying to start my own seeds for our garden. It did not go well for me. I found that my plants were pretty leggy and lost most of them that I started which added up to about 200 plants. Arg. So to have any semblance of a garden I had to go to our local garden center and buy plants. I want to try seeds again next year. Any advice? I know that the legginess comes from lack of sun. Do you use growing lamps? I am truly a novice and am open to wisdom.
Thanks,
Here’s what we did this year: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2016/03/seed-starting-system.html
Love this post – so helpful! I’ve got 4-H garden club tonight, and we will be using it! Just wanted to say hi! 🙂
Yay– enjoy!
I’ve never done significant gardening in snow country, so take this as a theoretical, Jill. If you bring soil up around the stem of a tomato plant, it will convert it’s fuzzy projections/nascent leaves to roots. This can go on for literally inches, so if you start some tomato plants in deeper vessels under your grow lights, you can, in due time, put out plants with GOOD root clusters. (And you could be doing something gardenish.) I used to use this method in the open, but that was Southern Ca. where I didn’t have to do indoor starting.
David
I think that’d definitely work here, David! I’m going to start my tomatoes early this year, in fact. 🙂
thx Jill for all the helpful information you blog about….
your living my dream and i know its hard work but i can hear you smiling in your posy
Thanks, Jill, so much for the heads-up and reminder about soil temperature, and when you sow or plant for each vegetable seed according to frost date! Very helpful!