Starting Seeds Indoors in February

The sun is shining, and it currently feels like -8* outside. Yes, it’s the perfect time to start seeds for the garden. However, we’re not starting all of them. Timing is everything and while Mother Nature isn’t bound by a calendar, it’s close enough when considering what to start and when.

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus, and some herbs and flowers can all be started inside now. Most of these starts will be able to be put in the ground in March/April.  Some vegetables, herbs and flowers will do better being sowed directly in the soil so be sure to check before you plant. There isn’t a huge advantage to starting herbs inside as far as getting a good yield from them. I like to start mine now because they can be difficult sometimes to differentiate from other plants as they come up. Having a pot of parsley for example to plant in the spring will help ensure I don’t accidentally rip out baby parsley as it grows among grass or other wild plants.

You can start summer vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, but you will likely need to transplant them into larger pots before it’s warm enough for them to go outside. Also, tomatoes will especially need a serious amount of light to keep growing for the next several months without getting leggy and weak. You want strong thick plants that will do well out in the elements.  Our son keeps a gentle fan on his seedlings to strengthen them.  Once it is above 50* outside I take our seedlings out into the elements for a few hours here and there. It’s good to harden them and give them some natural light. I keep them inside if it’s too windy or raining.

You can also set sweet potatoes for starts now. We set ours in small trays of indoor potting soil (helps reduce soil gnats) and keep them moist. We only have one half of each potato in the soil.

Sweet potatoes set in soil for starts. I'm using repurposed mixed-greens containers

Soil-

For seeds we use a good seed starting mix and keep the soil moist by watering with a spray bottle. Once the plants are up and strong we’ll start watering them the same way we water our houseplants. IF you do get soil gnats you can use sticky pads to help combat them. I’m trying an experiment using Neem oil as well. Filling the pot with the soil, misting with Neem oil and letting it sit a few days before planting. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Sticky trap for soil gnats. Having a little fun here with some planted potato eyes.

Light-

For years we started our seeds at our patio door. It only gets morning sun (east facing) and the door gets cold. We’re starting the sweet potatoes there on a heat mat, but the rest are under a grow light in an upstairs room away from the window. Grow lights vary in intensity and range. You’ll want to look up how close the light needs to be to your seedlings before you set it in place. You also don’t want light on them 24 hours a day. A good rule of thumb is 18 on, 6 off.  According to the Farmers Almanac, it’s best to germinate vegetable seeds without light but with warmth. The guide for our cool crops is 45* to 50*.

24 Inches from light to soil. Look up the specific distance for your light and make sure pots aren't outside of where the light shines.

Labels-

There have been several times I’ve started seedlings without labeling them well because I was absolutely sure I would remember what I planted. And every time I had at least a few plants that I definitely forgot what they were. A tomato plant is obvious, but is it a black cherry or a Roma? It’s worth the extra time to label well. You can use store bought labels, popsicle sticks or a piece of tape.  We’re currently using maps (don’t move pots around if you do this) and cut cardboard strips. Cardboard and popsicle sticks will soak up water and get a bit ugly, but they still work.

Pots-

Again, you can use what you have or purchase pots. I primarily re-use pots. It is recommended that you wash them between usages. I’ve also used to-go coffee cups, cottage cheese containers and coffee cans. It’s less about the container than it is about the plant. Just make sure your containers have drainage holes. Size right to prevent your plants from getting root-bound (or re-pot as they get larger). Some plants such as asparagus grow deep roots because they are perennials. They will need to be planted in deep pots.

Seeds-

If you’re like me and hate thinning seedlings, plant less seeds per pot. Some seeds will have a germination rate on the package. The higher the rate, the less seeds you need to put in each pot. I also try to be realistic about how many plants I will have room for and actually be able to harvest. So, for example, I’m only starting ten cabbage plants because I don’t intend to preserve cabbage. We’ll be eating them fresh. If I planted anymore than that it would likely have to be given away or tossed into the chicken yard.

If you’re planting saved seeds, it’s not a bad idea to text a few seeds in a pot to ensure they’re viable.

I have no guide to purchased seeds although I personally get as many regional/heirloom seeds from a locally owned store as I can when I need to buy them. You also don’t need to toss out old seeds. While they can lose viability over time, there’s a good chance some will still germinate. If you’re concerned about older seeds, plant more when starting. For example, if a package suggests starting three seeds per pot but the seeds are a few years old, you can plant five or six.

Finally, this is an excellent time of year to start a trading plan. Start with seed sharing, move on to plant trading and finally food trading. Knowing who is planning to grow what will help you decide what and how much you’re going to grow.

Happy Planting!

Audrey L Elder

Fourteen Acre Wood