On a chilly February day, the thought of blossoming flowers and growing vegetables seems like a far-off dream. Despite this, February is the perfect month to begin planning your summer garden and organizing a plan for indoor seed starting.

WHY:

• Many annuals need an early start in order to maximize their blooming time in summer.

• Long-growing vegetables need to be started indoors in order to be harvested before the first frost.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

• seed trays and potting mix

• seeds, of course!

• heat mats to raise the temperature of your soil

• seed tray covers to help maintain humidity and temperature (or plastic wrap)

• grow lights

• (optional) plug-in timers for grow light

WHAT: 

Not all plants benefit from being started as seeds indoors. Many are at their best when sown directly. Always check your seed packets to see what is recommended for each plant.

HOW: 

1. PREPARE your setup with a heating mat under your seed tray, filled with potting mix and covered by a humidity dome. Grow lights can be plugged into timers in order to mimic long summer days, with 12+ hours of light, but do not plug your heating mat into a timer—heat should be on at all times.

2. PLANT your seeds according to the seed packet instructions, WATER, and COVER your tray with your humidity dome. 

1. WATCH your seeds germinate and grow! The first growth you will see are not true leaves, but cotyledons. All plants are categorized by these: a seedling with one is called a monocot and a seedling with two is called a dicot.

2. ADJUST the closeness of your grow light to your seedlings—about 4” is best! If your light is too far away from the seedlings, they grow tall, spindly, and weak as they strive to get closer to the light. These “leggy” seedlings often will not survive, so prevent your seedlings from reaching that state.

3. WATER as needed, and also remove the humidity covers as needed. Too much humidity can create an environment in which molds can grow.

4. THIN seedlings as needed. If many seedlings are too close together, they will not grow at their best.

5. FERTILIZE only once a week, and use fertilizer mixed at only ¼ strength.

6. TRANSPLANT seedlings into larger containers as they grow. As you move them, lift by the root ball by using a spoon or plant tag for support. Never hold by the stem, but if necessary to steady the plant, lightly hold the plant by a leaf.

7. HARDEN OFF seedlings when it is a few weeks before they will be moved out of doors. Each day, set plants outside for a few hours in the warmth of the afternoon. Begin by placing them in the shade for a short time, and gradually increase their exposure to the sun until you’re ready to transplant them to the garden.

8. MOVE plants outdoors!

WHEN:

This can be the most daunting aspect of seed starting! If you are planting several different things, this can feel a bit like a juggling act. Grab a notebook and a pen to jot down notes from your seed packets on how many “days to harvest” or “days to bloom” for each plant. Consider making yourself a seed-starting calendar to keep beside your trays.

Specific varieties will vary, but in general, you can follow these guidelines:

EARLY FEBRUARY (14-15 weeks indoors): geraniums, pansies, leeks, onions

LATE FEBRUARY (12-13 weeks indoors): dusty miller, larkspur, lobelia, celery

EARLY MARCH (10-11 weeks indoors): coleus, dahlia, heliotrope, petunias, rudbeckia, snapdragons, verbena, broccoli Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce

LATE MARCH (8-9 weeks indoors): cleome, hollyhocks, phlox, alyssum, eggplant, okra, peppers

EARLY APRIL (5-7 weeks indoors): amaranthus, aster, bachelor buttons, calendula, morning glory, ornamental basil and kale, tomatoes

LATE APRIL (3-4 weeks indoors): cosmos, sweet peas, zinnias, sweet potatoes 

As always, you will learn what works and what doesn’t work in your own garden by trying things out. There isn’t only one correct way to practice indoor seed starting, and everyone’s set-up is a little different. 

For more information about growing plants from seed in your home, visit the Dakota County Master Gardener You Tube site. Here is one “how-to” video. Happy planting!

Photo Credit: Valerie Rogotzke (1), Jim Lakin (2,3)