How to Plant Seeds for an Early Start

In areas where the average growing season lasts less than six months, you have the option of starting seeds indoors to get a head start on spring. Although there are crops that take less than six months to ripen from sowing, lengthening the growing season lets you diversify your garden by including a wider variety of plants. Find out the date of the last spring frost, on average, in your area and how old the seedlings you plan to grow have to be at transplanting. This information, available from the cooperative extension office, guides your early gardening.

4-inch-deep flat with drainage holes
Seed-starter mix
Spray bottle
Clear plastic film
5-10-5 fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Count back from the last freeze date the number of days it takes for a seedling to be ready for transplant. Young eggplants, for instance, need seven weeks or 49 days. If you expect the last frost on May 14, count back 49 days. It takes you to March 26. That's the date you need to sow eggplant seeds indoors. Repeat this step for every plant you are starting early.
- 2
  Fill a 4-inch-deep flat with seed-starter mix to within ¼ inch of the rim. Buy or make your own by uniformly blending two parts loam, one part sand and one part organic matter, such as compost. Use a flat with drainage holes.
- 3
  Make holes in the potting mix with your pinkie or a standard-size pencil. Holes have to be twice as deep as the seed's diameter.
- 4
  Sow one seed per hole and cover with seed-starter mix. Irrigate the soil with a spray bottle to prevent strong water jets from dislodging the seeds. Alternatively, place the flat in a shallow tray of water for the soil to absorb the moisture through the drainage holes. Maintain the potting mix moist through germination. Hydrate seedlings when the soil surface dries.
- 5
  Cover the flat with a piece of clear plastic film to retain moisture and heat. Keep the flat in a warm area.
- 6
  Remove the plastic covering as soon as the first seedling appears. Move the flat to a sunny windowsill. Rotate locations as needed to guarantee the new plants receive six to eight hours of light a day. Place them under 40-watt fluorescent tubes to supplement light if necessary. Fourteen hours of artificial lighting equal about eight hours of sunshine.
- 7
  Thin the seedlings to the proper space each plant requires. Eggplants, for instance, need 2 feet per plant. You might end up with only one seedling per flat in some cases.
- 8
  Mix 1 ½ tbsp. 5-10-5 fertilizer with 1 gallon of water. Feed ¼ cup of the solution to each seedling every two weeks. Avoid splashing fertilizer on the foliage. If that happens, rinse the leaves and stem with plain water right away. Transplant the seedlings outdoors when the time comes.

Seed Planting & Gardening

The Best Way to Store Garden Seeds

Garden Seeds