Spring into Seed Starting

With winter coming to an end, spring is now on the horizon. Gardeners are cleaning up their planting beds and preparing for the growing season. Here in Michiana we are in zone 6a. This means that the average last frost date is mid May. Frost can kill new seedlings if they are planted too soon and can’t withstand cold temperatures. For our vegetable gardens we do not plant any of our seedlings or sow any seeds until after the last frost date for warm weather crops. Most of the seeds and starts that will be planted in the Children’s Garden are warm weather crops and not cool weather, meaning they require warm temperatures to grow and would not be able to survive frost. 

We have a small greenhouse at the Gardens where we keep our tropical plants in the winter, and where we start seeds for the growing season. There are some varieties of crops that need to be sewn directly into the beds, and some that can be started indoors. This direct sewing includes certain root vegetables such as radishes and carrots. These vegetables are more prone to root damage, and it is best to not risk transferring their seedlings. This information can be located on the back of your seed packet where it will say to direct sow outside or start seeds inside. The seed packet will also give you a germination rate, so you can have an estimate of how many seeds are viable on average.

When we start seeds early in our greenhouse we usually use small coconut coir pods. These pods help maintain moisture for the seeds since they are so prone to drying out. We first completely soak the pods in water so they absorb as much moisture as possible to hopefully produce a perfect environment for our seeds. Then, we use a small stick to poke little holes in the pods then insert our seeds and cover them back up. We then put these pods in a tray separated by each variety of plant so that we can easily identify the different seeds. It is important to bottom water the seeds by placing about ½ inch of water in the tray so that the seeds do not wash out, and that they are not over-watered, also producing unviable seeds. A greenhouse is not needed to start seeds early for the growing season in your own vegetable beds, you can buy growing kits at your local garden center or online so that you can also take part in the fun at home. 

Pictured above is a variety of onions that we started in our greenhouse in coconut coir pods and placed in trays for water retention

Spring is just around the corner, and with that comes the next growing season. Vegetable seed starting is a fun way to get an early start on vegetable beds and to make the best of your growing season. Make sure to read the back of your seed packet to find out when to start your seeds inside, or when they should be sowed directly outdoors. What are you waiting for? Get to gardening!

Ariana Guerrero

Horticulturist