Choosing and Starting Seeds in the Spring

It's winter. The ground is frozen. Hardly any color is to be found out in the garden. If you are like me, then the morale is low. However, I am going to let you in on a trick to make those long winter nights a little less bleak. Believe it or not, now is the perfect time to start planning your garden for spring! Whip out one of those millions of seed catalogs that came to your house after buying that one thing that one time, and get your engines ready. In this blog, I am going to give you some pointers on what to do when you are choosing and starting your seeds for the spring.

1. Picking your Seeds

There are so many things to consider when you are first flipping through your seed catalog. It can be so fun to just choose whatever strikes your fancy, but there are certain questions you should ask yourself if you want seeds to grow successfully. Where are you trying to grow these plants? How much sunlight will they receive in that part of the garden? What zone do you live in? Is the plant a perennial or an annual? Thankfully most seed catalogs make it easy for us to answer these questions by putting a symbol key usually on the first or second page of the magazine (or it should explain if you are ordering online). This symbol key typically answers whether or not the plant needs full sun, partial sun, or full shade. They also will often have symbols signifying if the plant is deer resistant, heat and drought tolerant, whether it is Native, or even if bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds like it.

Vintage seed packs

When purchasing seeds, it can be tempting to fall into the “I must buy organic everything” mindset. It’s easy to think that buying organic means no chemical fertilizers or pesticide has ever touched the plant. However, it actually means that certain organic fertilizers and pesticides are allowed. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to stay completely organic as long as you know some sprays may have still been used AND you can still grow vibrant beautiful plants from non-organic seed, that you then practice no spray on. Another quick note that heirloom does not always mean organic; rather it is referring to the genetics of the seed. An heirloom seed or variety means it is an older variety of plant. No matter what, it is best to try to use fresh seeds because you will have better germination.

Now that you have your bundle of beautiful seed packets in your hands, what next!? This is when it is important to consider the frost date in your area (or specifically your land if you are familiar enough with it). Do you want to start these seeds indoors to get a head start on when you can plant them outside? Or do you want to wait till the frost date to sow them outside? Some seeds are ready to go as soon as the last frost is past, but then others will want to wait till the soil is nice and warm. Your seed packet should tell you what time of the year is best for sowing.

Every seed pack is a little different, but most of them have guidelines for you to follow.

2. Starting your seeds Indoors

If you have decided to start your seeds indoors, fun! There is no perfect way of doing this. Whatever works for your friend may be the complete opposite for you, so don’t despair! Try to have fun with it and learn what works best for you in your house or greenhouse. First determine when you should start each seed variety. How long will it take to germinate and when is the frost date? If you don’t feel comfortable doing that math, then the internet is your friend. The next question is what container do you want to use? Some people use open flats, celled flats, egg cartons, milk cartons, or even shoes! Once you have decided your container, then you need your growing medium. There are many different options for this as well. I personally love to use Pro-Mix mixed with Vermont Compost (the exact compost to soil ratio can depend on what you are trying to grow). Before placing your seeds in soil, label label label! It’s incredibly easy to mix up your seeds. I like to also write dates on my labels. The next thing to consider is light. Some seeds require light to germinate, so they should not be covered with soil, while others germinate in the dark, so they may need a quarter inch of soil overtop. Your seed packet should tell you how deep to plant the seed. If not, again, the internet will provide. Keeping the soil moist (not waterlogged) and warm will aid with germination. A plastic lid or wrap over your container of choice can also help lock in moisture and create a more humid environment. Some people keep their containers in a warm spot of the house like by a wood stove or on top of the fridge. You will want to watch out for the soil drying out. If you do not have a naturally warm spot in the house, I have had great success with a heat mat. They help distribute heat evenly which can aid in even germination.

This is quite the setup! Note the great window and the grow lights.

Once a seed has germinated, it must have consistent moisture, light, and warmth. Make sure the soil does not dry out throughout this whole tender process. A spray bottle or bottom watering are great options for this time period. Unless you have a great sunny window, you might need to purchase a grow light to put directly above the sprouts for even, non-leggy growing. The seedlings still need to be warm but not quite as high as what was needed for germination (70-80*F for germination vs 60-70*F for growing). Once the seed leaves (these are the cotyledons that appear first) emerge, it may be time for thinning depending on how close the seeds were planted. When thinning, use scissors in order to minimize damage to the roots of the seedlings you would like to keep.

There is no shame if this is your setup! Whichever works for you in your house.

When the seedling has developed its first true leaves (these are the second set of leaves to develop and will resemble the regular foliage of the plant), then it is ready to be transplanted. Transplanting is the process of moving a plant into another container or into the ground. Research your particular seedling because some plants benefit from being placed in a larger container before being planted outside while others only want to be moved the one time (outside).  Once it is time for the plant to finally be put out in your beautiful garden, there are some very important steps to follow or all of your hard work will quickly fly out the window. Up until this point you have controlled almost every factor of the seedling’s life. You cannot just put the plant into the wild and expect it to survive. In order to make it through the rigors of outdoor life with winds, bright UV light,  and temperature swings, the seedlings need to be “hardened off”. Hardening off will gradually introduce your little plants to their new environment. This process takes about a week, and you start by watering them less often. Let them dry out a little before each watering. Either move them to a cooler spot or lower the heat map temperature. If you have been adding any fertilizers, halt that as well.  After a week of doing those, your seedling is ready to be gradually exposed to the outdoors. If you can, put them in filtered sunlight with no wind. Start with just an hour in the morning or afternoon, and gradually increase the time throughout the week or until they can handle a full day in direct sunlight. As tempting as it is to put the seedlings in the ground, wait till a non-breezy day after the last frost. Water your seedlings before you plant and as you put them in the ground if possible.

3. Starting your seeds Outdoors

Many kinds of seeds actually prefer to be direct-seeded, or placed exactly where they will grow without being transplanted. Poppies are an excellent example of this. Timing is just as important here as it was for starting seeds indoors. Check your seed packet to see if they prefer early spring, early summer, late fall, or a specific soil temperature. If you can, prep your garden beds by adding compost and getting the soil nice and fluffy. Some gardeners may achieve this by tilling, the method of aggravating the soil by machine, shovel, hoeing, and/or broadforking. Some gardeners prefer the “no-till” method in order to preserve soil structure, improve water retention, reduce erosion, and preserve beneficial organisms. Whichever you choose, know that your seeds will most likely have the best success in well aerated, fluffy, easy to work, non-compacted soil that is already free from any grasses or weeds.

Now that your spot is completely ready, you may be staring at the seeds in your hand and the dirt on the ground wondering the best way to go about placing them. There are several different methods. You could plant in a row. This is easily achieved by running a rake across the soil and planting the seeds in the furrows. Make sure to note the guidelines on the seed packet for proper spacing or just be prepared to thin the seeds later on. Another easy way to plant in a row is to run a string along the ground and plant beside or under the string. If you are like me and stubborn, you can make your own “straight line” and watch your seedlings grow in a wonderfully curved fashion.

Broadcasting is one of the easiest methods of seed dispersal and especially efficient if covering a large area. Seeds are scattered either by hand or with a mechanical broadcaster. If the seeds are very tiny, try mixing them with fine sand or dry soil to help spread them. Finally tamp, or lightly press, the seeds into the ground and gently water the area.

If you are attempting to grow potatoes, watermelons, pumpkins, cucumbers, or any other vining plant you might want to consider “hill planting”. By planting into one foot wide, flat topped mounds, the plants are provided with adequate space, drainage, and aeration. The hills are essentially acting as their own raised bed.  This method also encourages better root growth and less root rot since the hills are less likely to get waterlogged.

This blog post barely scratches the surface on all the nitty gritty of seed starting. There are so many techniques out there, but I hope that this guide has given you a good place to start. As always, feel free to ask your AG gardeners for any tips and tricks they may have.

Happy garden planning! May all your seedlings grow and thrive!

-Lauren Saurs