It’s Time to Start Your Seeds!
That was the subject line of an email that screamed out at me a few weeks ago…
This alert indicating it was time to “start your seeds” arrived during the middle of January and was delivered to the cold and snow covered climate of Central Pennsylvania!
Panic Attack at VeggieGardeningTips.com
My initial reaction upon reading that headline was to enter into a momentary panic as I tried to determine whether I had slipped into the Twilight Zone and totally forgot about the indoor seed starting season. “What date is it?” “How could I have let the winter fly by without getting my spring seedlings off to a good start?” “Is it too late to get caught up?”
Well, a quick glance at the calendar, followed by look outside calmed my nerves enough to reassure me that all wasn’t lost and that I hadn’t fallen behind in my winter seed starting duties. My next thought was to find out who the culprit was behind the cruel hoax to work me into a seed starting frenzy.
Sure, we’ve enjoyed a pretty mild winter, but there’s no way that Mother Nature or anyone else is going to trick me into jumping the gun on the upcoming growing season. Aside from some of the slower developing seedlings such as leeks and onions, it was a bit early to start planting seeds for transplanting out into my zone 6 vegetable garden.
Relax, but Gather those Seed Starting Supplies Today
As it turned out the email was from the Gardener’s Supply Company and was just a friendly reminder that the growing season is just around the corner, and that it’s a good idea to think ahead and make sure that everything is on hand to start those seedlings on schedule for your specific growing region.
Mission accomplished… I’m getting my act in gear to begin planning and to make sure everything is in order so that I can plant my veggie seeds when the time is just right! So this week I’ll be placing my heirloom seed orders, taking inventory of my seed starting supplies, and coming up with a timetable for starting seedlings indoors.
It may not be “Time to Start Your Seeds” just yet, but it’s definitely time to at least begin the planning and organizing process, especially if you intend to grow your own transplants from seed this year.
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February 15th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
[...] « It’s Time to Start Your Seeds! [...]
February 16th, 2008 at 6:25 am
The climate here in northern Europe is getting so strange, I just don’t know when to start seeds anymore.
This January was the second warmest on record since 1706. The warmest January on record in this time was last year, 2007. Today we are experiencing the highest barometer reading ever recorded in February, meaning it’s unbelievably sunny and clear.
The school children have a short winter holiday now called crocus vacation, but already the daffodils are coming out.
Last year if I had planted everything out 2 months early (instead of early May) they would have done fine.
I also have a greenhouse this year, where things can be planted out earlier anyway.
So I’ve already started many plants indoors, and I’m going to put some out early and see what happens. After all, who knows what the weather is going to do!
February 17th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Hi Pat, you’re right no one knows with the way the weather fluctuates these days. I usually take a chance with the cold weather crops and get them going and out early, but play it safe with anything that is frost sensitive and will hold off longer on planting those seeds.