Spring Seed Starting For Early Harvest

By: Ron Cusano           Mar.. 08, 2011                            Vol. 3 Article 1020

     The snow is finally off the ground but the weather has been cold and very wet.  Hardly gardening weather, unless you are seed starting! About 2-weeks ago, I moved my 2 small fig
trees, planted in pots, indoors to break dormancy early! They already have leaves growing, and several small figs have set. I will be transplanting then into larger pots with a blend of growing mix and compost, before moving the outside, probably in May.
     I started my Green Peppers an Cayenne peppers about 2 weeks ago, and the seedlings are about 2” tall already. Peppers grow slow and produce late, so I am hoping to cut several weeks off the growing period by starting a month early!
     I started parsley, broccoli and eggplant yesterday! The parsley and broccoli like cool temps and will be ready to go to the cold frame in 4-5 weeks, and set out a week or so later.  Eggplant is another crop that grows slowly, produces late but thrives in hot weather.  My game plan by starting them now is to move them into the cold frame around mid-April, to harden off, and set them out under mini-greenhouses in May. Hopefully, this will cut a good month off the time to production! 
Although tomatoes also thrive in hot weather and take time to produce, this approach needs to be done with caution, because tomatoes grow quickly and tend to become “leggy” when started too early. I will be starting them around mid-March!
     Starting your own seeds indoors, preferably under a grow light and on a heat mat, has many benefits over using store bought seedlings.  It allows you to choose varieties that are not available at nurseries, which may be better suited to your climate, needs and garden plan. It also allow you to produce the seedlings earlier that you will find seedlings available locally. After hardening off in a cold frame, and planted weeks early under “mini-greenhouses”, you can get a jump on the season and start harvesting weeks before anyone else in your area. (* see my previous article on Mini-Greenhouses)
     Remember . . .  As soon as your soil can be worked and as long as it’s not too wet, you can start direct seeding lettuce, carrots, peas, radish, bok choy, sugar snaps, as well as setting out cole crops like broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts. I usually start by Mid March, long before most local gardeners are even thinking about their gardens, and I start “pickin” when theirs are just starting to grow.
     For a look at what varieties I will be growing this season, and my seeding and planting schedule, CLICK HERE! Check back ever now and again to see my updated reports on the progress of my seeding, planting and harvesting throughout the season!

Blessings,

Ron
“The Garden Guy”