For gardeners abroad, we are approaching that time of the year for seed starting. As it is important to have a good overall take on it, I wanted to share a few tips for our area and climate zone.
Start the Tough Ones Early
Typically, by early or mid-March, as the snow melts and the soil is softened, you can begin to plant some vegetables that are hardy to frost and even temporary snow cover! These include snap peas, brassicas (like cabbage, arugula, kale, mustards, broccoli, bok choy and collard greens), spinach, lettuce, beets, radishes, carrots, garlic and onions. Asparagus and rhubarb crowns can also be planted to give them a good head start. Of course, keep in mind that Colorado weather can be quite harsh and volatile, so if we happen to have an arctic early/mid-March, just push it back a week or two.
I did a video on this, which you can find by typing the following title into the Google or YouTube search bar: “Evermore Eden Restored: Seeds You Can Plant Super Early [Let’s Get Started!]”
Have An Indoor Seed-Starting Party
Mid-March is also a great time to start your indoor tomatoes and other nightshades. Some people start before that, but I’ve come to learn that waiting until mid-March (or even late-March) typically works better in the long run. Starting them too early can cause them to be too leggy before planting them outside, and I find that younger, smaller and healthier plants shoot up after transplant and perform even better than older, leggy ones.
Be sure to provide your indoor seedlings with a heat mat or at least a nice warm spot to help them germinate. Seeds need moisture, air, and heat to germinate, so be sure to plant them in moist (not sopping wet) soil, in order to preserve the porosity of the soil.
You can find a video in which I explain how to easily start seeds in flats by searching “Evermore Eden Restored: Start 50 Seedlings At A Time With THIS Easy Technique”
Harden Them Off!
Hardening off is the process of getting seedlings acclimated to the outdoor sun. This is often overlooked but crucial in our area, where we are a mile high and the sun is very strong. Slowly introduce your seedlings to the sun by bringing them out (and then back indoors) in increments of time, increasing the time outdoors until they are fully acclimated. That way they do not get damaged by the sun’s rays, causing wilting or sunscald.
Finally, a video I did on this topic as well, in case interested: “Evermore Eden Restored: A CRUCIAL Step In Transplanting Seedlings & Rooted Cuttings”
