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When to plant seeds for garden


Seed Starting Tips - Learn About The Best Time To Start Seeds

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Seeds

By: Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist

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Spring has sprung — or nearly — and it’s time to start your garden. When to start seeds though? The answer depends upon your zone. Zones are determined by the United States Department of Agriculture. They separate the zones according to temperature. It’s important to know the proper times for starting plants from seed. This will enhance germination and help ensure healthy, vigorous plants. Keep reading for some seed starting tips.

Starting Plants from Seed

Some plants are best started indoors and grown for transplant and some can be sown directly outside. Most transplanted seeds grow faster and produce more quickly than those directly sown outside.

For the most part, the early fall crops are suited to direct sowing, while the summer crops or those requiring a long growing season should be sown indoors. Seed starting times need to take into consideration maturity, length of growth season, variety, zone, and time of last expected frost.

When to Start Seeds

As a general rule, seeds need to be started four to six weeks before the date of the last frost. Seed starting times are calculated by taking the date of the last frost and subtracting the days until transplant. The seed packet will tell you how many weeks.

The best time to start seeds is usually late March to late May. Only the southern zones are suitable for starting plants from seed in the earlier months. Give the plant enough time to germinate and grow to an appropriate transplant size.

Seed Starting Times for Different Seeds

The plants that should be started the earliest are broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and head lettuce. Sow seeds for these indoors 10 weeks before the date of the last frost.

The warm season plants such as tomato, peppers, and eggplant require seven weeks. The best time to start seeds such as cucurbits and melons is four weeks ahead of last frost.

Once your seeds have germinated and grown the appropriate amount of time, harden them off before full transplant. This means gradually acclimating the new plants to outdoor conditions for longer and longer periods of time. This reduces shock and ensures healthier transplants.

Check Out Our Complete Guide to Seed Starting

How to Sow Seeds Indoors

Use a quality seed starter mix or compost. Any container that has good drainage is appropriate, but even just a flat will work since seedlings need little root space.

Sow the seeds according to the planting depth recommended by the seed packet. Some seeds recommend just a dusting of soil over the seeds, while others need more submersion.

You can enhance germination by soaking larger seeds in water or wrapping them overnight in a damp paper towel. Put the containers in a warm location. Most seeds need temperatures around 60 degrees F. (16 C.) for best germination.

Move the containers to a well lit area after they have germinated.

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When to Plant Seeds

Correct timing of both indoor seed sowing and outdoor seeding and transplanting is a crucial part of growing healthy plants. Here are some guidelines for sowing and planting.

When you’re eager to get gardening, it can be tempting to start sowing seeds as soon as the seed packets appear in garden stores. But correct timing of both indoor seed sowing and outdoor seeding and transplanting is a crucial part of growing healthy plants. Start seeds too early indoors and your seedlings may be leggy and potbound by the time outdoor planting time arrives; too late and your harvest will be delayed. Plant warmth-loving seeds or transplants outside too early and cold soil and air temperatures may harm them. On the other hand, crops that do best in cooler weather may not thrive if they are planted late and end up maturing when the weather is hot.

Fortunately, it’s not hard to come up with a seed starting schedule that is appropriate for your area and the crops you plan to grow. Figuring out what to plant when, both for seeds started early indoors and those planted directly in the garden, starts with finding out the average date of the last spring frost in your area. Then you can arrive at the number of weeks before or after this date to sow seeds of each particular kind of plant for the greatest likelihood of success.

If you are starting seeds early indoors to produce transplants to go out in the garden, your goal is to have transplants reach the best size for transplanting at a time when the weather conditions are suitable for them to go outside. Timing is also important for seeds planted directly in the garden. Cold-tolerant spinach seeds can be planted as soon as the soil is dry enough to work in the spring, while warmth-loving pumpkin seeds should go in the ground two weeks after the last frost date.

Thankfully, the timing (relative to the last spring frost date) for sowing seeds of vegetables and herbs both early indoors and directly in the garden has been worked out for you by generations of previous gardeners. Check out Seed Starting Tables 1 and 2 (below) for information on some popular vegetable and herbs. Check gardening books and online resources for more comprehensive information. Also look at KidsGardening's Interactive Spring Garden Calendar.

Table 1: Indoor Seed Starting and Transplanting Table 

Type of plant Number of weeks before last spring frost date to start seeds indoor Earliest date to transplant hardened off seedlings outside relative to last spring frost date
Basil 5 1 week after
Broccoli 6-8 2 weeks before
Cabbage 8-10 4 weeks before
Cauliflower 6-8 2 weeks before
Cucumber 2-3 1-2 weeks after
Eggplant 6-8 2-3 weeks after
Kale 8-10 4 weeks before
Lettuce 7-8 3-4 weeks before
Melon 1-2 2 weeks after
Onion 10-12 4 weeks before
Parsley 10-12 2-3 weeks before
Pepper 6 2 weeks after
Pumpkin 1-2 2 weeks after
Squash 1-2 2 weeks after
Swiss Chard 6-8 2 weeks before
Tomato 6-8 1 week after

 

Table 2: Outdoor Direct Seeding Table 

Type of plant Earliest date to direct sow seeds relative to last spring frost date
Beans On last frost date
Basil* 1 week after
Beets 2-4 weeks before
Carrots 2-3 weeks before
Cilantro 1-2 weeks before
Corn On last frost date to 1 week after
Cucumber* 1-2 weeks after
Dill 1-2 weeks before
Lettuce* 3-4 weeks before
Melon* 2 weeks after
Peas 6 weeks before
Pumpkin* 2 weeks after
Radish 4-6 weeks before
Spinach 4-6 weeks before
Swiss Chard* 1-2 weeks before
Squash 2 weeks after

*may also be started early indoors; see Table 1

All Gardening is Local
The specific seeding, transplanting, and direct-seeding dates to follow in your garden will depend on where in the country you are. It will come as no surprise that the last spring frost date in Texas comes quite a bit earlier in the year than in Vermont! And in the warmest parts of the country, you may be able to grow some crops outdoors year-round. Your best source of information targeted to the growing conditions in your area is your state Cooperative Extension Service. Many of the state Extension Service websites have seed starting calendars that make it easy to come up with a seed starting and planting schedule for your classroom and garden. The local office of your state Cooperative Extension Service or local Master Gardener program can also help you determine the average last spring frost date (and first fall frost date) for your area.

Make a Seed Starting and Planting Calendar
Making a vegetable and herb seed starting and planting calendar is a fun winter classroom project. It lets you and your students map out in an easy to use visual format when to start seeds of various crops inside to grow into transplants; when to transplant those seedlings outside; and when to plant seeds directly in the ground.

Step 1: Find Your Average Last Spring Frost Date
To get started, find out the average date of the last spring frost in your area.  To find this date, consult local experienced gardeners, your local Extension Service or Master Gardener Program, or the National Climatic Data Center freeze/frost information.

Step 2: Make a Seed List
Next make a list of the seeds you plan to start for your garden. Divide the list into two categories: seeds that will be started early indoors to produce seedlings to transplant to the garden and seeds that will be sown directly in the outdoor garden. To figure out which category to place your seeds in, refer to Table 1 (above).

Step 3: Figure out Indoor Seed Sowing and Transplanting Dates
For the seeds you’ll be starting early indoors, find and note the number of weeks prior to the last frost date in your area to start seeds. Table 1 (above) gives you this information for the most commonly grown vegetables and herbs. For plants that are not on this list, check the seed packet, seed catalog, or gardening references for this information.  Then translate the weeks before frost date information into the specific dates for your area.

Next, use Table 1 (above) to find out when to move hardened off transplants to the outdoor garden, relative to the last frost date. Some cold tolerant seedlings, such as cabbage and broccoli, can be transplanted before the last frost date, but you should wait until a week or two after your last frost date to transplant warmth lovers like tomatoes and peppers. 

It’s important to note that these seed starting and transplanting dates (and those for direct-seeded crops below) are approximate and based on average weather and soil conditions. Use your judgment to modify them (especially transplanting dates) given the actual weather and soil conditions in a particular season.  Also note that these dates tell you when you can safely start planting.  Some quick-maturing crops, like lettuce, can continue to be planted every few weeks in succession for an extended harvest. And many cold-tolerant crops can be planted from mid-summer through early fall, depending on the crop and your climate, for a fall harvest.

Step 4: Figure out Outdoor Direct Seeding Dates
Some crops don’t transplant easily and they do best if their seeds are sown directly in the garden where they are to grow. These crops include beans, beets, carrots, sweet corn, peas, radishes, and spinach. 

Cucumbers, melons, squash, and pumpkin plants also do not transplant readily. They can be started early indoors if the seeds are sown in plantable, biodegradable pots, such as peat pots, so that their roots are not disturbed when they are transplanted. Starting seeds of these crops early indoors may be helpful if you garden in a part of the country with a very short growing season. But in general these crops will do best if they are grown from seeds planted directly in the garden.

Some direct-seeded crops are very cold tolerant and can be planted before the last frost date. For example, spinach seeds can go in the ground as soon as the soil is dry enough to work in. Other seeds, like those of squash and pumpkins, need to be planted when the soil is warm and all danger of frost is past, usually a week or two after the last frost date. Table 2 (above) gives you the timing relative to the last frost date to direct sow seeds in the garden. As you did before, translate the weeks before or after the last frost date into the specific dates for your area.

Step 5: Put All Your Information in a Chart
Now comes the fun part! On a large piece of poster board, draw a table that lists date and  the number of weeks before and after last frost for these date in your area the  across the top, and the names of the vegetables and herbs you plan to grow in a column on the left hand side. Then using the information you’ve put together,  block out the appropriate times for sowing seeds indoors, transplanting, and/or direct seeding for each crop, using different color blocks for each category.

Once your chart is made, it’s easy to keep track of when to start planting seeds both indoors and out, and when it’s time to move your seedlings to the big world of the outdoor garden. Happy planting!

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Gardening calendar: what and when to plant at home and in the country

Tips

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JANUARY

January is the perfect month for planning your future plantings. Inspect pots and tubs, check gardening tools and order seeds. If you still can not wait to start planting, sow chili peppers. Keep the plants warm and use grow lights when the seeds sprout.

FEBRUARY

It's time to plant tomatoes for seedlings, prune geraniums, apples and pears. For good growth, tomatoes need sunlight: it is desirable that the windows in the apartment face south. To create a comfortable environment for the seeds to grow, the boxes must be covered with foil. For individual pots, you can make a mini-greenhouse from cut plastic bottles.

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As soon as the snow melts and the soil thaws, you can start replanting trees and shrubs. It is important to do this while the plant is dormant - in a fairly short period of 2-3 weeks between the snow melting and the buds swelling. Trim dead perennials and shrubs to make room for new, healthy growth. In addition, March is a great time for planting any seedlings (peppers, celery, eggplant, artichokes, tomatoes, physalis) and some types of flowers (asters, petunias, dahlias, coleus, mirabilis, geraniums). It is also time to start sowing spicy and salad herbs (basil, coriander, parsley, dill, onion, parsnip, different types of lettuce). nine0003

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APRIL

April is the time for planting seeds of cold-resistant crops in open ground; Toward the end of the month, you can plant cucumbers, sunflowers, and sweet peas. After April 20, depending on the temperature, most vegetable crops (carrots, radishes, turnips, radishes, beets, peas, beans, corn, onions, beans, potatoes) can also be sown in the ground. In addition, April is the best time to prune roses. nine0003

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In May, you can start planting plants on the balcony and in the garden. In mid-May (depending on the temperature outside), you can plant citrus, fig, olive and other types of Mediterranean heat-loving trees. Overwintered tubers of dahlias, irises, gladiolus and lilies can be returned back to the soil. We plant strawberries and wild strawberries on the balcony. Indoors, we plant different varieties of cabbage, zucchini and pumpkin for seedlings.

June is the "high season" for growing any crop, both indoors and outdoors. Everything is growing well! Dig up the soil, remove weeds, add fertilizer if necessary. As soon as the cold nights are over, summer flowers can be planted in open ground.

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Now the gardener's main concern is not so much growing as caring for his plantings. Water vegetables, flowers and trees regularly, remove weeds. Mowed grass can be placed under beds and bushes: this prevents weeds and fertilizes the soil. If you have tomatoes growing, in July they begin to actively bear fruit, so you should regularly remove the tops and "stepchildren" and do not forget that it's time for the second feeding of tomatoes. nine0003

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AUGUST

This month can be described in three words: weeding, watering, harvesting. Also in August, you can plant strawberry seedlings again, divide and replant peonies, divide and propagate spring flowering perennials, prune berry bushes and fruit trees after harvest.

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SEPTEMBER

Harvesting, tree and shrub pruning and planting of perennials, shrubs and trees continues in September. It is also time to collect and dry the seeds for spring sowing. Vegetables from which it is easy to collect seeds: beans, peas, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkins. And it's time to plant spring bulbs - this should be done before frost, the earlier in the fall, the better. nine0003

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OCTOBER

In October, the first frosts come, so it's time to dig dahlia tubers out of the ground and prepare them for wintering (these flowers do not tolerate frost well). It is also a good month to continue planting shrubs and roses. Deciduous shrubs and trees can be planted until the ground is frozen. And do not forget to plant tulip bulbs (in winter they form the substances necessary for flowering): they should be placed in the ground when the soil temperature drops to 10 degrees at a depth of 15 cm. Carrots and garlic can be planted from vegetables before winter, and then already at the beginning summer harvest awaits you. nine0003

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER

The harvest is harvested, the plants are planted - you can take a break from the garden! Time to make bird feeders and care for houseplants. You can also now grow amaryllis bulbs and hyacinths.

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TIP: To improve your yield, attract more butterflies, bees, bumblebees, and other pollinating insects to your yard or balcony by planting honey plants. Here are some of them: crocus, lavender, loosestrife, purple echinacea, verbena, lilac, meadowsweet, thyme, sunflower, calendula. nine0003

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timing of planting crops in the Middle lane

Who spends all his childhood in his grandmother's garden, the question of what and when to plant in the beds is not asked. Watching, asking, observing, you will learn by yourself. But the gardener, starting from scratch, without advisers and prompters, has to learn from his own experience, which is "the son of difficult mistakes."

And today, especially for beginners, we will write a detailed cheat sheet with approximate dates for sowing the main and some rare garden crops in the Middle lane. Use on health! nine0003

When to sow and plant the main vegetables in the garden

We classify the main vegetables as those without which it is impossible to imagine a garden. They are all planted. It can be said that the garden is started for them.

Carrots

Carrots are usually divided into two groups. The first is for summer consumption, the second is for long-term storage. And it is best to plant two separate beds at different times. In at the end of April or in the first days of May we sow early ripe carrots, which we are not going to store. And closer to the end of May (sometimes in the beginning of June ) the time of late root crops "for the winter" comes.

White cabbage

It is very easy to get confused with cabbage, because:

Therefore, first we will determine the timing of sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings. They are approximately the following:

We wrote about how to grow strong cabbage seedlings HERE. True, if you live in an ordinary city apartment with unregulated heating, then we advise you to grow cabbage seedlings directly in the country - in a greenhouse or greenhouse.

Regarding the timing of transplanting seedlings to a permanent place of residence, early cabbage can be planted in bed from April 25 to May 15 . Seedlings of mid-ripening cabbage are planted from 15 to 31 May . At the end of May or early June, it goes to the garden and seedlings of late varieties of cabbage.

Zucchini and squash

In the Moscow region and in the Middle zone, zucchini can be grown through seedlings or by direct sowing of seeds in a garden bed. In the first case, we sow seeds for seedlings from April 25, to May 5, . And after about 25-30 days, the seedlings will be ready for planting in the garden. nine0003

Plant heat-loving squash outdoors with germinated seeds when the danger of frost has passed. Usually - from May 25 to June 5 .

Potatoes

May holidays are not in vain associated with work “on potatoes”. Because it is recommended to plant potatoes in our latitudes from May 5 to May 10.

Onions

Black onions (seeds) are sown in the garden from April 15 to April 30 to obtain sets . It is customary to plant onion sets May 1-10 . And if you want to get bulbs from a seed in one season, sow seeds for seedlings from 1 to March 10, . Everything you need to know about growing onions from seedlings can be found HERE.

Cucumbers

In the second half of April it is already possible to sow seeds of early ripening cucumbers for seedlings. April seedlings begin to be transplanted into the greenhouse from 10 May . These cucumbers are the first signs for early consumption.

In the first days of May, the "second batch" of cucumbers is planted for seedlings. They are planted in a permanent place at the end of May or at the very beginning of June. These will be cucumbers for late consumption and conservation. Prefer to plant seeds directly into the ground? Then you can start the "sowing" in the range of May 15 - June 5.

Pumpkin

Planting dates for pumpkins depend on the growing conditions. If under cover, then seeds for seedlings can be safely sown April 20, , in mid-May, young plants can be planted in a garden bed. But it is better to plant a pumpkin in open ground in early June. This means that we start sowing seedlings for open ground from on May 10-15.

Tomato (tomato)

There are so many varieties of tomatoes that it is impossible to determine the exact date of their sowing. First of all ( at the end of February ) tall varieties of medium and late ripening are sown for seedlings. All March can be sown for seedlings undersized tomatoes. And the earliest ripe varieties can be planted even at the beginning of April !

February seedlings of tomatoes are usually planted in the greenhouse from May 1 to 10 , March and April - May 10-15 .

Beets

Beets for winter consumption are usually sown in beds from 5 to May 15 . Although someone grows "burgundy beauty" through seedlings, planting seeds in a box in mid-April, and young seedlings in a garden at the end of May. Someone sows beets in early June . It is believed that June root crops are better stored in winter.

Garlic

Winter and spring garlic. Winter garlic is planted in the fall in in the second half of September or at the very beginning of October. It's time for spring garlic cloves to go to the garden bed at the end of April or early May (1st to 5th) .

Pepper

Most often pepper seedlings are sown very early from 10 to 25 February . Seeds of pepper are tight and can “sit” in the ground for quite a long time, two weeks or even longer. But if everything is done according to the rules and pre-sowing preparation is carried out, then the first sprouts will appear in 7-10 days. All the details in the article How to grow pepper seedlings at home

Radishes

0111 April 25 to May 5 . But we prefer to sow radishes in the greenhouse during the period from March 25 to April 10, . By Victory Day, she already has time to ripen. And you don’t have to defend yourself against the cruciferous flea.

Leaf and head lettuce

The first planting of all types of lettuce can be carried out from May 1 to May 10 . In the first decade of July, lettuce is sown again so that fresh tender leaves can be removed all summer and autumn.

Green vegetables

Cold hardy greens - spinach, parsnips, watercress, arugula, chard, mustard greens - can be sown from beginning of April . The end of April - the first week of May - is the time for sowing parsley, dill, celery, sorrel, cilantro. The most heat-loving green crops, such as basil and lemon balm, are grown in seedlings. From 1 to 15 April their seeds are sown for seedlings, and from 10 to 20 May young seedlings are transplanted into the ground.

When to plant "difficult" and optional crops

This section is devoted to crops that are much less common in the gardens of the Moscow Region and the Middle Strip. However, information on when to plant them in beds can be helpful. nine0003

Watermelon

In our area, watermelons are often grown as seedlings. Sowing of seeds in peas begins in in mid-April . Ready seedlings are planted in a greenhouse or on a warm bed for shelter in mid-May .

Eggplant

Eggplant grows for quite a long time, so it is planted early for seedlings: from 10 to 25 February . The grown seedlings are transplanted into the greenhouse simultaneously with peppers from 20 to 25 May .

Beijing cabbage

Beijing cabbage for summer consumption is planted in spring, namely 15-20 April . But if you want to eat Beijing in autumn and winter, you need to sow it in summer - from July 20 to August 10 .

Cauliflower

Sowing seeds for early varieties and hybrids of cauliflower is carried out from March 5 to March 30 . March seedlings are transferred to a permanent place from April 25 to May 15 .

Terms of planting seeds for seedlings of medium-late varieties - April 10 - May 10 . And seedlings are planted in open ground from May 20 to June 15 .

From May 25 to June 10, late varieties of cauliflower intended for storage are sown for seedlings. These seedlings are transplanted into the beds from 1 to July 10, .

Broccoli

Broccoli seedlings are best sown in a greenhouse, not at home. It (like other cabbages) does not grow well in the heat. The terms of sowing seeds for seedlings are from March 25 to April 10. In late April - early May, seedlings with 5-6 leaves can already be planted in the garden. nine0003

Celery root

Celery root is a crop with a long growing season. We cannot grow it in a seedless way. Moreover, sowing seeds for seedlings begins early - from February 5, to March 15, . Seedlings are planted in the garden no earlier than mid-May.

Daikon

Since the daikon is essentially a winter radish, and it is intended for long storage, the optimal sowing period is from June 20 to the end of July .

Legumes (peas, beans, beans)

Peas and beans are not afraid of cold weather. They are recommended to be sown as early as at the end of April . Beans are more thermophilic, so they are planted from May 20, until the end of the month.

When to plant strawberries and strawberries

Strawberries (aka strawberries) are planted in different ways. The most common option is planting with young rosettes from mother bushes. In this case, the ideal dates for planting strawberries in the Middle lane will be periods from April 15 to May 5 and from 25 July to 5 September .

But let's not forget that this berry can also be grown from seeds.

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