Early Season Veggie Gardening

In February, most gardens are still getting the rains and cooler temperatures of wintertime with random intervals of the somewhat warmer weather we expect in spring. Many people are not thinking about planting their vegetable gardens yet, let alone going outside and tending to plants in the chilly temperatures. But for the cold-hardy gardener, this is a great time to get going on many springtime vegetable gardening projects.

indoor projects​

Starting From Seed
A great option for working around the cooler temperatures of this time is to begin your vegetable gardening indoors by sowing seeds. There are many advantages to this technique, including:

• Cost savings. Seeds are much more inexpensive than nursery-started vegetable plants.
• Choice from a greater variety of vegetables. Many nurseries only carry certain types of vegetables for transplants, and many of the great heirloom varieties are not sold as plants, only as seeds.
• Flexibility of timing. Growing your own seedlings will allow you to perfectly plan out when your veggie garden can be planted out.
• Pest exclusion. Growing your seedlings indoors will ensure that they are not grazed by local wildlife or develop pest problems early on.

With all of these benefits, starting a vegetable garden from seed can seem like a wonderful idea. However, it is important to also consider cost and have a timeline hammered out before starting. The following pointers should help you to bring your plan together:

Gather Your Materials
Starting seed indoors requires some additional accessories that all gardeners may not have on hand. The first material to consider is soil. If you have your own seedling soil on-hand, you've got a head-start. If not, all garden centers and nurseries will sell you what you need. Look for a soil made specifically for seeding; these soils will be sterilized, minimizing pathogens and weed seeds. 

This type of soil mix will be great for starting seeds of plants like peppers and tomatoes. For other plants, like squashes and cucumbers, a standard potting soil can be used. Starting with a good soil for your seeds is essential. When seedlings are developing, they use massive amounts of energy, and therefore need great growing conditions to avoid developing growth issues or health problems. 

Container Choices
Seeds can be started in many types of settings, including in plastic or peat containers, in the ground, or in containers with other mature plants. The best growing situation for seedlings, however, is a sterile, controlled environment. Indoors, seeds are best started in seed flats, old food containers (with added drainage holes), or small nursery pots. Whatever container is chosen for starting seeds, it is important to ensure sterility and drainage. Sterilize old, re-used containers with a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water, and ensure that all containers have adequate drainage holes. To test drainage before planting seeds, fill the container with soil and then water it. Monitor how long it takes most of the water to drain out. If it is more than 10 minutes, more drainage holes should be added.

Light
Alongside a growing medium, emerging seedlings will need a good amount of light to begin photosynthesizing and adding on healthy growth. Unless you have a perfect spot near a window that gets good sun exposure, you will need to supplement with artificial light. Grow lights can be purchased in many garden centers or nurseries, and will provide enough light for your seedlings.

Lights should be kept between 2 and 4 inches above the soil surface (and as the plants grow, above the top leaves). Provide seedlings with 16 hours of light per day. Not enough light will cause seedlings to have spindly and sparse growth, and they will not transplant out into the garden as well.

Seed Germination Heat Mat
This tool is not a necessary one, but will assist your seeds in getting a great head-start. Different species of seeds will have different germination temperature requirements. Some prefer cooler temperatures, others need sustained warmer temperatures (around 95 degrees Fahrenheit at the high end). Using a heat mat can ensure that the ideal temperature range is sustained throughout the seedlings' growth, and take a lot of the guesswork out of navigating seed-sowing.

When to Plant
Figuring out your sowing date (the day you'll plant your seeds for germination) involves counting back from when they'll be put out into the garden soil. In general, vegetables and herbs like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and basil can be started about 4-8 weeks prior and cucumber and squash can be started less than four weeks prior to installing them outside. If temperatures are a bit cooler (or you don't have the assistance of a heat mat), seedlings will take longer to sprout.

How to Plant
Fill your chosen container(s) with soil and water to moisten, ensuring that good drainage is occurring. Seed packets will have information on them about planting depth; the simplest way to make a hole in the planting medium is with a pen or pencil. Add two seeds to each cell or pot; this will increase your chances of germination.

 Cover the seeds with a light layer of soil, and do not press down on the top. This will squeeze out the pore space in the soil that is necessary for the seed to receive light and air as it germinates.

Care and Feeding
Once seeds are in their soil beds, keep the soil mixture moist but not wet. A complete liquid fertilizer can be applied to the soil if it is not already nutrient-rich. Mix it at half-strength as soon as the second set of true leaves appear on the seedlings. You'll want to continue to care for your seedlings indoors until they have grown their third or fourth set of true leaves. After these have sprouted, you can transfer your seedling outside (if the last frost of the year has passed). When the time comes, introduce your seedlings to the outdoor environment using a process called 'hardening off', or simply 'hardening'. This involves placing your seedlings in a shaded, outdoor environment for a few hours at a time each day, increasing their outdoor time over a few weeks by an hour every day or every few days. This will ensure that your plants don't get shocked when they are planted outdoors. The transition can be difficult, and many seedlings are lost because they just can't adapt quickly enough. 

outdoor projects

​Although it gives plants a great head start to sow them indoors, there are some veggies that will perform well in the chill of February outside. As long as soil is not too cold or too wet (you'll want to choose the driest, sunniest part of your garden for this task), it can be used for planting. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the soil temperature has risen above 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit. The seeds will sprout well under these conditions, and not become waterlogged or mold over. Good choices for crops to start in February out in the garden are:

Beets

Asian Greens
(Bok Choy, Chinese or Napa Cabbage, Mizuna)

Cilantro

Carrots

Leafy Greens
(Kale, Chard, Arugula, Collard, Lettuce, Mustard)

Peas

Potatoes

Before planting, ensure that your soil has been adequately amended with compost or other organic material. It is also a good idea at this time to add some fertilizer to the soil that is rich in nitrogen, just to get things moving along. Plant your seeds at the depth and spacing specified on the seed packet. Then, your job will be to monitor and protect your seeds and seedlings. An outdoor environment is much more harsh than an indoor one, and plants have a harder time reaching maturity. Once seedlings emerge from the soil surface, protect them by covering them with a plastic gallon milk container or similar container with the bottom cut off. This will protect them from pests and other outdoor dangers while they mature. It is also a great idea to mulch the area around the seedlings to protect roots from extreme temperatures, increase soil moisture retention and manage weed growth.

Indoors or outdoors, February is a great month to kick off your vegetable garden to ensure a hefty harvest for the year.

Until next time, 
Kristi.