An overhead light ensures tomato and other seedlings will stay squatty and fat. © Carol Michel/maydreamsgardens.com
April is prime season for starting seeds indoors, especially tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. On the herb list, there’s basil, cilantro and parsley.
For the exact starting times, review the seed packet instructions. The seeds for these plants are sown usually in early to mid April. Starting too early means you’ll have to support the plants with the appropriate light, water and fertilizer until the vegetables or herbs can be planted outdoors, which is usually mid May. The packet also tells us how long it takes for the seeds to germinate.
When first-timers start out sowing seeds indoors, they don’t always realize the supplies they need. “Study up on what you need and then jump in. Gardening is a craft, and you need supplies,” said Dee Nash, author of The 20-30 Something Garden Guide: A No-Fuss, Down and Dirty, Gardening 101 for Anyone Who Wants to Grow Stuff.
The seeds are primed to germinate, so sprouting them is usually not a problem. The greatest challenge is having enough light once seeds have germinated, she said in an interview. Seedlings that don’t get enough ambient light will stretch and in general, be weak plants.
“You definitely need a light table and heated mats to be very successful, especially with certain vegetables, such as eggplants. They like heat mats. Trying to just start seeds in the window is harder. You can do it, but you might as well invest in a few lights and heat mats,” said Nash, who blogs at reddirtramblings.com.
Seedlings, such as these tomatoes, which do not have enough light, will stretch, causing weak stems. © Pencho Tihov/Dreamstime.com
To solve the light issue, Nash built a light table with a metal shelving unit, fluorescent ultraviolet grow lights and heat mats. “Once I did that, I’ve had no trouble starting seeds. However, if you don’t want to go that big, you can start with one light, one heat mat and a grounded plug in. We use a grounded power strip to plug in all of our lights. Mine is four tiers, but you can start smaller,” she said.
People also need to remember to water the seedlings, she said. “If you miss several days watering, the plants will die.”
Seeds best sown directly in the soil outdoors when the temperature is right: peas, beans, lettuce, spinach, dill, fennel, squash, cucumbers and carrots.
Seeds best started indoors for transplanting outdoors when the temperature is right: tomato, pepper, eggplant, melon, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and basil. Start cilantro indoors, but then sow seeds directly outdoors every few weeks, beginning in mid June. Cilantro goes to seed (called bolting) when it gets hot. The seeds are coriander.