This post probably won't have pictures... sorry!
I went over my seeds this past weekend to determine what I want to start inside and what I want to start outside. This year's weather seems a little warmer than usual - much like last year - so my ultimate plan is to get seedlings outside the second weekend in May, but if the soils are warm enough, I will happily plant a weekend earlier.
One trickier plant that I'm doing this year is artichokes (again!). Last year I didn't get them outside in time for enough days for cool vernalization to help with the plant making blooms. My mom was sick and I just didn't have enough time to really plan that out. This year, I will put my artichokes OUTSIDE in early April - they need 10 days of low overnight temperatures in the 40s. I waited too long and just got green artichokes that looked like overgrown thistles!
From my calculations, it looks like my general start dates will be either March 1st, or March 15th, with an ocassional early April tossed in.
March 1: Tomatoes, Lavender, Foxglove (I've never grown this before, it's also extremely toxic so will be placed in a corner of my front yard where Phil can't get it!), Snapdragon (I didn't realize they needed such a long time inside), Impatiens, Artichokes
March 15: Last of tomatoes if I decided I forgot something, Coleus, Brussels Sprouts, Peppers, Mexican Sour Gherkins (technically you can wait and plant these outside but in my experience, they grow faster and more robust if started inside)
Early April: Strawflowers, Marigolds, and other annuals plus any last minute squash if I have any room
This year I purchased much different trays - instead of buying the cheapies from Menards I decided to upgrade a little and purchased very sturdy trays with taller ridges on the bottoms so that I can exclusively bottom-water. Bottom watering is better for establishing roots but it also helps cut down on the amount of fungus gnats and other insects that like to lay eggs in damp soil. I'm hoping to mitigate that from the start. I also purchased 7.5 inch tall clear tray domes. The shorter ones that are available at the stores are not what I would like. Not all the plants are growing at the same rate and I need the domes to contain the humidity for a bit longer for some of the seeds to start - especially the flowers. I'm hoping this helps give them a bit more time in the humidity and helps the smaller plants catch up more quickly.
Happy seed starting!!
