Red State Green

LOL

Ladies may start them too.

Someone posted this question on Yahoo’s GardeningOklahoma list, and I thought some of the rest of you might like my answer.

I am anxious to start planting and working outside again.
Any suggestions as to when I should start seeds indoors for planting this spring.

All you need is dirt and something to hold it in. I like the paper egg cartons because you can just cut them apart and put the whole thing in the ground, plant, cup and all. You can get special potting soil but I know people who just use regular dirt or compost and do fine. Other people like making pots out of paper or you can go to a garden shop and buy the pre-made paper pots.

I put an old cookie sheet or big plastic lid underneath to catch the water (you have to keep the dirt moist) and in case you need to move them.

Not everything will germinate, but if it’s less than 7 out of 10 you got old seeds. Some seeds (fruit trees are one example) need cold or sanding the outside or take months to germinate, but it should say that on the package if that’s the case.

As far as the timing it depends on the plant and where you live. Someone on another list put this up: Oklahoma Climate Data

Go to the side bar there and hit ‘first/last freeze dates’. What you want is the last freeze date (or latest last freeze if you’re really conservative, average will usually do). It has it there by county!

(for the rest of you not in Oklahoma: look at the USDA Hardiness Zone Maps)

Look at your packet of seeds and count back the number of days for those seeds from the last freeze date that it says to start seeds (it usually says something like start 4-6 weeks before). That’s when you start them.

(note: if you count backwards and you’re late … well, you probably aren’t late. Go ahead and start your seeds, or if it’s really close to your last frost date (say you live in Florida or southern CA, which really has no last frost date unless you live in the mountains) then you can try seeding some in the ground and see how they do.)

When you got your second true leaves (not the baby leaves) growing then you can think about transplanting them.

Now you’ll need to get them used to the outside first (it’s still cold out there!). This is called hardening. What you do is leave them outside an hour a day or so and increase that each day over a week. On the last day leave them out overnight unless a freeze is coming. After that you can transplant them into the ground.

Either put the whole ball of dirt in with your paper pot (which will disintegrate in the ground in a week or two) or you can try picking them up by the leaves and transplanting them that way. I don’t like touching the plant when it’s that small; I do it if I have to but you lose more that way. If it’s too cold outside you can put them in bigger pots and keep them inside until the soil warms up.

Each plant likes a certain climate, so you’ll need to look up your plant (lettuce likes it cold, tomatoes like it warm) and see if it’s okay to put them outside.

I put this on the list, and got a note from an Oklahoma Master Gardener. She says,

As far as setting plants in the ground…unless the weather settles early (a week of upper 40’s at night and 60-70 days…it is about Mar 1st before I set out a few…do not put all of them out at once…in case we get a unexpected frost…keep over a few just in case…but by the 15th of Mar…set them all out..

The ones I hold back..I keep outside on my deck…but in containers I can pick up and put in the garage if it should turn cold..

If you like lettuce/radishes/spinach/peas/broccoli (plants only)…those are all cool weather plants and you can sow those right in the ground as soon as it settles a bit..about 15th of Feb…they can stand very cold weather and germinate fast…

Of course, your dates will be different depending on where you live. The average last frost date for Cleveland County is March 15th.

You can find your Master Gardeners through your county’s Extension Office. These people are a great resource when you have questions.

If a freeze comes after you set the plants out, just get some row cover or plastic and cover them at night. You can use bricks or dirt to keep the covers down, or they have these things that look like huge staples you can use. You can get these at any garden shop or Home Depot. Remember if you use plastic to take it off the next day so you don’t cook your plants if it gets hot.

It’s not any harder to start plants than anything else, it just takes a little time to learn. Hope that helped some.

Now go plant something!