It is that wonderful time of the year when we in the Midwest are experiencing below freezing temperatures while at the same time starting our seedlings for the growing season. Our growing season in Illinois varies from 190 - 160 days. That is not very long at all, so to make the best of the situation the seedlings need to be started indoors long before the outside growing conditions are right.
What do I need?
The seeds of course! If you already have your seeds saved from last year, that’s great! If you are planning to buy them, there are so many great options online for organic seeds and it seems like more are added every day. We order the majority of our seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
Do you have the right seed starting mix for your vegetables? When the seedlings start to emerge, they are extremely delicate so make sure you are not using regular potting soil. It has larger pieces of wood chips and sticks that can get in the way of the seedling.
Is your temperature ok? Seeds need a certain temperature to germinate and continue their healthy growth and development. Do research on the vegetable varieties that you are growing, they all have their specific needs.
How about the light source? I have limited light where my seedlings grow, so I heavily supplement the light with grow lights to meet the demands of the growing plants.
It is an exciting time when you finally transplant the seedlings outside! Make sure not to do it too soon, certain vegetables are more cold hardy than others. A cooler temperature that is fine for a kale plant might damage or kill a tomato plant!
The Old Farmer’s Almanac has excellent resources online for your seed starting and seedling transplant dates and timeline.
Best of luck with your vegetable growing adventure!